Mac & Cheese for the busy family...

Here's another easy, semi-homemade meal.  I think of it as homemade because for all my life, my grandma made her mac & cheese like this...but if I think about it, this recipe does cheat and use Velveeta vs cheddar or jack or any other "real" cheese.  Still, it's a quadrillion times more real than that nasty boxed powdered "stuff", for lack of a better word.  And, after this recipe, you won't even be able to use "quick and easy" as excuses!

Mac & Cheese

1lb box of pasta (obviously elbow macaroni is typical, but feel free to use shells, or these curly pastas I used)
1lb Velveeta cheese
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 - 1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook your pasta of choice as directed.  Drain.

 

Melt your butter in the same pan, if you want (I don't like doing dishes so I reuse everything!), and add the pasta.  Make sure your heat is on low.  Cut your cheese into thick slices.

 

Add the cheese and the milk and give it a little stir.  I added about 3/4c of the milk...add at least 1/2 cup so that your mac & cheese will be creamy, add a bit more if you prefer a creamier mac & cheese vs super cheesy. 

Place a lid on the pot, making sure the flame is LOW (you don't want to scorch the milk and cheese), and let the cheese melt for a couple minutes.  Take the lid off every now and then to stir until the cheese is completely melted.  And there you have it...creamy mac & cheese!  At this point, you can eat it up like we do, add some cooked turkey, chicken or ham and make it a meal, or for some extra fancy mac and cheese pour into a casserole dish and sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs and bake at 375F for about 10-15 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden.

Scoop into a bowl and then into your mouth!  Easy, quick, and delicious!  Enjoy!

 

Happily Homemade,

Sandra