Goodie Goodie Gluten-Free: Bobby Deen's Mac n Cheese

**found in March 5th, 2012 issue of People Magazine, converted GF

Well, well, nothing like finding a fabulous easy recipe in People Magazine from a famous Southern Cooking Channel Star!! I love those finds! Especially Mac n Cheese. Now with most of these mainstream recipes, most likely the pasta used will not be gluten-free and in this case the bread crumbs as well, but don't fret my dear readers, a simple gf pasta and bread crumb conversion is all you need. Even if you are a newbie to the Celiac world, you are a smart cookie, well a smart gluten-free cookie. Experiment, because most likely you will create a fabulous recipe and wow your friends and family. (On the off chance your newly converted recipe is a total bust, just try again, because we have all been there, myself included). Now the trick is of course, is to find the really good gf pasta brands and bread crumb brands, rather then the soggy ones. Because those soggy brands are out there!! I know you have tried them, and believe me I have too! Yuck!

Recently I tried to get a friend of mine to go to NYC's Risotteria Restaurant for some great gluten-free pizza and pasta. She said, and I quote, "Ew Julie, I am not going to a gluten-free restaurant, no offense but I'm sure it's gross". I said, "Girl, don't dis the Gluten-Free!! Don't knock it, because some of it out there rocks beyond". Judgemental I say. So Judgey. (By the way, for those of you who haven't tried Risotteria you are so missing out!!).

Any who, back to Bobby Deen. For those of you who don't know who Bobby Deen is...well he is a star on the Cooking Channel and Paula Deen's son!!

This recipe is called Guiltless Cheese Mac and it makes 8 Servings

2 cups uncooked GF elbow macaroni (this is where you will substitute for gluten-free. Try brands like Bionaturae GF Elbow Pasta or Le Veneziane GF Pasta's (they don't have elbow, but this in an amazing corn pasta that has many other shapes and worth using) or Schar GF Pasta or any other brand you may desire, gluten free of course!

3/4 cup shredded cheese (3oz)

3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (3oz)

1/2 cup skim milk

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 (16oz.) bag of frozen peas, thawed

1 cup finely chopped cauliflower

1/4 cup soft bread-crumbs-and for us this will be GF bread crumbs. Try Aleias GF Bread Crumbs, or Gillian's GF Bread Crumbs or Glutino GF Bread Crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Prepare macaroni (or desired pasta being used) in a large dutch oven according to package directions. Drain well; return to Dutch oven, cover and keep warm.

3. Combine cheeses and next 8 ingredients in a bowl. Stir mixture into warm macaroni; spoon into 1 1/2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle crumbs on top. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

And don't forget to tune into Deen's show "Not My Mama's Meals" Airs Wednesdays at 9pm on the Cooking Channel.

Enjoy!! xoxo Julie