Mac & Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

Well we survived Hurricane Irene...whew! It's still raining and windy this morning, but the worst is over. I will say it was scary at times throughout the night when tornado watches were popping up all over the place. We're stuck at home for most of the day today since there's trees and power lines down. Luckily we didn't lose power and there's no damage to our house or property.

I'm not sure how my vegetable garden faired in the storm, but if you do have some tomatoes laying around this is a great "comfort food" meal.

1/4 lb elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup skim milk
black pepper
2 cups grated aged sharp cheddar cheese
8 small to medium sized tomatoes, tops cut off and scooped clean
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the salt and pasta, cooking until just shy of al dente.

In the meantime, saute the onions in a medium sauce pan. Once sauteed, add the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the stock and milk. Season with salt and pepper and bring sauce to a bubble. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar cheese. Drain the pasta and stir into the cheese sauce.

Spoon the past into the tomato shells. Top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Place on filled tomatoes in a muffin pan (they won't tip over this way) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Slightly adapted from: Rachael Ray's Look & Cook cookbook
Recipe swapped on: The Grocery Cart Challenge