Mac and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes

Introduce baby to this comfort food classic that the whole family will love as a main dish or side. Plenty of milk and cheese make it a great source of bone-building calcium. Feel free to use a mild cheddar, if you'd like.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 8 plum tomatoes (about 2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 pound uncooked multigrain whole-wheat elbow macaroni
• 2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
• 5 cups 1% low-fat milk
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded extrasharp white cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400°.
2.  Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat foil with cooking spray. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle oil over tomatoes. Sprinkle with thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and garlic. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until tomatoes start to dry out.
3.  Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.
4.  Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add cheddar, fontina, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes and pasta. Spoon into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs; sprinkle over pasta mixture. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
5.  For baby: Omit black pepper. Serve spoonfuls in a small bowl. Cut the tomatoes and macaroni, if needed, into bite-sized pieces.

Make photos of your family eating the tasty dish, upload to the App. Write whether you liked the recipe.