When it comes to my kitchen, there really aren’t that many steadfast rules. I mean, sure, there’s the normal safety regulations: don’t play in the stove, don’t run at your brother with that knife, don’t eat leftovers that are hairier than my legs in winter. (Hah, too much information?! Nah.) But other than that…pretty much anything goes.
Except for Mac & Cheese. Mac & Cheese must 1. Be ooey gooey cheesey and 2. MUST be super easy to make. It’s our emergency meal, when everything else would take too long to cook, Mac & Cheese usually saves the day. That’s why, when I was searching for homemade mac and cheese recipes, 90% of them lost me as soon as I read “melt cheese and milk in second pot.” SECOND pot? Are you serious? My children are practically eating their hands, they’re so hungry, and you want me to use two pots?! That’s why boxed macaroni and cheese is so perfect. Your kids are starving? BAM. Lunch. And only one pot to clean.
But can anything that comes out of a box with processed powered cheese really be perfect? It really is a battle of evils and sometimes convenience just has to win. I know powered cheese is not going to kill my children but what if I could find a homemade mac and cheese recipe that was super easy to whip up and didn’t have all the preservatives of the boxed variety? It would be a win/win, right?! YES!
Basically all you have to do is cook the noodles in milk until they’re soft and then (without draining!) just mix in shredded cheese. A little salt, a little mustard (really helps bring out the cheesy taste) and you’re good to go. Awesome, right?! Totally satisfies The Ooey Gooey and Ridiculously Quick Rules I have for Mac & Cheese.
We even use soy milk and store bought shredded cheese. Still tastes good. I’m hoping to start shredding/freezing my own cheese so it’ll be interesting to taste the difference, if any, that creates. We’ve been eating this instead of Annie’s for a couple months now and I haven’t had any complaints from my 3 year old son or my husband and both of them are big fans of Macaroni and Cheese! So I think we’re good. Yay for Super Quick Homemade Mac and Cheese!
Comments & Reviews
kris says
Thanks for the great recipe! this looks amazing!!
bumblev says
I just had to share it, it’s that amazing!
Macaroni and Cheesecake says
So glad you enjoyed the Mac & Cheese!:) yours looks fabulous!!
bumblev says
You’ve revolutionized our lunches! Thank YOU!
Mary says
Oooh, this sounds like something to try! Good to know about the soy milk, we would try it with the daiya cheese 🙂
bumblev says
Ooo, let me know how that works out. Very curious!
Anna says
2 POTS??
come on… no!
You can use 2 pots, it doesn’t take more time (cook Mac in a pot and – at the same time – cheese in the other one) but you’ll have 2 pots to clean then!
I usually cook Pasta in a pot, strain, put pasta back into the same still-hot-pot, add some gorgonzola cheese, some parmesan cheese and -optional- some double cream. Mix. Yum!
My 2YO loves it!
bumblev says
Mmm, your mac and cheese sounds delicious!
gabi says
I’m feeling a little silly for not thinking of this! Thank you!!