Homemade "instant" mac & cheese - Quick and Easy

[AngB21]

I was on a long quest for a good organic m&c that my super picky DD would eat. She tolerates the Annie's m&c but nobody else does. So I wanted to find something that everyone would eat. I merged a couple of recipes together and made my own homemade "instant" m&c using all natural/organic ingredients. Everyone loves it and its really easy.

Here's the recipe and its extremely flexible:

Ingredients
1 box pasta (can use any kind, shape, flavor - DD loves bowtie shape - we call them butterflies)

Can use more or less of these ingredients for personal preference. If you like more flavor, add more flavorful cheese or spices. If you dont want that much butter, drop it off the list. The possibilities are endless!:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheese (any kind depending on taste - I use a blend of sharp cheddar and colby & I sometimes throw in an extra handful to make it extra cheesy)

Optional: I also add in some vegetable and/or bean purees (from Sneaky Chef). Nobody can detect it.

Directions:
Boil the pasta. If you plan on making a bunch and freezing the rest, try to keep the pasta a teeny bit undercooked. Heat the butter, milk and cheese in a saucepan until melted and smooth. Add to the cooked pasta and stir. Voila! I make huge batches, freeze them in extra small Ziploc containers. You can nuke them in about 2-3 mins.

If anyone tries it, let me know how it went. I'd love to hear any interesting ingredient combinations that worked.

[Charise820]

Originally Posted by AngB21 I was on a long quest for a good organic m&c that my super picky DD would eat. She tolerates the Annie's m&c but nobody else does. So I wanted to find something that everyone would eat. I merged a couple of recipes together and made my own homemade "instant" m&c using all natural/organic ingredients. Everyone loves it and its really easy. Here's the recipe and its extremely flexible: Ingredients 1 box pasta (can use any kind, shape, flavor - DD loves bowtie shape - we call them butterflies) Can use more or less of these ingredients for personal preference. If you like more flavor, add more flavorful cheese or spices. If you dont want that much butter, drop it off the list. The possibilities are endless!: 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup milk 2 cups shredded cheese (any kind depending on taste - I use a blend of sharp cheddar and colby & I sometimes throw in an extra handful to make it extra cheesy) Optional: I also add in some vegetable and/or bean purees (from Sneak Chef). Nobody can detect it. Directions: Boil the pasta. If you plan on making a bunch and freezing the rest, try to keep the pasta a teeny bit undercooked. Heat the butter, milk and cheese in a saucepan until melted and smooth. Add to the cooked pasta and stir. Voila! I make huge batches, freeze them in extra small Ziploc containers. You can nuke them in about 2-3 mins. If anyone tries it, let me know how it went. I'd love to hear any interesting ingredient combinations that worked.

This sounds close to my recipe....let me suggest...add cubes of white me chicken and broccoli (i could never spell that right) and you can add flavor to the sauce but subbing some of Milk with chicken stock...you still need it but it does add a little something.

Sorry I couldn't help but suggest this as this is my boys fav meal.

[AngB21]

Oooooo, you are so repped. I love the idea of adding white meat chicken to it. I'll have to grind it up to be undetectable but I think I can pull it off. The broccoli will get sniffed out so I might have to skip that part. I usually add white bean puree as well as a cauliflower/zucchini puree.

Thank you so much for the chicken idea!

[Charise820]

Your welcome I always have to buy double what I need with the broccoli because my boys love it and eat it as fast as I can chop it out LOL...

Umm maybe if she likes colors you can puree the broccoli and tell her she is having special green mac. LOL I don't know just throwing ideas out there.

[ShoppingCartDiva]

I am the queen of mac-n-cheese, which is funny 'cause I'm picky. :D
My favorite is still the baked kind with a crumbly topping. :D

My family raves about a recipe that calls for Dijon Mustard. You don't really taste a mustard flavor, it just brings out the flavors. The sharper the cheese, the better the flavor, too. Me, I'm mild though. :D

[skimo]

Originally Posted by Charise820 Your welcome I always have to buy double what I need with the broccoli because my boys love it and eat it as fast as I can chop it out LOL... Umm maybe if she likes colors you can puree the broccoli and tell her she is having special green mac. LOL I don't know just throwing ideas out there.

LOL..this reminds when my oldest 2 daughters were pre-teens, I would tell them & their cousins (girls too) if they ate a lot of broccoli they would get big boobs....lmaooo....yes, they ate a LOT of broccoli......

[kval07]

Originally Posted by AngB21 Here's the recipe and its extremely flexible: Ingredients 1 box pasta (can use any kind, shape, flavor - DD loves bowtie shape - we call them butterflies) Can use more or less of these ingredients for personal preference. If you like more flavor, add more flavorful cheese or spices. If you dont want that much butter, drop it off the list. The possibilities are endless!: 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup milk 2 cups shredded cheese (any kind depending on taste - I use a blend of sharp cheddar and colby & I sometimes throw in an extra handful to make it extra cheesy) Optional: I also add in some vegetable and/or bean purees (from Sneaky Chef). Nobody can detect it. Directions: Boil the pasta. If you plan on making a bunch and freezing the rest, try to keep the pasta a teeny bit undercooked. Heat the butter, milk and cheese in a saucepan until melted and smooth. Add to the cooked pasta and stir. Voila! I make huge batches, freeze them in extra small Ziploc containers. You can nuke them in about 2-3 mins. If anyone tries it, let me know how it went. I'd love to hear any interesting ingredient combinations that worked.

I've never made my own mac and cheese before. I tried this recipe, didn't put anything interesting in it, just the butter, milk and cheese. It was pretty good. I'd make it again.