Triple Cheese Mostaccioli Bake

Creamette

½ package (8 oz.) Mostaccioli, uncooked

¼ cup margarine or butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp basil leaves

1 tsp salt or seasoned salt

¼ tsp pepper

4 ½ cups milk

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. 

Not quite what the recipe had in mind, but I'm all about healthy facsimiles these days.

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large saucepan, melt margarine or butter; stir in flour, basil, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in milk. Over medium heat, cook and stir until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese; mix well. Stir in cooked pasta. Spoon half the pasta mixture into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish; top with Swiss cheese then remaining pasta mixture. 

The dish isn't layered in the end - the Swiss spreads all throughout.

Cover; bake 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Uncover; immediately top with remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese. 

Still more cheese!

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Gotta let the cheeses really mingle, ya know?

My Rating: 3/5 "What this had in cheese it lacked in pizzazz. I don't say that to knock it; I'm all about cheese in its many wonderful forms. But sometimes cheese needs something else a little more robust to give it some oomph, and this dish is missing that oopmh somehow. Maybe my palate just isn't sophisticated for not-mac-and-cheese, but I'd still like to see something more complex happening here."