Cheesey Shells with Brocoflower

This is one of the first dishes I have made all on my own without any recipe as a guide or base. Well, that's not entirely true...I got ideas from Sunny Anderson, Guy Fieri and Giada DiLaurentis. I think it's a hit!!!! This version of mac and cheese is also good for you..less fat by using 2% milk and chicken stock as the base.

Ingredients

3 oz pancetta

A splash of olive oil

1 head of brocoflower, cut into florets

1 lb of shells

4 tablespoons butter + 1 for the bread crumbs

4 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1.5 cups 2% milk

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 cup of shreaded cheese - equal parts fresh parmesan, romano and fontina

S&P to taste

An additional 1/2 cup shreaded fontina to top

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions

Brown the pancetta in a small pan, just until it gets slightly crispy. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Take about 3 oz blocks of the fresh cheeses and put in a food processor until it's completely shreaded.

Bring a large pot of water with a splash of olive oil to a boil. Add the brocoflower (I acually used half a head of the brocoflower and half a head of regular cauliflower...you can use only cauliflower if you can't find the brocoflower). Cook at a rolling boil for 4 minutes and then spider it out.

Use the remaining boiling water to cook the pasta. Cook pasta to get under al dente. Drain and add some more olive oil to coat the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking melt the butter in a medium sauce pot. Then slowly add the flour until it's bubbling and turning slightly brown. Then slowly add the milk and then the chicken stock. Once the mixture is bubbling turn it off. Add the cheeses and stir until all is combined and melty. Then add the pancetta into the cheese sauce.

Add the broco/cauliflower mixture, the pasta and the cheese sauce into the large pot. Stir to combine completely. Then put it into a baking dish that you sprayed with canola oil spray.

The additional 1/2 cup of shredded fontina should then go over the pasta and veggies. Then sprinkle the bread crumbs over that. Take the last tablespoon of butter and dice it into small cubes and place equidistance all over the top.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until golden brown.