Easier Mac and Cheese

[sudsmaster]

I heard the term "macaroni and cheese" on late night TV and instantly got a hankering.

 

But rather than break out one of those dismal Kraft boxes, I decided to wing it.

 

I had some leftover pasta in the fridge (rotini). Had run out of homemade tomato pasta sauce, though.

 

So I got a small glass microwave dish, added a couple handfuls cold pasta, a splash of fresh milk, and three white "swiss" american cheese slices, plus some generous sprinkles of grated Parmesan cheese. Popped in microwave for two minutes, stir, and presto! More or less instant mac and cheese without having to add all that butter, boil water, or look at that disgusting orange cheese powder in the foil pack.

 

Craving satisfied.... for now....

 

 

[arbilab]

Kraft-- whoever that is this week-- is said to be removing the annatto/orange color, without saying exactly when.

If you think the bluebox Kraft M&C is gnarly, don't EVEN think about the 'instant' microwave version. I think we're talking guar gum or something even more dismal. It fights you as you stir to dissolve it. They should sell it as an appetite suppressant.

 

[vacerator]

Rich,

When the shnecken beckons? I've done that also.
I make lower fat home made also. For one pound of cooked pasta, two tbsp. flour, two butter. Brown for a minute or so, then whisk in 2% or skim milk. About 1-1/2 cups. It takes about ten minutes to thicken up, but I don't like it to scorch.
I dont' use low fat cheese, but only 12 ounces of good shredded sharp cheddar, or a combination of it, cream cheese, or jack.
After melted in and smooth, I add a pinch of salt, a tbsp. of Dijon mustard, and Paprika for color.
When I'm going all out, I add a cut up head of fresh broccoli to the pasta 6 minutes into the cook time. You can use frozen. Also, one to two pounds of cooked chicken breast meat to the sauce.
When the mood or occasion calls for, also onion and or bacon.

 

[gansky1]

Rick - your description of that Krap microwave mac & cheese is spot on.  What a disgusting mess that stuff is.

 

Mac and Cheese is so easy in it's simplest form, like Rich made, it's a sin to even put that chemical boxed garbage in your mouth.  

 

There used to be a brand of boxed that was called Golden Grain (IIRC) that was actually much better than the Kraft.  My grandmother would buy it once in a great while "as a treat" when I was a kid but we usually made it from scratch.

 



 

 

 

[oldskool]

@ Vacerator

Excellent Mac & Cheese recipe - Thanks for ideas for additions. I've always been a purist in this regard, but will try.

Thanks
John

 

[nurdlinger]

Poverty supper

When I was just out of college, I had a job offer from the U which could not start for a couple of months. Not wanting to go back to Detroit and my parents, I sublet a room from a college kid, but had virtually zero cash leftover. The kid had a stash of maybe 4 dozen Kraft dinners, and a like number of cans of tuna. (old-time oil packed) I did have a hotplate and a pot, so I would boil the macaroni, dump in the tuna oil and all, and add the cheese powder. No butter, no milk. Oil provided enough liquid together with the residual heat from the pasta to almost make it sauce. So I had Mac 'n Cheese, Crunchy Style. Have not prepared Kraft dinner more than a half-dozen times in the decades that followed.

 

[vacerator]

Tom,

Still sounds better than Ramen noodles every night.
If I may ask, what part of motor city are you from? When did you leave?
They are adding on to the GM Tech center a huge building.

 

[sudsmaster]

My main complaint about the Kraft Mac 'N Cheese is the tiny, flimsy pasta. It's nearly impossible to cook it al dente. Of course the orange cheese substitute powder is also revolting.

 

A while back Costco came out with a Kirkland version which omitted the orange coloring. But the overall taste wasn't much better. There's only so much one can do with powdered imitation cheese.

 

I tried the microwave "Easy Mac" once and was supremely disappointed. I guess kids may like it though, perhaps mostly because of all the advertising of it on cartoon morning shows.

 

One plus of the leftover pasta method is that I can tailor the serving size so as not to be too calorific. That and the presence of real, if pasteurized process, cheese. This cheese is sort of a standby for me. It has plenty of taste, isn't foul and bitter like the Kraft processed American cheese, Velveeta, or other "cheese food" products. And it keeps very well in the fridge. The brand is "California Select Farms", see link below...

 

 

http://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/CA-Select-Farms-AmericanSwiss-Cheese%2c-120-Slices.product.11767473.html

 

[arbilab]

Gan, I can't think of anything Krapt makes that isn't a disgusting mess compared to 'real'. You should try their French onion dip, NOT!

OTOH, it is readily possible to make M&C worse than bluebox. Ever been to Golden Corral? Stick to the salad, pizza, steak bars. Or Arby's (no relation).

 

[nurdlinger]

vacerator

8-Mile & Dequindre vicinity. I waited for the 8-Mile bus to go to high school (Notre Dame) a couple blocks from the trailer park where Eminem's mother lived in that movie. Last time I really lived there was summer of '71. Some family still lives nearby but my parents moved "up north" in 1985.

Re. GM Tech Center: when I was a kid in the 50s I got to go see movies a few times in that silver dome building on the Mound Rd. side.

 

[sudsmaster]

Well, the "Krapt" Ranch Dressing isn't all bad, if a bit on the bland side. Ditto for their finely granulated "Parmesan" cheese product. A faint suggestion of flavor there.

 

But by and large I avoid the big K.

 

Speaking of which, I'm running low on Rotini. And that's from a 10 lb box I got a year ago. I still have some Cavatappi left, although it might be a bit on the stale side by now. Might be time for a Costco Business Center run to stock up on Rotini as well as deli quality sliced ham.

 

 

[vacerator]

Tom,

Oh, ok, Notre Dame, Regina, and DeLasale high school are still open.
Big changes since '71 for sure. Eminems Detroit side of 8 mile house was on the market a few years back. I don't know if it was sold or demolished.
A friend I worked with left here in 1990 for Phoenix. My neighbor who retired from Chrysler now lives in Surprise.
South Warren below Ten mile now is like a ghetto more or less. Remember the roller rink on Van Dyke and 9 mile?
My first house was at 12 and Dequindere. I almost left in '93 after a bad break up. My counselor said not to make any big decision for a year, so I put the money form my equity in the hose in a CD account. I rented a cheap apartment in Hazel Park. It was either Arizona, or Florida, as I had friends in both states.
One hot August Sunday in '95 I went to a pot luck and met someone. The rest is history. Here we are almost21 years later.

 

[alr2903]

Another quickie for left over pasta:   Use a heavy pan,  generous splash of  EVOO,  Garlic press 1 or 2 cloves of garlic cook a bit,  warm your leftover pasta in the MW.  Turn off the heat. Add pasta, toss, salt/pepper/a tiny dash of cayenne  pepper, what ever you prefer.   add parmesan cheese toss again.   That's my late cousin's quick pasta leftover solution.    Sometimes I add a little chopped parsley and chopped sun dried tomato.   Makes a great quick side to accompany grilled steak or chops.