Mini Meaty Mac and Cheese Casseroles

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes in thick puree
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus additional for ramekins
1 cup fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs (about 2 slices bread, pulsed in
blender)
3-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups hot skim milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups grated 2 percent sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
1 pound cellentani or corkscrew pasta

Directions
1. Cook beef in a nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, breaking
up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink. Transfer beef with a
slotted
spoon to a bowl, leaving fat in skillet. Add onion to skillet and
cook,
stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in beef, tomatoes with
puree, and Worcestershire sauce; simmer, stirring occasionally, 10
minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Remove pan from
heat and transfer 1 tablespoon of the butter to a medium bowl, leaving
remaining butter in pan. Add bread crumbs to bowl with butter and stir
to combine. Whisk flour into saucepan and cook over moderate heat,
whisking, until mixture is pale brown, about 3 minutes. Whisk in milk
in
a slow, steady stream and simmer, whisking occasionally, until
slightly
thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk until
melted
and mixture is almost smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep sauce
warm,
covered, off heat.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degree F and lightly butter 6 ovenproof
ramekins
(about 2-cup capacity) or glass dishes.

4. Cook pasta in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring
occasionally, until al dente; drain in colander. Return pasta to pot
and
pour in cheese sauce. Gently stir pasta and sauce together until
combined well.

5. Spoon about 1/2 cup meat mixture in bottom of each prepared ramekin
and top evenly with macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with bread crumb
mixture and bake casseroles on a sheet pan in middle of oven until
bubbling and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.



Nutrition facts per serving:
calories: 895, total fat: 39g, saturated fat: 21g, cholesterol: 138mg,
sodium: 1552mg, carbohydrate: 79g, fiber: 4g, protein: 52g
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