By Angie McGowan
I’m always looking for new ways to add some nutrition to my son’s favorite foods, like his macaroni and cheese. So the other day when we were browsing the frozen food isle, and he spotted the big green box of frozen fish sticks he just had to have, I figured I would make something a little healthier to go along with it.
For this mac and cheese, I used Italian herbs and cheeses along with lots of fresh peas. I added a bit more than 2 cups of fresh peas to our pasta, but I just love fresh peas when they burst in your mouth, so good!
Some more interesting posts:
Super Cheesy Panko Parm Mac and Cheese
Cheesy Peasy Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 – 13 oz box medium pasta shells
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
- 2 cups fresh peas, shelled
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian blend dried herbs (basil, oregano and rosemary)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain well.
- Add butter to a skillet and melt. Add garlic and onion. Saute until translucent. Add flour and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, or until it smells nutty, whisking constantly.
- Add milk, herbs and peas. Whisk until it comes to a bubble. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until thickened and add cheese. Remove from heat and add pasta. Stir until well incorporated.
- Peas will be crisp, and burst when you bite into them. If you want soft peas, use defrosted frozen ones, or boil peas until desired tenderness before adding to sauce.
