Macaroni and Cheese

[Temotei]

I have a friend (thirty-two years old, I think) who has never eaten mac and cheese. This makes me wonder:

Who else hasn't eaten macaroni and cheese?
What's so special about it (In America, not eating this stuff is really rare...)?


So, who hasn't had mac and cheese? I have, and I believe it to be delicious. :smallamused:

Feel free to compliment/debase Mac, too.

[Melange_Pie]

Macaroni and cheese is fattening and stodgy. :( It's not really a national dish in the UK, cos everyone associates it with that alien vomit ready-meal poop. That, and every mouthful feels like one sticky atery-clogging gloop after another.

But we do like Lasagna. I can discuss many lasagna stories with you.

[Haruki-kun]

I have eaten Mac and Cheese, but it seems to be mostly an American thing. They sell it at supermarkets here for instant Mac and Cheese, but it's not as common for people to buy it. When they do make it, they don't use the sticky cheddar cheese.

Cultural thing, I suppose. I also avoid it most of the time because it's not a very full meal. All fats, empty carbs, little to no protein.

[LightsOnNo1Home]

Macaroni and cheese is fattening and stodgy. :( It's not really a national dish in the UK, cos everyone associates it with that alien vomit ready-meal poop. That, and every mouthful feels like one sticky atery-clogging gloop after another.

But we do like Lasagna. I can discuss many lasagna stories with you.

I know the stuff you're talking about, and I know poeple who eat it. It's absolutely foul. (and this is a guy who eats pot noodles talking here)

My Mothers home made stuff on the other hand..... Everyone I know who has tried that loves it. It's the bomb!

[CoffeeIncluded]

Yeah, homemade is a billion times better. In fact, I had it last night. :smallbiggrin:

[Gullara]

KD mac and cheese? I've had it several times. It's not bad, but I wouldn't eat it all the time. I prefer when my mom makes home made mac and cheese.

[Ego Slayer]

Yeah, if it's frozen or in a box it means yer doin' it wrong. D:

(Not that boxed stuff isn't tasty as hell on occasion... P:)

[Cyrion]

I'd guess it's popularity stems from 60's and 70's childhood experience in the US. It's part of the boxed, processed, instant food that made becoming a double income household easier; it's usually pretty generic stuff without strong spices or smells, and it's easy to get most young kids to eat. Thus, we've grown up with fond memories of it, regardless of the actual value as a food.

[Melange_Pie]

If I had to eat it, it would have to be with salad. That would make me feel a little less guilty about desanctifying my bowel...

[Admiral Squish]

I, for one, enjoy both the box variety and the homemade variety. The box variety is tasty, simple, cheap, and fast, whereas the homemade version is a positively delicious dish. There was a restaurant I used to go to as a kid that served that mac & cheese that was just oh-so-ridiculously good.

[Eldan]

Uhm... I have eaten various kinds of pasta with various grated cheeses or cheese sauces (hmm, Roquefort and Gorgonzola), but the way you say it, this seems to be something special. Explain, please?

[Vaynor]

I like the boxed stuff, especially this one kind with shells and white cheddar (not sure what the name is), but homemade is definitely better.

Mac and cheese is delicious.

[Marnath]

I eat the boxed stuff sometimes, but the homemade casserole version is way better. Shells and real cheese.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

KD mac and cheese? I've had it several times. It's not bad, but I wouldn't eat it all the time. I prefer when my mom makes home made mac and cheese.

KD ftw! I could win a million dollars, and still devour Kraft Dinner.


Though I still love a good homemade macaroni and cheese, with the bread-crumbs baked on top. Mmmmm, so good!

[LightsOnNo1Home]

Question: has anyone who is not American said they like the boxed stuff? I'm wondering if you get a better class of boxed Macaroni Cheese on the other side of the pond?

The stuff I'm thinking of doesn't call itself macaroni cheese, cos that would be false advertising. The box says "Cheesy Pasta", and once prepared (in about 5 minutes) it's a bright reddish/orange in colour. And as I said before, it's manky.

If you get good stuff in supermarkets over there, then colour me jealous, cos my mum doesn't make it nearly often enough, and I could mess up beans on toast.

