Food: Time Tested

I’m not above junk food, and I’ll freely admit to keeping a few “emergency” supplies around the house: ice cream, a can or two of Spaghettios, and always, always a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. I don’t eat Kraft very often these days, but when I do I’m always surprised at how good it still tastes – it’s one of the few chemically -enhanced childhood favorites that has stood the test of time. (For the record, Bubble Tape, Slim Jims, and Lunchables have lost that battle. Hard.) However, I do make some alterations to the suggested box preparation that a) make it taste even better and b) officially push me into the super-nerd category.

The blue box suggests using 4 tbsps butter and 1/4 cup of 2% milk, and then dumping everything in with the drained noodles. Unfortunately, that usually leads to a somewhat grainy texture. Try it my way, with an extra ingredient and a little bit of finesse.

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese
2 tbsps butter
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
salt
noodles and cheese packet from box
whisk

Boil water, salt water, cook noodles, drain. In a small saucepan melt butter, add milk. Gradually whisk in cheese powder, continue to stir until sauce thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat, add grated cheese. Mix sauce into noodles, top with any leftover cheese.

Voila!