Spinach Artichoke Mac 'n' Cheese

Since my last adventure with home made mac 'n' cheese, I have been keeping my eye out for another twist on the homey comfort food. And here I found one! Originally a Rachel Ray recipe, I tweaked it a little per some suggestions of a gal who recommended it - and it was fantastic! I added sun dried tomatoes and chunks of cooked chicken - YUM!! Next time, I think I'll add a little more artichokes just because I love them so much, but other than that, this recipe is good as-is!

Spinach Artichoke Mac 'n' Cheese

• 1 pound whole wheat penne
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic - I used a solid Tablespoon minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups milk
• Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon or to taste
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry
• 1 can artichokes - drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes - chopped
• chunks of cooked chicken - about 1 - 2 cups I think is what I used
• Black pepper
• 2 cups shredded Italian Fontina cheese - I used a Monterrey Jack this time and it was great. I may use a Sharp White Cheddar in the future
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese - I used this with a little mozzarella thrown in

--Cook the pasta as directed.
--Saute the onions and garlic in a large skillet with a little olive oil until tender and fragrant
--Whisk in the flour and then the wine. Turn heat to med-high
--Add the milk and wait for it to bubble a little.
--Add the nutmeg, spinach, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, chicken and pepper. Heat through.
--Add 1.5 cups of each cheese and stir until melted. Enjoy just looking at the creamy, colorful mixture in front of you!
--Stir in the pasta and mix well.
--Transfer to a casserole dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
--Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

A better, more colorful, view