No, it's *not* GOOOOODA...

...it's "How-da". This is what snapped at the kids today at Trader Joe's. I am pretty sure some random guy in there thought I was insane. Either that or just plain stupid.

See, my mother in law is from Holland, the motherland of such cheeses like Edam and Gouda. Now, I must tell you everyone says "Gouda" wrong. It's not Goo-da. It's How-da. After 15 years of hearing How-da (and you have to say it real throaty, almost like there's crud in your throat) it's not 'goo-da', it's 'how-da'.

I made a trek to Trader Joes today for some good eats. I knew they had cheese - cheap, so I headed there with a recipe in mind. I was going to make Gouda Macaroni & Cheese. (did you say goo-da when you read that?). They had what I needed - spinach, gouda, & more parm (I always have a block of parm, who knows when you might need it, right?). They didn't however have elbow macaroni!!! I did have to go to another store. They had lots of other pastas which I could have of course used, but I wanted tradition.

I got this recipe recommended from my friend Heather. I think she used smoked Gouda. I went with a non smoked variety. I am actually not a huge fan of smoked gouda. I think it takes away from the flavor (sorry, I am in Wisconsin. Cheese is everywhere. Where else do you find stores that specialize ONLY in cheese? I over analyze my cheese).

The only thing I can say about this is that it was fantastic. I loved it. I didn't chop my spinach because it was baby spinach and I know how the leaves wilt to be very tiny when cooked. I also didn't measure the cheese. I don't measure unless I have to. So please, make this. And please don't say 'goo-da'.

Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 (1-ounce) slice whole wheat bread
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fat-free milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
• 1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 5 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
• 4 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups uncooked)
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, salt, and pepper, stirring constantly with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 2 minutes). Add cheeses; stir until melted.

Add spinach and macaroni to cheese sauce, stirring until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until bubbly.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

399 (25% from fat)

Fat:

10.9g (sat 6.2g,mono 3g,poly 0.8g)

Protein:

20.1g

Carbohydrate:

54.9g

Fiber:

3.7g

Cholesterol:

33mg

Iron:

3.6mg

Sodium:

725mg

Calcium:

421mg

Cooking Light, MARCH 2003