[Haruki-kun]

Question: has anyone who is not American said they like the boxed stuff? I'm wondering if you get a better class of boxed Macaroni Cheese on the other side of the pond?

I did. But I'm on the same side of the pond. I'm guessing they export to Europe, though... :smallconfused:

[arguskos]

KD ftw! I could win a million dollars, and still devour Kraft Dinner.
Would you buy fancy ketchups for it? Nah, why bother, right? :smallwink:lulzBNL


Though I still love a good homemade macaroni and cheese, with the bread-crumbs baked on top. Mmmmm, so good!
Damn right brother. Add some nice ham in there, and AUGHLSOGOOOOD.

We make a homemade mac n cheese the day after Thanksgiving each year, and we cut up the leftover ham and mix it in there. A nice rich cheese sauce, some awesome apricot/orange juice ham, and breadcrumbs as topping, bake it for a bit, makes something truly divine. God, why isn't that day here yet?! D:

[LightsOnNo1Home]

I did. But I'm on the same side of the pond. I'm guessing they export to Europe, though... :smallconfused:

And I apologise if I have inadvertently offended anyone from Canada, Mexico or South America with my above comment.

Maybe, maybe not. I've never seen anything apart from the stuff I was talking about.

You may be surprised what DOESN'T reach this side of the Atlantic. Watching films, everyone seems to know (for example) what a "Twinkie" is, but even shops over here that specialise in importing food from the US don't seem to stock them.

[Haruki-kun]

You may be surprised what DOESN'T reach this side of the Atlantic. Watching films, everyone seems to know (for example) what a "Twinkie" is, but even shops over here that specialise in importing food from the US don't seem to stock them.

Oh ,no, it'd be in a supermarket. Shops that specialize in importing food have better food to import than instant Mac and Cheese. :smalltongue:

[Dallas-Dakota]

And I apologise if I have inadvertently offended anyone from Canada, Mexico or South America with my above comment.

Maybe, maybe not. I've never seen anything apart from the stuff I was talking about.

You may be surprised what DOESN'T reach this side of the Atlantic. Watching films, everyone seems to know (for example) what a "Twinkie" is, but even shops over here that specialise in importing food from the US don't seem to stock them.
Actually Zombieland is really well known about it, or atleast that may be me in the media world.:smalltongue:

Twinkies however, are not common, nor have I ever seen them here.

[Mauve Shirt]

I don't like any form of mac and cheese from a package, but homemade can be delicious.

[Savannah]

Uhm... I have eaten various kinds of pasta with various grated cheeses or cheese sauces (hmm, Roquefort and Gorgonzola), but the way you say it, this seems to be something special. Explain, please?

Elbow macaroni and some form of cheddar cheese sauce baked together is the homemade variety. You can also buy a boxed mix (dry noodles and a powdered cheese sauce) that has a distinctive bright orange color and, quite frankly, doesn't taste much like cheese. You can do a google images search to get an idea what it looks like.

I find I like the boxed stuff less and less the older I get, but I still like my homemade version (I ended up inventing my own recipe for it, since all the recipes I found used waaaay too much cheese for me).

[Temotei]

Uhm... I have eaten various kinds of pasta with various grated cheeses or cheese sauces (hmm, Roquefort and Gorgonzola), but the way you say it, this seems to be something special. Explain, please?

Allow me to show you: http://www.veganfamilyfavorites.com/images/entrees/macaroni-cheese-large.jpg

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:FYpWk9hH-sVgmM:http://gritsandgravy.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/macandcheese.jpg&t=1

http://thingelstad.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/amys-organic-macaroni-and-cheese.jpg

There are varieties of macaroni and cheese in shells and such, too.

Of course. Ninja'd. :smallamused:


Twinkies however, are not common, nor have I ever seen them here.

Good. Be happy.

[Thajocoth]

I just finished a bowl of it. Kraft.

