Last month, The Laughing Cow asked me if I would be interested in trying a lower-calorie version of a comfort food, featuring their cheese. I’ve kept Laughing Cow in my refrigerator ever since being introduced to it by my high school French teacher (back when it was called “la vache qui rit”) but I’ve never tried cooking with it so, intrigued, I agreed. They sent me the recipe and ingredients to make their creamy stovetop macaroni and cheese, and it couldn’t have been more perfect.
It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for macaroni and cheese, especially when it has a gourmet twist (Jalapeño Popper is my most popular version, but my personal favorite is Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese.) Sometimes though you just need something simple, quick, and comforting. That’s exactly what this recipe delivers. It doesn’t take any longer to make than a standard box does, but the combination of Swiss and cheddar cheeses gives it a really complex, adult flavor.
I thought about putting a crazy, gourmet twist on the recipe but in the end I went with classic comfort and stirred in some stewed tomatoes. It’s something my Dad always did, and the combination always reminds me of being a kid. (For some reason, it also reminds me of eating cream cheese and jelly sandwiches – did anyone else eat those?! I can’t even imagine eating one of those now…)
Creamy Stovetop Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked Whole Wheat Pasta
- 3 wedges Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Cheese
- 3/4 cup Reduced-Fat Sharp Cheddar, shredded
- 1/2 cup Skim Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 cup Stewed Tomatoes, drained and chopped
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
- Drain and return to the pot. Add the cheeses, milk and butter and stir until melted and creamy. Stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
Disclosure: The Laughing Cow sent me the ingredients and a recipe for mac n’cheese but I did not receive any additional compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.
Hey! I am craving for some mac and cheese right now, but can’t we just make mac ‘n cheese without cheddar. There’s literally no cheddar available at the stores! And I have googled “Mac N Cheese recipes without cheddar” over a million times and there’s no proper recipe. Help!
What kind of cheese do you have/can you get? Monterrey Jack is fantastic in mac and cheese. You could also use something like muenster (it gets so gooey when it melts) or even mozzarella.
Hi! Great recipe. I’d like to make it now and I’m wondering if the stewed tomatoes will curdle the cheese/milk?
Thank you so much for your time and expertise,
Jill
nope!
I like to put blue cheese laughing cow wedges in the middle of my meatoaf….I just shape 1/2 of the meat into a loaf, make a shallow indent almost the lenth of the loaf, lay about 3 wedges of the cheese in the indent, top with other half of meatloaf, and seal up the edges. I bake the same temp and time as I would for any meatloaf…yummy surprise for your taste buds! Would be great with carmelized or canned fried onions on top, as well! I also like to substitute the light wedges for mayo in my meat sandwiches. Saves calories, and perks up the taste!
I DEFINITELY used to eat cream cheese and jelly! My mom was a HUGE proponent of those sandwiches. 😛
And in college I totally put tomatoes in my easy mac. It just seemed like the right thing to do. But this looks WAY better.
i’ve been craving tomatoes in my mac and cheese. i usually incorporate dried ones but i’ve been meaning to use stewed ones. on it!
I used to hate when dad put tomatoes in the Mac & cheese and now it’s one of my favorites. And I still eat cream cheese and jelly sandwiches, buy only when I run out of peanut butter. 😉
A very interesting and tasty recipe. Have you tried it with other cheeses to see how the taste differs – Philadelphia for example
I haven’t tried this particular recipe with different cheeses, but I’ve made different ones with all types. I use cream cheese/Philadelphia in my jalapeno mac and cheese – it makes it super creamy and rich, but it also has a very distinctive flavor.