A Pair of Vegetarian Delights

Most mac and cheese recipes call for making a white sauce with flour and milk, which takes time. Not so with this recipe. Just boil the mac, add the rest and bake. The rich result is easy to cut into squares because it's not soupy. The hot sauce puts a little zing in all that richness.

MAKE AHEAD: Bake, cool, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day in advance; reheat covered in a 325-degree oven until heated through.

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 1/2 cups (12-ounce can) evaporated milk

1/2 cup cream (either heavy or half-and-half)

1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Louisiana Crystal sauce or Tabasco sauce, to taste

About 3 cups ( 3/4 pound) sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Sweet paprika

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish (or 2-quart casserole) with nonstick spray oil.

Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and gradually add the macaroni so the water continues to boil. Cook, uncovered, for 8 to 9 minutes. Drain the macaroni in a colander, then rinse under cold running water for a few seconds. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the eggs and the melted butter, then add the milk, cream and hot sauce, stirring to combine. Add about 2 cups of the grated cheddar. Add the milk-cheese mixture to the macaroni and mix until just combined. Top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serving: 454 calories, 19 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 31 g fat, 148 mg cholesterol, 19 g saturated fat, 371 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber

Recipes tested by Candy Sagon; e-mail questions tofood@washpost.com