That sounds good, Sara. If I can find some rutabagas here in the winter I will try fixing them as you do.

DonnaZ

Hi Donna & Friends,

You folks are really making me quite hungry. Generally, I don't fix a lot of Rutabagas, but here's one that I've always liked. The sweet maple syrup complements the earthy, slightly bitter taste of the rutabaga. Delicious when served with pork tenderloin or ham.

Maple-Glazed Rutabaga

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted
• 7 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled rutabaga (about 2 medium)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine syrup and butter in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add rutabaga, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Spread rutabaga mixture on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 425° for 35 minutes or until rutabaga is tender, stirring occasionally.

Have A Terrific Thursday,

Phil

Phil,

Your recipe actually makes rutabaga sound tasty, so I will have to try it if I ever find rutabagas in my region.

Back to the macaroni and cheese topic, a friend says he makes it with Velveeta cheese and gets compliments on his dish at carryins. I will have to try that and see how I like it.

DonnaZ

Hi Donna,

Now you've really hit on something near & dear to my heart. Mama wouldn't make Mac & Cheese without the Velveeta. Here's one of my favorites, with a little less fat due to the low-fat Cheddar, low-fat Parmesan, & the Skim Milk...

Low Fat Baked Mac & Cheese w/Ham

LOW-FAT BAKED MAC & CHEESE W/HAM 3/4 box elbow macaroni 3 tbsp. smart balance butter 3 tbsp. flour 1/2 diced onion 2 cup Sargento low-fat sharp cheddar 5 slices of Velveeta cheese or 1/3 velveeta block 2 cups skim milk 1 tsp ground mustard (dry) 1 tsp black pepper Topping: 4 tbsp. dry bread crumbs (season to taste) 3 tbsp. smart balance butter 2 tbsp. Kraft low-fat grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup cubed ham (suggest a wedge of any deli ham sliced at #9) Par-boil pasta (firm but still edible, al denté), drain, toss in cubed ham. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 2 quart saucepan on medium heat. Add in dry mustard, pepper and flour. Mix well. Heat for 2 minutes until thickened. Slowly add milk 1/2 cup at a time until all is added, and mix to boil (bring to high heat if needed). Continue whisking until cream base is reached. Add onion and cheese, whisking until melted. Turn off heat and allow to stand for 1 minute. Toss pasta/ham into the melted cheese, stirring well until all of the macaroni is coated and cheesy. Heat oven to 350°F, in 8X8-inch baking dish; fill with pasta. Breadcrumb Topping: In a small clean saucepan, melt butter over low heat; add crumbs and mix well. Turn off heat. Crumbs will look moist, but still loose, stir in Parmesan and mix well. Sprinkle on top of casserole evenly. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F until golden brown on top and bubbly. Enjoy! *I also love this with French's Fried Onions sprinkled on top as an easy variation to breadcrumbs!

Have A Terrific Week,

Phil

Hi Phil,

Your recipe sounds yummy too. I have so many to choose from now!

DonnaZ