Macaroni and Cheese as Lifestyle Choice

[SobaAddict70]

Mac-n-cheese is definitely one of those comfort foods that I get a hankering for around this time of year. In the past I've delved into Kraft's mysterious halls of wonder, but these days I prefer to make my own. I prefer Cheddar, with bread crumbs and no tomatoes, although sometimes I'll slip in Emmantaler or Gruyere in the mix. Once I get over this cold, I know what's for dinner soon....

Share some of your cheese and macaroni stories.

Soba

[fifi]

I prefer to make my own. I use the same pattern of cheeses as you.

*entering confessional*

However, when I am sick, nothing but the Kraft crap will do. Several years ago, I did upgrade to the "Deluxe Shells and Cheese" from the scary orange powder version.

I can always tell that I am getting well when I crave a Pizza Hut deep dish Veggie Lover's pizza, no tomatoes, extra sauce.

*leaving confessional, soul feels good*

[Chad]

Remember the grand Mac & Cheese exploration?

Still haven't made it again. Maybe tomorrow. I still have panko.

Chad

[fifi]

Ah... memories.

Do you mean that you haven't tried it on the kiddos since? I am deducing here, due to your comment about still having the panko.

Actually, I am thinking about doing a mac and cheese for Thanksgiving. However, my sister is lobbying for Hawaiian mac salad. The Thanksgiving menu negotiations are entering a critical period.

[elyse]

I do NOT like the Kraft Deluxe. Powder if anything. But I usually make it myself.

[tommy]

I do NOT like the Kraft Deluxe. Powder if anything. But I usually make it myself.

i grew out of the "deluxe" once i hit college and had zero dollars. and i never went back. it's the box with the bag of bright orange stuff or nothing for me. in fact, iirc, Foodtown has the bext boxed stuff. even better than Kraft, if you can believe that.

the bitch about the box is you need a bit of milk. when you're broke, milk is liquid coke. as i recall, a bit of water worked almost as well, as long as you found a lot of butter.

[fifi]

Sheesh... And I thought Deluxe was a step up. Yeah, the orange powder does still have appeal when I am sick. I have relapsed to that. I have to admit that squeezing the orange goop out of that Deluxe foil bag is a little creepy.

[tommy]

I have to admit that squeezing the orange goop out of that Deluxe foil bag is a little creepy.

it always pissed me off that you couldn't get all of it out.

[elyse]

Duh! You cut it open and lick it off.

[summertruffle]

I definitely prefer homemade. Aged cheddar and gruyere usually. Nutmeg. Panko and parm on the top. If I feel like fancying it up a bit, I'll add pancetta.

[tejon]

I do NOT like the Kraft Deluxe. Powder if anything. But I usually make it myself.

Hear, hear!

I like both home made and the scary bright orange powder from a box. Growing up, boxed mac and cheese was a forbidden food, so the few times we wrangled it from our grandparents or babysitters it was the ultimate treat. Usually I prefer to make mine from scratch with some nice Cheddar, but sometimes only the box will do. Different food items entirely, fulfilling different cravings entirely.

[tryska]

while i love homemade mac and cheese - nothing like kraft blue box mixed with sauteed seasoned canned tuna for comfort food.

[Huevos del Toro]

Cooks Illustrated Baked version.

I especially like to make it ahead and bake it when I’m ready.

Eggs

Evaporated Milk

Tabasco

S & P

Coleman’s Dry Mustard

Macaroni

Butter

Sharp Wisconsin Cheddar, American, or Monterey Jack (I prefer usinge Monterey Jack, adding some Parm Reg on top)

Bread Crumbs or Panko

[Malawry]

I don't like the box stuff much but I ate it sometimes in college. If milk is too rich (financially) for you you can make it with creamers from the cafeteria.

Not that I know from personal experience...

[jawbone]

I'll put in another vote for the boxed stuff. But better than the Kraft is President's Choice White Cheddar--great flavour sans scary orange colour. Not sure if it is just a Canadian product. I ate crates of the stuff thru university. And, yes, milk was often too expensive. I've made it with water, sometimes just lots of margerine, or mayo (not so good), or italian dressing (interesting)...

The CI baked mac and cheese is great--just in a different league.

[GG Mora]

Is Annie's Shells and Cheddar a regional thing? Gets my vote for the boxed stuff. Uses real cheese, but if you're hooked on that lurid orange coloring, forget it. White Cheddar. We buy it in volume from Costco, as it's one thing the kids can make for themselves if they're starving. During a really stressful time in my life, when I was dropping weight at a rate of about 10 lbs. a week (ah, those were the days), the only food I could stomach was Stonyfield Farms full-fat strawberry yogurt and Annie's Shells and Cheddar. Kept me from becoming a skeleton.

But I'll stoop to making homemade, too. Recently discovered Orb Weaver Farmhouse Cheese, made by two wonderful babes here in Vermont. It's the quintessential Mac & Cheese cheese.

[Jinmyo]

I'll put in another vote for the boxed stuff. But better than the Kraft is President's Choice White Cheddar--great flavour sans scary orange colour. Not sure if it is just a Canadian product.

Yes, it is. "President's Choice" is the in-house label of the Loblaws grocery chain. Widely distributed in the U.S. as well.

