Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese POSTED IN MAIN DISH, PASTA, QUICK/WEEKNIGHT MEALS, VEGETARIAN My mac and cheese obsession continues to grow every day.  Well okay, not every day, but at least every day that I make it, and some days when I just think about it a whole lot.  This recipe took the obsession to a whole new level.  Why?  Because it has all the amazing flavor of a really superb homemade mac and cheese but it’s made on the stovetop, eliminating the actually short but seemingly agonizing wait while other mac and cheese recipes bake in the oven.  Score. See that?  It’s creamy, it’s ooey gooey, and it is ready in no time.  You can of course use whatever variety of cheese you prefer or what you might happen to have on hand.  That’s the beauty of a recipe like this – it’s so adaptable.  It took quite a bit of restraint not to sit over the pot and finish it off for dessert, but I was very glad to have the leftovers for lunches.  Some types of mac and cheese don’t reheat all that well but I thought this was actually very good in that regard.  Really I think the only bad thing about this meal is that it is so easy, I kind of want to make it all the time.  And that would be bad…but also so good.  Sigh. Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese Printer-Friendly Version Ingredients: 12 oz. dried pasta (your preferred shape) 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup shallot, finely minced 8 oz. gouda, shredded 2 oz. freshly grated Parmesan ¼ cup milk, half and half, or heavy cream 4 oz. low-fat Greek yogurt 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature Salt and pepper, to taste Directions: Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook pasta according to package directions just until al dente.  Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Immediately return the pasta to the pot.  Add the garlic, shallot, and cheeses and stir briefly to combine.  Mix in the milk, Greek yogurt, and butter and stir until the cheese is thoroughly melted and the mixture is creamy.  If necessary add a small amount of the reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.