Spinach and Artichoke Mac & Cheese - Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound regular or whole wheat penne
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups milk
• A few grates fresh nutmeg
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces), defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
• 1 box frozen chopped artichokes (10 ounces), defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel
• Ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Italian fontina cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.
Place a large pot of water over high heat to cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, salt it well and drop in the pasta. Cook to al dente, according to the package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, place a medium pot over medium-low heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons, and the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook them until very soft, about 10 minutes.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, then whisk the wine into the pan, cooking for another minute to burn off the alcohol. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, veggies and some salt and pepper to the sauce and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.
Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle some more of the fontina and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses over the top and bake until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

I've made this before and I love it, its addicting! It has been getting so cold and I wanted something comforting to make, mac & cheese makes for the perfect comfort food.

I did make some changes. First I have never added nutmeg when making this, maybe I will one day but for now I'm anti-nutmeg. I also use artichokes canned in water. I usually buy everything the day I make it and defrosting them would probably take longer. I used a small onion because the store didn't have larger ones and they are easier to chop. Another thing to point out is the Parmigiano Reggiano is kind of like really fancy and expensive Parmesan. I use it because it does taste really good, but if you can't find it or don't want to pay $12 for cheese use Parmesan.

Have a great week :) The holiday countdown is on!