[Comfort Me]

I do NOT like the Kraft Deluxe.  Powder if anything.  But I usually make it myself.

i grew out of the "deluxe" once i hit college and had zero dollars. and i never went back. it's the box with the bag of bright orange stuff or nothing for me. in fact, iirc, Foodtown has the bext boxed stuff. even better than Kraft, if you can believe that.

the bitch about the box is you need a bit of milk. when you're broke, milk is liquid coke. as i recall, a bit of water worked almost as well, as long as you found a lot of butter.

I couldn't help but laugh remembering the times in college when my roommate and I would go through the sofa cussions looking for enough change to buy a box of Kraft mac and cheese and 2 chocolate covered cherries. (My roomate insisted on having dessert!) We, too, used water instead of milk because of lack of funds, though I remember the quality suffering from it! And our course of butter was almost always those pats set out in restaurants! (I would have to start unwrapping pats the minute the macaroni went in the water in order to have 1/4 cup done in time!) My roomate's mother bought me a huge box of powdered milk and told me to use it! I don't know that it made MUCH of a difference, but it made me fond of the woman!

My favorite memories from college are of my roomate's mom, who would come to New York from the midwest two or three times a year -- even after her son switched to UCLA! She would rent a VAN instead of a car, because Manhattan didn't have big grocery stores. She would drive me to Jersey where we would shop until the van was full! She'd ask if I wanted au gratin potatoes (the box, of course) and the put 10 boxes in the cart! And she'd always buy a case of mac and cheese! You have never seen anyone so appreciative -- as much for the attention and affection as for the food! We stayed in touch for many years after that, and she always wanted to go shopping for groceries! I was in Australia when she died, but I traveled 36 hours straight to make it to her funeral. And instead of flowers, I contributed $500 to a food pantry in her name. And I do it every year on the anniversary of her death.

Dang. Even mac and cheese can make me maudlin!

BTW -- I only eat the blue box. It contains memories.

[fresco]

The attachment some people develop to KD is beyond (my) understanding. When my brother and/or his wife return to North America from New Zealand they must buy quantities of KD for his stepdaughter, who misses it terribly.

My brother says the customs people in NZ just shake their head.

[Jinmyo]

The attachment some people develop to KD is beyond (my) understanding. When my brother and/or his wife return to North America from New Zealand they must buy quantities of KD for his stepdaughter, who misses it terribly.

My brother says the customs people in NZ just shake their head.

Even the "KD" acronym is beyond me.

[tryska]

The attachment some people develop to KD is beyond (my) understanding. When my brother and/or his wife return to North America from New Zealand they must buy quantities of KD for his stepdaughter, who misses it terribly.

My brother says the customs people in NZ just shake their head.

Even the "KD" acronym is beyond me.

Kraft Dinner

(took me a minute too.)

[fresco]

The attachment some people develop to KD is beyond (my) understanding. When my brother and/or his wife return to North America from New Zealand they must buy quantities of KD for his stepdaughter, who misses it terribly.

My brother says the customs people in NZ just shake their head.

Even the "KD" acronym is beyond me.

Kraft Dinner

(took me a minute too.)

Is this a Canadianism? (Yes, I know Jinmyo is in Ottawa, but she doesn't pay attention to such things.)

[LittleMissCrepe]

Annie's Shells and Cheddar is divine as far as lazy mac&cheese goes; however, for sentimental reasons I have to vote for the blue box. One of the greatest joys of my childhood was when my mom let me pick out which novelty shapes I wanted to buy. She also insisted on adding sliced up ham or occasionally cut-up hot dogs to my mac&cheese - never fun. But these days I'd settle for the blue box with sliced spam. I live abroad now and can't get any kind of mac&cheese in a box here! Horror.

[FistFullaRoux]

Mac and cheese. Now were talkin.

The blue box, the generic version of the blue box, Velveeta shells and cheese (especially good with a can of tuna or a handful of frozen peas mixed in), the fancier recipe kind with the $19 worth of cheese in it.... It's all good.

Carbs? Check. Fat? Check. Salt? Check. Really. Isn't that all we want in life anyway?

And I've also found that if you have a recipe and no elbow macareenies, use spaghetti or linguini. Any plain pasta will work. The rainbow rotini just didn't work out for me.

[browniebaker]

Standing at the children's table at a dinner party last year, I snuck off my child's plate a forkful of mac and cheese the hostess had prepared from a box -- cheapo brand, not Kraft, she had said. Horrible stuff.

Now, I admit that I have never had Kraft, but I have had mac and cheese in various school dining halls which is presumably made from mixes or powdered cheese, and I think homemade just has to be better.

My recipe is like the John Thorne/Cook's Illustrated recipe, very creamy and based on eggs, evaporated milk, and lots of sharp (but young, for good melting quality) Cheddar. Mustard powder is a must. Cayenne pepper is a must. Also a must is a final broiling of shredded cheese spinkled on top, until browned and bubbling.

Also like the custardy, old-fashioned, Southern mac and cheese of just cheese, milk, and eggs, baked in a casserole.

Also like the béchamel-sauce-based variety that is finished with a long bake.

Hardly ever met a mac and cheese I did not like, but --

Don't like nutmeg in it.

Don't like bread crumbs, crackers, or anything else crunchy on top.