Cauliflower Veggie Mac 'n Cheese

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower (chopped to 1-inch pieces)
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 large tomatoes (rough cut into large pieces)
• 6 tablespoons butter (2 to saute cauliflower, 4 reserved)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 6 green onions (chopped 1/4-inch slices)
• 13 1/4 ounces whole wheat pasta (boiled & drained)
• 1 1/2 cups kerrygold irish dubliner cheese, shredded
• 1 cup swiss cheese, shredded
• 2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 for sauce, 1 reserved for topping)
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (kraft or store brand is fine)
• 3 cups seasoned bread crumbs

Recipe

• 1 note: after i post this recipe, one of the cheese names keeps getting changed to kerrygold dubliner irish farmhouse cheese and i have corrected it several times, but it won't stay correct. the cheese you want is really called kerrygold irish dubliner cheese not farmhouse. if you cannot find it try using 3/4 cup parmesan and an extra 3/4 cup extra sharp cheddar as a substitute in place of the kerrygold irish dubliner in the cheese sauce.
• 2 boil & drain 1 box whole wheat pasta and set on the side in a very large bowl.
• 3 cut 1 medium head cauliflower to 1" pieces and boil in hot water until fork tender, drain completely. then saute the cauliflower for 5 minutes with 2 tablespoons of butter. transfer to a different bowl and hold separately.
• 4 using same pan you sauted the cauliflower in, add 8oz sliced mushrooms to the pan and saute until cooked completey. return cauliflower to the pan with the cooked mushrooms.
• 5 rough cut 2 large tomatoes into large pieces and add to cauliflower and mushroom mixture . heat three ingredients through for approximately 5 - 7 minutes on a medium high heat, stirring frequently. once done, dump veggies in large bowl on top of the pasta.
• 6 cut 6 green onions (both & green parts) into 1/4" slices and add to large bowl of veggies and pasta.
• 7 in a separate large pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter (be careful not to brown). once melted, add 4 tablespoons flour and stir constantly to cook flour for 5 - 10 minutes over medium heat being careful not to brown until flour looks frothy and bubbly.
• 8 slowly add 4 cups milk to flour and butter mixture, making sure to whisk quickly while adding milk slowly and constantly to avoid lumps. heat milk mixture on low to medium heat until it almost comes to a boil and continue for approximately 20 minutes being careful not to burn milk or over-boil.
• 9 once milk is done and appears to look like it is thickening to a sauce, add 1-1/2 cup shredded kerrygold irish dubliner cheese, 1 cup shredded swiss cheese and 1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese and stir slowly until completely melted to a cheese sauce.
• 10 pour cheese sauce over veggies and pasta and gently mix to combine thoroughly. transfer cauliflower veggie mac 'n cheese to a 9 x 13 baking dish.
• 11 top evenly with 1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (again kraft or store brand is fine) and 3 cups seasoned bread crumbs.
• 12 bake in a 350 degree oven until entire dish is hot bubbly and the edges are browning for about 1 hour and enjoy!