I've had a bunch of different kinds. I go with Kraft because I want to be done quickly. I don't eat Easy-Mac. That stuff tastes kinda like melted plastic. Granted, it was melting my plastic fork at the time. Velveeta Shells & Cheese is better, but more expensive, and doesn't come in a 12-pack like Kraft does. I do not add butter like the recipe says to do. I add milk (1%). 1 box = 1 meal. On it's own.

Homemade is better than boxed, obviously, but is far more work. Making it myself, I would use Velveeta. My brother uses a mix of Velveeta and American Cheese. My mom uses just American Cheese. (All of these are with some milk added, of course.) Cheddar, even a mix of Cheddar and American, is just too strong of a taste for me to handle, so I don't.

[Gullara]

Uhm... I have eaten various kinds of pasta with various grated cheeses or cheese sauces (hmm, Roquefort and Gorgonzola), but the way you say it, this seems to be something special. Explain, please?

I would assume they are referring to this
http://weepingcherries.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/kraft.jpg

[Trog]

Ah Kraft mac & cheese. That along with Maurchan ramen noodles are staples for nearly every college student at one point or another in the U.S. Or in the case of the Kraft stuff at least, most little kids. Tastes like nostalgia.

Frankly, neither is a taste sensation and the only reason they are eaten so widely is because they are both very cheap and easy-to-make meals.

[Zocelot]

I like homemade mac and cheese, but I think it's missing the point of having a quick and easy dish. I love Kraft Dinner, especially with tuna.

[OracleofWuffing]

Personally, I only like the boxed/Easymac stuff. And I prefer the cheese sauce stuff to be more of a soup broth than, well, cheesey sauce. Macaroni's more of a soup to me.

But, yes, what Trog said. You eat it because it's cheap and easy and warm. Unless you like "popcorn" ramen noodles, for which I never acquired a taste.

[Eldan]

Okay. What the hell do they put in there to get that poor cheese into that colour? I've seen red cheese that was less orange.

[Haruki-kun]

Good. Be happy.

What's so bad about Los Submarinos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-vFRiB7YqU)? :smalltongue:


Ah Kraft mac & cheese. That along with Maurchan ramen noodles are staples for nearly every college student at one point or another in the U.S. Or in the case of the Kraft stuff at least, most little kids. Tastes like nostalgia.

Frankly, neither is a taste sensation and the only reason they are eaten so widely is because they are both very cheap and easy-to-make meals.

Yup. Instant Ramen runs me about 4 pesos plus whatever I decide to throw into it. 10 peso meals that actually make you full are rare.*

*One USD = ~13 pesos


Okay. What the hell do they put in there to get that poor cheese into that colour? I've seen red cheese that was less orange.

It's cheddar cheese! That's its colour! I think. :smallconfused:

[OracleofWuffing]

Okay. What the hell do they put in there to get that poor cheese into that colour? I've seen red cheese that was less orange.
That's not cheese. It's dehydrated cheese-flavored flavoring substitute!

Okay, but seriously. Looks like the cheese sauce contains Whey, Milkfat, Milk Protein Concentrate, Salt, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, and less than 2% of Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Calcium Phosphate, Milk, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Enzymes, and Cheese Culture.

...Ahem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XthZ7rFPKh8&feature=related).

[Eldan]

Right... that's actually mostly the same as in most cheeses. I guess "Yellow 5" is the culprit.

[arguskos]

Right... that's actually mostly the same as in most cheeses. I guess "Yellow 5" is the culprit.
Eldan: The resident cheese purist. :smalltongue:

[Tirian]

Okay. What the hell do they put in there to get that poor cheese into that colour? I've seen red cheese that was less orange.

That's Yellow #5 and Yellow #6. *shrug* (ETA: It's actually #6 that is mostly the culprit for the orangeness. #5 actually is pretty yellow.)

I'm too poor to use Kraft, but I just looked at the ingredient list from my store brand version, and it really is made out of cheese. And of course one reconstitutes it with between one and two additional dairy products, so I'm really not convinced that it is anywhere near the most alarming food hazards people eat in the course of a day.

I'd be more resistant if cheese sauce were anywhere near as easy to make, but it's not. No, it's not. It takes experience, and even when you're good at it it takes patience and attention, which are two things that I often don't have when I come home and am hungry and need to eat and rush out the door again.

