Beef, Cheese, and Noodle Bake

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 2 teaspoons bottled garlic minced
• 1 cup carrots 
• 8 ounce elbow macaroni 
• 1 cup skim milk fat-free
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 0.1 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 1 pound ground sirloin lean
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 1 cup onion 
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded 2% divided reduced-fat (such as Cracker Barrel)
• 1 cup tomato sauce 

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• baking pan
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 35
2. Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Lightly coat pasta with cooking spray.
3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
4. Add onion and carrot, and saut 4 minutes.
5. Add garlic; saut 1 minute.
6. Add ground beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.
7. Add tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates.
8. Add pasta to beef mixture in pan, stirring to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
9. Place milk, flour, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk.
10. Add 1 cup cheese, stirring until smooth.
11. Pour cheese mixture over pasta mixture; stir. Top evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
12. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
13. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.