Rachel's Simple & Flavorful Garden Mac N Cheese

A nice veggie and flavor loaded mac and cheese dish that doesn't require making a sauce! Cavatappi pasta does well with this too. Good way to get your kids to eat their veggies and a good one-dish meal for vegetarians.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6

Ingredients

• MACARONI BASE

• 1  cup macaroni (uncooked! To yield about 2 cups cooked macaroni)
• 2  cups cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
• 1  cup half-and-half

• VEGGIES N FIXINS

• 1  small tomatoes, finely diced
• 1  tablespoon  chopped onion
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped broccoli (about 8-10 broccoli florets)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  minced garlic (that liquidy stuff I like to use in place of cloves)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon basil
• 2  tablespoons cilantro, shredded (divided)

Directions

1. Divide the cheese into 1.5 cup and 1/2 cup portions, divide the cilantro into 1 tbsp portions.
2. Cook the macaroni al dente in salted water, and put into a mixing bowl.
3. Mix all the veggies and fixings together in a small bowl, add to the macaroni.
4. In a 1.5 quart casserole dish, layer the macaroni mix and 1.5 cups of cheese to the top. Pour in the half-and-half.
5. Top with the remaining cheese and cilantro and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350°F.