[Cobra_Ikari]

My mom makes awesome mac and cheese. It's got ham in it, and it's not very much saucey so much as "cheese baked throughout a noodle lattice", but it's delicious.

I used to know a guy who made mac and cheese (for 4-6) using 8 lbs. of cheese. I could not eat it, it made my insides hurt. >.<

[Eldan]

Bah. If people are hungry quick, they can eat their cheese cold! :smalltongue: I mean, cheese on bread is still one of the best possible meals.

Anyway, I've always been convinced that Cheddar is evil. I mean, look at it.

Edit: Wiki says that Kraft uses Paprika and a colouring made from a South American tree. That doesn't actually sound too bad.

[OracleofWuffing]

Well, there's probably some post-production work on the box itself, too, as an orange/blue box is theoretically more eye-catching than a yellow-blue box. Though, yes, it is quite orangish in person.


I'd be more resistant if cheese sauce were anywhere near as easy to make, but it's not.
Fun fact, my sister messed up cooking "the boxed stuff" so badly back in her college days that she sat off the fire alarm. She reportedly has not had mac and cheese since.

[Dusk Eclipse]

What's so bad about Los Submarinos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-vFRiB7YqU)? :smalltongue:

Yup. Instant Ramen runs me about 4 pesos plus whatever I decide to throw into it. 10 peso meals that actually make you full are rare.*

*One USD = ~13 pesos


Wait... what brand are you talking about?? the shop across my school sells instant ramen cups for 10 pesos....

[Ceric]

Homemade mac and cheese is obviously delicious, so I'll skip that. The second type I've had is from an instant cup where you fill it with water to the dotted line, microwave it and stir in the cheese powder. It is gross. I'm not sure if the third is instant or not; it comes from a box and the cheese sauce is still a powder, but you actually have to get a pot and boil the shell noodles for ~10 minutes, and mix the cheese sauce with milk. The cheese turns out somewhat white, too, not bright orange. It is good :smalltongue: Unfortunately all I've got with me at the moment is the instant cup stuff...

[THAC0]

I have a secret love of Kraft.

Homemade is awesome, though. And mine is the most awesome, because I make my cheese sauce with beer.

Beer+cheese=win!

[KerfuffleMach2]

Mac and cheese is deliciousness. Box, frozen, or homemade.

Bonuses of the box variety? Versatile, cheap, fast, and easy.

So many thing you can mix into it. One of my favorites is cutting up hot dogs and cooking them with the macaroni. Mac'n'dogs!

[Seonor]

Could those with good recipes please post one or two? While the instant stuff sounds like all other fast food, the homecooked variants sound tasty and worth of testing. And I trust the playground more than a random search with google :-)

[Lhurgyof]

I like the boxed stuff, especially this one kind with shells and white cheddar (not sure what the name is), but homemade is definitely better.

Mac and cheese is delicious.

Exactly what I was going to say. The Shells and Cheese stuff is amazingly great.

[Savannah]

Could those with good recipes please post one or two? While the instant stuff sounds like all other fast food, the homecooked variants sound tasty and worth of testing. And I trust the playground more than a random search with google :-)

I can try.....I don't measure anything for this recipe, so this is my best guess (My apologies to those of you on the metric system. It makes more sense, but I cannot estimate in it. Convert it yourself. :smallwink:):
Béchamel sauce:
3 T flour
2-3 T butter
1/3 c vermouth
2 ½ c milk
½ t salt (normally I use 1 t, but with the cheese in this recipe that’s too salty)
¼ t cayenne
Dash nutmeg

Make a roux with the flour and butter and cook briefly (medium-low heat?). Turn off heat and add vermouth and ½ c of the milk. Whisk until smooth, turn heat back on and add remaining ingredients. Cook until it's been simmering a bit and is slightly thickened. With this recipe, it doesn’t have to be that thick.
(Side note: this is the white sauce I use in lasagna or sometimes plain over noodles. It's really good.)

