Three Cheese Penne Pasta (Low-fat) Recipe
1 pound penne
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups low-fat (1%) milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1-1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese (5 ounces)
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)
Cook penne in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until al dente, firm but tender. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, saute 8 minutes or until tender. Remove form skillet.
Heat remaining oil in skillet. Add onion, saute 5 minutes. Add garlic; saute 2 minutes.
Whisk together flour and milk in a small bowl. Add to skillet. Bring to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; add salt and nutmeg and simmer 5 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Lighly grease a 12 x 9 x 2-inch shallow baking dish.
In same pot used to cook penne, toss penne with sauce, mushrooms, lemon juice and pepper.
Combine all the cheddar, Swiss, and Monterey Jack cheeses in a bowl; set aside 1/4 cup. Add remaining cheese to penne mixture, stirring gently. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with reserved cheese.
Bake, uncovered, in heated 400-degree F. oven, 20 to 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
Make-ahead tip: Prepare through all steps except baking. Refrigerate, covered, up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. To serve, if frozen, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed.