Veggie Mac & Cheese Gratin

I recently received a box of Veggie Mac & Cheese varieties from Mann’s Packing.  There were 4 different flavors in the box for me to try.  I prepared the Fiesta Mac & Cheese as the package directed, but decided to give the Classic Cheese a little Farmgirl twist.  The end result was a quick side dish that the whole family enjoyed.

If you haven’t heard of Mann’s before, they are a family owned vegetable packing company located in the beautiful, sunny California.  Here’s a little about their mission and vision:

Our mission: Fresh Vegetables Made Easy.™

Our values:
Honor: where we come from matters
Passion: for excellence in everything we do
Quality: people, products and service
Vision: always innovating for the future

We value the world in which we work and live. We support our local schools and donate generously to a number of charitable organizations in our community and throughout our industry.

You’ve probably seen their packaged veggies in your local grocery store.  They sell all kinds of prepackaged vegetables that are ready to eat including: Green Beans, Butternut Squash and Broccoli & Carrots, to name a few.  Most of their varieties are “steam in the bag” veggies, but you can also add them to stir fries or salads.

There latest products are the “Kid-Friendly Veggie Mac & Cheese” varieties.  Having 2 kids….I can attest to the friendliness.  Both of mine were happy to eat it – including the veggies.

A side note before we get to this super easy recipe.  Mann’s did not ask me to post about their product.  They were kind enough to send me product without any mentions of me posting about them.  All opinions stated in this post are my own and priceless.  The end.  Now here’s the recipe.  And hey…thanks for reading.

Veggie Mac & Cheese Gratin

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 Servings

An easy baked gratin side dish using Mann's Veggie Mac & Cheese kit.

Ingredients

• 1 package Mann's Veggie Mac & Cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large mushrooms, cleaned & cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes, just until beginning to brown. Add the broccoli from the mac & cheese package and saute for 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and add the pasta from the pouch and the cheese sauce. Stir to combine with the mushrooms and broccoli. Add to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with panko.
3. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

3.1

https://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2013/02/manns-veggie-mac-cheese-gratin.html

Recipe courtesy of www.farmgirlgourmet.com. Reprinting without permission is unethical.