Other ingredients:
Elbow macaroni. I think I use around 1 lb.
Somewhere in the vicinity of 1 c grated cheddar and 1 c grated mozzarella, mixed together. Maybe 1 ½ c each, depending on how tightly you pack it.
Oil

Lightly oil bottom and sides of pan. Mine is round and probably about 12” diameter. Spoon some of the sauce into the bottom to make a thin layer. Add a layer of uncooked macaroni (you want it a few noodles thick). Sprinkle cheese on top and add more sauce to moisten it. Repeat. I think I generally make 4 layers. You want sauce to almost come up to the top layer of noodles, but the noodles shouldn’t be swimming in the sauce. I don’t like my cheese to make a crust, so I put sauce over it and cover the pan. If you want a crust, I’d try putting the last layer of cheese on top of the sauce and leaving the pan uncovered.

Put it in the oven (preheated to 350 °F) for 30-45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges. You can cook it for 30 minutes and then let it cool if you want to make it in advance. In that case, stick it back in at the same temperature for another 30 minutes before you eat it.

Eat it. If you don’t like something about it, change it next time you make it.

Lemme know what parts need clarification :smalltongue:

[Anuan]

I love a good Macaroni and Cheese. My experience with it in America was a bit different to here.
Here, I've had it homemade by my mother, and my ex-girlfriend's mother, who's from England. Both use a cheese sauce, like you would on, say, Lasagne. My ex's mum put wholegrain mustard in, it was fantastic :smallbiggrin: Both occasionally use a breadcrumb crust on the top.

In America, when I had it homemade it was made with just cheese, instead of a cheese sauce. It was still good, but it had a different texture, and wasn't as enjoyable to me, personally.

[Marnath]

I love a good Macaroni and Cheese. My experience with it in America was a bit different to here.
Here, I've had it homemade by my mother, and my ex-girlfriend's mother, who's from England. Both use a cheese sauce, like you would on, say, Lasagne. My ex's mum put wholegrain mustard in, it was fantastic :smallbiggrin: Both occasionally use a breadcrumb crust on the top.

In America, when I had it homemade it was made with just cheese, instead of a cheese sauce. It was still good, but it had a different texture, and wasn't as enjoyable to me, personally.

I am only familiar with the type that has actual cheese. Is it possible for you to provide visual evidence of cheese sauce based mac&cheese? Because I can't picture it.

[arguskos]

I am only familiar with the type that has actual cheese. Is it possible for you to provide visual evidence of cheese sauce based mac&cheese? Because I can't picture it.
http://images.lifesambrosia.com/food/large/macaroni_and_cheese.jpg
Bam!
/elzar

[nihilism]

thus the mighty nihilism lord of macaroni and cheese passed down his mighty recipe,

actually its fairly similar to savannah's

a nice bubbly roux (2 tbsp butter, 2 flower. Any other oil is heresy) blah blah blah 1 cup milk thicken a little. take it off the heat add the cheese and by cheese i mean real cheese, as in cheese with balls (ok not literally) just a good ol' fashioned bloody sharp cheddar.

Ok heres the important stuff, mix in some tuna, some leftover fresh tuna is best, but i generally use the tinned stuff, and ill be an ingredient snob later anyway. mix in some ham, by ham i mean cubes of the stuff not sliced. season the lot with plenty of mild curry powder, and a good dollop of mustard mix it all together and slop it into a baking dish and cover it with slightly crushed cornflakes (heres the ingredient snobbery) the standard cornflakes don't work you need the irritating hard to find organic ones.
EDIT: oh yeah and you might want to bake it.

eat it with loads of freshly ground pepper.

also blue cheeses make great mac'n'cheese

vermouth is a good idea,

[Marnath]

Bam!
/elzar

Hmm, the kind my family makes uses the shells about half the length of a thumb and melted cheese, like a casserole. Looks a lot different than that.

[arguskos]

Hmm, the kind my family makes uses the shells about half the length of a thumb and melted cheese, like a casserole. Looks a lot different than that.
The lesson here? There's lots of ways to combine cheese and noodles, all of them delicious. :smallcool:

[Temotei]

What's so bad about Los Submarinos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-vFRiB7YqU)? :smalltongue:

Gods, I wish I had seen that movie. I missed it. :smallsigh:

Twinkies are gross, though. Blech.


