Cheesy Cheese & Macaroni

Cheesy Cheese & Macaroni
Dorcas Annette Walker

There are some dishes that are a basic staple when it comes to preparing a meal whether just for the family or for company. One of them is cheese and macaroni. I think that cheese and macaroni range right next to mashed potatoes as a food that everyone loves. I remember when the first boxes of macaroni and cheese dinners came out. They were an instant hit being quick and easy to prepare on the stove compared to the previous baked style of macaroni and cheese and economical as well. Today there are several brands to choose from. I know that cheese and macaroni is my grandkids favorite so no matter what else I prepare, I always make a batch of my Cheesy Cheese & Macaroni.

I still use a cheap brand of the cheese and macaroni dinners and once in a while make it like the directions say, but most of the time I add a few other ingredients to make it more homemade. It wasn’t long until after eating so many of the same flavored cheese and macaroni dinners over and over that I began experimenting. While my husband can eat the same thing twice in a row, I prefer something different. Why settle for something plain when there are different ways to prepare food? Most of the time it doesn’t take a bunch of costly ingredients to give something a homemade twist. Just a blend of a couple ingredients will create a scrumptious taste. The crowning touch is seeing the surprised and satisfied smiles on your family’s faces as they eat something that you gave a little extra attention too.

My Cheesy Cheese & Macaroni is made up of a creamy smooth blend of cheese sauce surrounding cooked macaroni that is sure to be an instant hit with your family. You can experiment with different kinds of cheese for a different taste or pop the prepared Cheesy Cheese & Macaroni into the oven for a few minutes creating a browned crusty crumb topping of crushed crackers or bread crumbs with melted butter. My Cheesy Cheese & Macaroni takes about fifteen minutes to prepare and this recipe serves six.

Cheesy Cheese & Macaroni

2 (7.25 oz) boxes of macaroni & cheese
2 tb cooking oil
1 tsp salt
12 c water
1 c milk
¼ c parmesan cheese
2 c processed cheese cubed
paprika

In large saucepan bring water, salt, and oil to a rolling boil. Add macaroni and cook for ten minutes until tender. Drain water and add milk. Mix in the packets of powdered cheese until smooth. Add parmesan and the cubed cheese. Simmer on low for five minutes until all the cheese is melted. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and serve!

Weekly tip: When cooking macaroni or rice on an electric stove bring the water to a boil, add macaroni or rice, cover with a tilted lid, shut off the burner, and let finish cooking as usual. The food cooks just as fast and you save electricity as well!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a published author, columnist, speaker, freelance magazine writer, and photographer from Jamestown, Tennessee. Contact her at: dorcaswalker@twlakes.net. For more recipes check out her Creative Tennessee Mountain Cookin blog at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com