(Sabrina made this for another meal group and my family loved it. It reminded me of a pasta that my Mexican aunt would make for me all the time while living in Mexico)
1/2 lb. macaroni
3 T. butter
1 sm. onion chopped
2 T. flour
2 c. milk
2 c. chedder cheese
1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1(14.5) can diced tomato’s w/ juice
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9×13 pan. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile melt 2T. butter. of the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook stirring occasionally, until softened. about 5 min. Add flour; cook stirring constantly about 1 min. Gradually whisk in the milk. Increase heat and cook whisking constantly until slightly thickened. 3-4 min. Then whisk in both cheeses, salt and pepper. Cook and whisk about 1 min. until cheese melts.
3. Remove from heat, stir in macaroni and tomato’s with juice. Put in 9×13 pan. Melt last Tbsp. butter in skillet, add bread crumbs and cook until evenly coated, about 1 min. sprinkle over dish and bake 25 min. until bubbly and golden brown.
IF FREEZING: Wait a few minutes after pouring items into pan BEFORE topping with bread crumbs. Top with breadcrumbs when pasta has cooled slightly. Then cover with foil and freeze. Pull out meal the night before or the morning of the day you will eat this for dinner. If it’s partially thawed bake covered on a cookie sheet for 1 1/2 hours. If it’s totally frozen bake for about 2 hours covered. Take foil off last 10 minutes of baking.
**MAGGIE’S TIP- To make meal prep easier…. I boiled the pasta and poured cooked drained pasta into a large bowl and then added tomatoes and stirred. Then on the stove top in a large pot made the sauce mixture. Because I did not have a bowl large enough for the sauce and macaroni I mixed them individually by-
#1- Taking PAM sprayed pan and putting a thin layer of sauce on bottom of pan.
#2- Pouring pasta/tomato mixture on top…. about 3/4 inch of pasta)
#3- Top with a layer of sauce and using a spoon mix the sauce throughout the pasta.
#4- Let sit till slightly cooled, then top with breadcrumbs and cover with foil.