Fun fact, my sister messed up cooking "the boxed stuff" so badly back in her college days that she sat off the fire alarm. She reportedly has not had mac and cheese since.

My stepbrother burned our mac one time. I was sad and happy at the same time.


There's lots of ways to combine cheese and noodles, all of them delicious. :smallcool:

I kind of want this to be in my signature.

[arguskos]

I kind of want this to be in my signature.
Help yourself.

[Marnath]

I tried finding a picture of the style of mac&cheese I'm talking about but apparently we're the only people who don't use elbow pasta for it. :smallconfused:

[nihilism]

one thing i will say, low fat mac'n'cheese is an abomination unto some god of the culinary arts that probably exists in some obscure 3rd party rule book.


at the top of a low fat mac'n'cheese recipe i found, it recommends using low fat ricotta and pureed squash to duplicate the creamy effect of..... dairy products in general. if your so obsessed with eating a low fat diet that you separate milk till you have water and then call the water milk and make cheese sauce out of it, your far far far better off just making a damn tomato sauce.

hell and im usually considered a tad nutrition obsessed.

[Anuan]

I tried finding a picture of the style of mac&cheese I'm talking about but apparently we're the only people who don't use elbow pasta for it. :smallconfused:

That's because unless it's Macaroni or some form of Maccheroni (I think Penne is one), it's not Mac and Cheese. I'm not sure Shell pasta is a type of Maccheroni...

[Haruki-kun]

Wait... what brand are you talking about?? the shop across my school sells instant ramen cups for 10 pesos....

Maruchan, but the type you buy to make in a pot on the stove. Bought at the supermarket.

It's way better. You can't microwave it, though. But you can add other things if you want to.

I usually make it with eggs. I drop 2 or three eggs into it while it's boiling and then add the chicken seasoning pack. It's awesome.

[Marnath]

That's because unless it's Macaroni or some form of Maccheroni (I think Penne is one), it's not Mac and Cheese. I'm not sure Shell pasta is a type of Maccheroni...

Hush, logic man! My auntie calls it Mac&Cheese so thats what it is, dadgummit! :smallbiggrin:

[Fri]

I'm not the most knowleadgable person about pasta, but I think the shell-like pasta is called macaroni too. Different variety of macaroni.

I sometimes make a simple version of mac and cheese. Easy enough. Not that much different than making noodles with cheese.

[Amiel]

I also haven't had the pleasure of eating macaroni and cheese, but I have to admit to eating a lot of canned baked beans and spaghetti. Such is the diet of a poor university student :smallfrown:

[Eldan]

Shell-like...
Conchiglie? Orecchiette? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pasta_2006_3.jpg)

I don't know too much about pasta either, but we just called them "shells" anyway, in German.

[Lhurgyof]

I've had both the box stuff and homemade stuff (although not often at all).

I have to say I'm more in love with easy mac... but that's prolly 'cuz I'm just a dumb kid. :smalltongue:

[Dusk Eclipse]

Maruchan, but the type you buy to make in a pot on the stove. Bought at the supermarket.

It's way better. You can't microwave it, though. But you can add other things if you want to.

I usually make it with eggs. I drop 2 or three eggs into it while it's boiling and then add the chicken seasoning pack. It's awesome.

I have to try that...

Well returning to the topic at hand.. I have had it before; it is not really a popular dish (at least in my house) so I can't really comment on the difference between the KD and homemade one.

[ghost_warlock]

The Kraft stuff was selling 5 boxes for $3 for quite a while this summer at WalMart. As such, I've been eating a lot of it, although I usually mix in chicken or tuna. It's okay.

This place (http://www.east-westgrill.com/), however, has mac and cheese that's to die for. Wish they weren't so very far away... :smallfrown:

[RebelRogue]

So judging from the recipes, this is just pasta in a mornay sauce* (ok, the vermouth bit is new to me, even though I use vermouth rather frequently when cooking)? I've probably had some variety of it at some time, but it's not something I've invested any great love in. I guess it's a cultural thing. I do fail to see how making a homemade version of that could be time-consuming, BTW.

