reduced fat bechamel for mac and cheese

[Blues Heron]

I like to make mac and cheese with a white sauce to which I add cheddar, then bake in the oven. But whenever I contemplate the standard 2 TB butter/2 TB flour/1 cup milk recipe I start getting second thoughts. So this time I decided to use 1/2 the amount of butter, put 1/2 the flour in with it to make the roux, and put the other half in with some of the cold milk - Sort of a milk/fllour slurry, and then whisk and/or use the back of a spoon to get rid of lumps before adding to the rest of the milk/flour butter mixture. Worked like a charm.

I did use full fat extra sharp cheddar( Cabots) so this was certainly not a low fat dish in the end, just 3 TBs less butter than I would have used. Liked the result. Oh I also used 2% milk. another few grams of fat savings there I guess.

[Denninmi]

1. Well, I've had Cabot's Extra Sharp Cheddar.

The flavor on that one is definitely worth the fat. But yes, you can make a very nice lower fat mac and cheese. There are actually several ways to go about it. You really don't need any fat to make the white sauce --- it will still work, and by the time the entire dish is finished, you won't notice much of a difference. I used to flavor it with fat free liquid squeeze margarine (horrible stuff really, but it did add some flavor), or with "Butter Buds".

Fat free cream cheese melted into the dish helps to make it seem more creamy. Kraft also makes a very good 2% cheddar cheese that works well in mac and cheese.

[Lucinda]

4. I use a little Cabots Sharp Cheddar on my pizzas

Yummmmmy stuff.

[grasswire]

2. I use 1 percent milk without any flavor loss

But I do use butter for the roux and whole milk cheddar.

[Blues Heron]

3. Thanks for your replies!

Some good tips that I will try next time! I figured why put in all that butter if it's going to have cheese anyway, so thought taking out half would be a good experiment - next time I'll try taking it all out.

[NashVegas]

5. I Don't Bother With a Bechamel or Roux Anymore

Instead, I just give it all a quick stir with grated gruyere, mozz, fontina, and spread a little parm on the top for good measure. A shake or two of cayenne gives it a bite, too.