Mac & "Cheese"

So: truth be told, my kiddo actually doesn't like this very much.  But that's cuz he doesn't like noodles very much.  As mac & cheese goes, this is a pretty good one.  It's easy, tasty, hides a vegetable, and sits on the healthy side of cheese-involved pasta dishes.  Leftovers reheat easily.  It's slightly on the sweet side but a little black pepper and maybe a dash of salt will fix that in no time.  If you like a light crust, put the finished pasta into an oven-safe dish, sprinkle bread crumbs on top, and bake for a bit.  You really can't overcook this in the oven...cover with a bit of foil & it's goof-proof.

Cook a box of pasta.  Not long noodles....mac & cheese appropriate.
Peel, chop, and boil a sweet potato til pretty soft; drain in a colander & mash with a fork.

Make a cup of Béchamel Sauce:

• Melt 2 T butter in a pan over low heat, then stir in 2 T flour
• Cook for 3-5 minutes over med-low til fragrant but not dark
• Pour in 1 1/4 c milk (warmed in the microwave), whisking regularly over low heat
• Cook 8-10 minutes, at a very soft simmer; it'll thicken up a lot; stir to prevent burning

Add the mashed sweet potato & a handful of grated cheese (it won't need much) to the sauce and stir it well.  Then combine sauce & pasta in a separate bowl to the consistency you want.  Done.

A note on Béchamel Sauce:  It's easy and goes together quickly.  And once you get this sauce down you can use it in all kinds of things -- mix with shredded chicken and broccoli & spoon into a baked potato; thinned out with extra milk for a creamy soup base; add chicken & veggies and bake into a pot pie; stir in crumbled sausage with sautéed onion & plenty of black pepper, then serve it over a biscuit....almost like home!; folded with crab & mushrooms and spooned into crepes then baked during the holidays (actually easier than you think!) -- it's a classic French sauce that I grew up on.  If it gets too thick just add a little more milk.  That's all.  :)