*Technically, a mornay is just a bechamel with cheese in it.

[Haruki-kun]

Well returning to the topic at hand.. I have had it before; it is not really a popular dish (at least in my house) so I can't really comment on the difference between the KD and homemade one.

I've only ever had the Kraft one, I think. And maybe one or two other brands.

[Tirian]

I do fail to see how making a homemade version of that could be time-consuming, BTW.

The recipe for the cheese sauce is "Empty the packet of cheese powder, add 3 tablespoons melted butter and a quarter cup of milk, stir once, add to cooked pasta." Time and effort-wise, it blows bechamel out of the water (especially for the volume -- making a cup of bechamel is harder than making a quart of it), and it's fool-proof. And, aside from the unfortunate food colorings, the ingredients of the cheese packet are pretty much cheese, milk, butter, flour, and salt.

[RebelRogue]

Just because it's quicker to make the packaged meal does not mean it's going to take huge amounts of time preparing yourself. If making mornay is your idea of spending a long time preparing a meal, I fear for your general kitchen skills!

[Tirian]

It's minutes instead of seconds. I can come home from work and make Kraft Dinner at the same time that I'm checking my mail and e-mail and answering machine and dealing with whatever issues come up from that. If I walk away from a roux for a minute or two, I'll come back and it'll be rouxined. :smallwink:

[Marnath]

By shells, I mean
http://www.thehaltermans.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/cf_pasta-shells_main-257x300.jpg

But cheesy instead of...whatever this way is. Plus there's a whole lot of them, in a casserole dish.

[Ceric]

Shell-like...
Conchiglie? Orecchiette? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pasta_2006_3.jpg)

I don't know too much about pasta either, but we just called them "shells" anyway, in German.

Out of those, I think it's conchiglie rigate.

[RebelRogue]

rouxined
:smallbiggrin:

[Temotei]

I also haven't had the pleasure of eating macaroni and cheese, but I have to admit to eating a lot of canned baked beans and spaghetti. Such is the diet of a poor university student :smallfrown:

Oh, this friend doesn't ever want to eat it. It's a life goal of his. I feel like feeding it to him in his sleep or something.

[Anuan]

rouxined. :smallwink:

I don't know whether I want to slap you or hug you and it is hurting my brain.

[An Enemy Spy]

I have a friend (thirty-two years old, I think) who has never eaten mac and cheese. This makes me wonder:

Who else hasn't eaten macaroni and cheese?
What's so special about it (In America, not eating this stuff is really rare...)?


So, who hasn't had mac and cheese? I have, and I believe it to be delicious. :smallamused:

Feel free to compliment/debase Mac, too.

that poor soul! Get him some mac and cheese right now! What are you waiting for?

[Liriel]

If I walk away from a roux for a minute or two, I'll come back and it'll be rouxined. :smallwink:

:smallbiggrin:


Mac & cheese is so versatile! You can add meats to it (as others have said) and/or veggies - like tomatoes. Homemade definitely is best, but Kraft isn't bad in a pinch.

In fact, that's exactly what's cooking for dinner tonight, homemade mac & cheese. :smallsmile:

[Savannah]

If I walk away from a roux for a minute or two, I'll come back and it'll be rouxined. :smallwink:

Ouch. You could give my brother lessons in bad puns. :smallamused:

And that's why I have instructions for making it in advance. Make it on the weekend and stick it in the oven while you're doing other things when you get home. :smallbiggrin:

[Temotei]

that poor soul! Get him some mac and cheese right now! What are you waiting for?

The only times I see him are when I'm go-karting. Since I already won and I'm in school, I'm not going until next year (if then...I've got college, then). So, yeah.

Anyway, he doesn't want to eat it. Life goal and all that. Or, life anti-goal. :smallamused:

[Dvandemon]

I find it funny that the day I find this I have mac & cheese for dinner :d

[Cleverdan22]

I recently discovered a brand of frozen food, Amy's, that is amazing, and sells some of the best mac and cheese out there, frozen or not. Simply amazing.