They say Macaroni and Cheese is a comfort food because it reminds people of their childhood. And kids are said to love it. But, to make it feel like an adult food, it's high in calcium, can be fast to make, and is reasonably cheap. Also, it can be a rather frugal investment of money. For example, when Publix has pasta noodles as "Buy One, Get One Free, I stock up. And elbow noodles tend to be smaller so there are actually more of them in the box than, say, Rigatoni. So, it covers more meals.
Something to think about: My education suggests that Velveeta and most Kraft Cheeses are not vegetarian because the "enzymes" they use are rennet from pigs or cows. Some cheeses use artificial rennin as an alternative. However, for people who also look for kosher, pig-free meals, these cheeses still do not pass the test. Not to mention, some people think that Velveeta itself is not healthy because of the amount of additives in the cheese to make is creamy. Many cookbooks have other recipes for baking the mac and cheese in a cassarole dish. It always comes out looking golden and tastes divine. But few chefs-at-home have the time to put into such a big meal to eat the same night. So, for all of these reasons, I made my own recipe for creamy mac and cheese.
Recipe for Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup medium cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon each Onion and Garlic Powder
Boil a box of elbow macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt the butter or oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to cook slightly. Do not let it brown. Add the flour to make the roux. Stir continuously to thicken. When fairly solid and pasty, add the milk. Season with salt, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Gradually add the cheese, stirring continuously. Taste sauce if desired. Pour pasta into saucepan and stir carefully with a nylon spoon or spatula to keep from breaking up the pasta noodles (just as is recommended for risotto). This only made enough for half a box of Barilla noodles at my house. The recipe should be doubled or more to make the entire box of creamy macaroni and cheese.
