Baked Crab Mac and Cheese

This week’s recipe is a little less healthy, but it makes about eight servings and can easily be paired with a side salad for a complete dinner. Not only is the pasta bake delicious, but it can be used to mix up your Lenten Fridays. Last year during Lent we had pizza for dinner on Friday’s; this year we’re taking a slightly healthier and more varied approach.

As you can tell, I’m not very good at coming up with recipes that can easily be made after work during the week. I am however getting a lot better at planning whole meals that are either at or just over 500 calories!

As always, any questions or comments can be sent to me at Miriya.whitaker@gmail.com.

What You’ll Need…

½ lb. Crab Meat (Chopped)

½ Onion (Chopped)

½ Bell Pepper (Chopped)

1 Large Handful Mushrooms (Chopped)

2 Cups Pasta (Any kind you like, I personally use orzo.)

2 Tablespoons Butter

3 Tablespoons Flour

1 ½ Cups Milk

Salt (Pinch)

Pepper (Pinch)

Nutmeg (Pinch)

2 Cups Grated Cheese (Any kind you like.)
5 Saltine Crackers

Preheat your oven 350 and fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil.

As you wait for the pasta water to come to a boil start working on chopping your vegetables and crab meat. Chop the crab meat and vegetables to whatever size you like. Remember that this is all going to be in pasta so a smaller size would be better for the vegetables. Once the vegetables have been chopped place them into a sauté pan and cook until all of the vegetables are soft.

Before moving onto the béchamel sauce (the white sauce) grate the cheese so that you have it ready when the sauce is done. Also, when the water comes to a boil add the pasta. Let the water come to a boil again and let the pasta cook for about 10 minutes. The time all depends on how you like your pasta cooked. 

Now for the sauce. Heat 1 ½ cups of milk in a sauce pan, do not allow it to boil. In another small sauce pan melt two tablespoons of butter. To the butter add three tablespoons of flour, allow the raw flour flavor to cook out, it is important to whisk the mixture continuously. 

 




















Once the flour butter mixture looks like wet sand full it off the heat to add the milk. Place it back over the heat and whisk continuously until the sauce thickens, scraping the bottom of the pan is important so that the mixture is thoroughly combined. It should take about 6-8 minutes for the sauce to thicken.The sauce is done when you can run your finger down the middle of a spoon and the line stays. 

At this point the pasta should be done. Drain the pasta. If you are using orzo drain it in a mesh strainer. Place the pasta back into the original pot and go back to the sauce.

Add a dash of salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the sauce and stir thoroughly. Now, add the cheese and allow it to melt into the sauce. Again, stir thoroughly. 

Once the sauce has been stirred add it to the pasta. Once the pasta and sauce have been combined add the crab meat and vegetables. After everything is combined pour it into a greased glass rectangle baking dish and smooth it so that the top is level. Take the saltine crackers and either crumble them over the pasta or crush them with a rolling pin in a plastic bag and sprinkle them over the top, it all depends on how you want your "bread crumb" topping.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Enjoy plain for topped with ketchup or honey Dijon sauce. Cover the leftovers with foil and keep in the refrigerator.

Simple Honey Dijon Sauce:

3 Tablespoons Honey

6 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

Make adjustments as needed.