Love this mac and cheese, as it brings back so many memories from my childhood! I will though, share a little secret, a recipe that will bring this from a box mac & cheese to something much higher end. If you follow this modification of the recipe it will be a 10 star dish! I have been doing this for years and it turns a normal box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese into a very creamy dish!
1) First, combine the dry macaroni noodles and 2 cups of milk in a medium pot.
2) Place a lid on top to help hold in moisture and heat. Bring the pot up to a boil over medium/high heat, stirring every minute or so. Don't turn the heat all the way up because milk can be delicate and may scorch or boil over very fast.
3) As soon as the milk reaches just to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer until the noodles are soft and have absorbed most of the milk (about 6-8 minutes). It is VERY important to stir often and replace the lid as soon as possible after doing so.
4) Once your timer goes off, add half a stick of softened butter, mix until melted completely, then add the packet of powdered cheese and mix thoroughly. If you are feeling extra adventurous add a little bit of shredded cheddar!
5) SERVE!
This creates a dish that tastes nothing like a typical box of instant Kraft Mac and Cheese. If you'd like you can even add some seasoning, I typically just keep it plain. It also keeps you from having to strain the pasta so it saves a step!
I hope this helps!
I have consumed so much of this stuff over the course of my life! A disturbing amount even. Saying anything bad about this product is the second most common reason for deportation in the United States, so I won't. "Cheesy" is a loose term used here to denote something orange colored and salty and not to be confused with cheese. I do not see why this was such an exciting thing to be served when I was a mere boy of 5-28. I still eat this on occasion as a comfort food and try to forget about the ingredient list on the side of the box and that most of the milk protein bits come from China, a country known for strict food regulations. But still I eat this fabulous goo, so ingrained it is from my childhood.
No one would claim that boxed macaroni and cheese is even remotely gourmet or healthy, but it's become a staple for kids and adults seeking comfort food. However, no other company seems to be able to crack the boxed macaroni formula like Kraft has. Other brands are generally gross, either having the wrong texture, flavor, or both. Kraft's manages to be surprisingly cheesy and creamy without having a plastic or gummy texture -- a miracle when you realize that it all came from a powder. Even if you cut the amount of butter by 1/2 it still tastes great. The pasta cooks much faster than most pasta, and you can easily have dinner on the table in under 10 minutes. The only real downside of the Kraft macaroni and cheese is how dry and gross it tastes if you try to reheat leftovers the next day.
The options for customizing the macaroni to add variety are endless. I usually make it with half the amount of butter called for on the box, but I melt in a slice of American cheese. Frozen peas, sliced hotdogs, and a dash of hot sauce are easy additions to add flavor or texture. I've also frequently made chili mac-and-cheese (mix in 1-2 cups of chili and cut the amount of milk in half), cheeseburger mac and cheese (add browned ground beef, bacon bits, and mustard), southwestern mac-and-cheese (add canned green chiles and corn), and buffalo chicken mac and cheese (add sauteed chicken, hot sauce, and blue cheese). The possibilities are endless.
I don't often make mac and cheese from the box (it's not that harder to make real macaroni and cheese on the stovetop by adding 10oz of grated cheddar, 4 tablespoons butter, 2 eggs, 6 ounces evaporated milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard powder to 1/2lb of elbow macaroni), but when I'm feeling lazy and still want mac and cheese I always used the Kraft Blue Box.
what more is there to say? It's Kraft Mac and Cheese. The savior of working moms everywhere on those busy nights. My kids aren't too picky, just throw in some protein, have veggies on the side and we have a meal. They complain about the meat and veggies, but who cares? I have to give them something good besides a boatload of carbs! Oh well. It tastes good, they eat it without complaint (at least they don't complain about mac and cheese, they just don't want veggies), so I am good for them to eat this from time to time. Yay for Kraft!
The original is still the best! This is what I grew up on and my kids love it. This particular size is perfect for lunch for the three kids or as a side for the whole family. we keep both the 7.25 ounce boxes and the Kraft Easy Mac Original Macaroni and Cheese Dinner 18 Microwaveable Single Serve Packs available when one of the kids wants Mac and Cheese for lunch. The combination of these two sizes is perfect. We have tried larger sized Family boxes, but these have proven too large- perhaps in a few years (the kids are 10,7, and 4).
We have tried some other Mac and Cheese varieties and we always end up back with the original. The 35 count bulk box is a great price for a family classic.
Feature Product
- Macaroni & Cheese dinner with premium original flavor
- Consists of thick cheesy sauce with a hint of paprika
- Made with easy in just 7-8 minutes
- The taste kids love
- Perfect meal or side-dish
Description
The taste you love. Stock up on the cheesy flavor you crave with this 5-pack of Kraft Original Macaroni & Cheese. Quick and easy to make, this Kraft macaroni and cheese provides that comforting creamy flavor you’ve grown up with. the new and improved Kraft macaroni and cheese is even better than ever. Enjoy Kraft Macaroni & Cheese for lunch or dinner to satisfy your cheesy appetite.
We always prefer to eat Kraft Macaroni & Cheese in the blue box.
Although this is what I grew up with, I have tried other brands and I have always returned to this one time after time.
I must admit that I don't always make this as directed I tend to favor adding other things to it. Extra Kraft cheese slices or sometimes Munster cheese. Then top it with some sales if I want to dress it up a little as this is a year round pantry staple in our house. Most especially on really cold nights.
I gave it four stars because I know it's not all that healthy to eat but there are times when you see pleasant food memories from our childhood. This is such an item for me. Nothing else tastes quite like it for me. I of course was also introduced to these additions as a child.
Kraft Mac and Cheese, while likely the least "cheese" based product out there (can anyone identify the orange powder in the box as cheese?), is one of the best tasting and easiest to make mac and cheese products I have found. A little water, a little butter, a splash of milk - add the orange powder (seriously, why is it orange?) and mix. If you want to kick it up a notch, stir in hotdog bits, chicken breast slices, or bacon and you have yourself a meal.
The overall price for this product (using Subscribe and Save) was comparable, if not better, than my local grocery store for the same amount of boxes - plus free shipping. Not a bad value overall.
If you like cheesy macaroni and don't mind the fact that it isn't all "gooey" like some of the higher end cheese mac products are - then this is the product for you.
Less than a dollar a box - the price here is just unbelievable. In the grocery store Kraft Mac and C is almost two bucks a box. Fifteen boxes for a little over 12 bucks? Sign me up! And it's the real thing - high quality good old fashioned Kraft Dinnah! Delicious high carb high fat yummy comfort food, right here. Stock up like I did for those rainy days when there's nothing to eat or you need to eat your feelings or the kids are crabby or it's PMS week or somebody's gone vegetarian that week (but still ovo-lacto) or you just want some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and don't want to pay through the nose for it because gosh darn it, you know this stuff tastes GOOD. And for this price, you really can't pass it up.
My husband and kids swear that this is the best Mac N Cheese. I don't see much of a difference between the other brands, except that I do think Kraft is cheesier or creamier. This makes a good base for many casseroles and mac n cheese style dishes. It's good over all and amazon makes it affordable.
A time trusted classic . Pair it with a salad and fresh fruit and you can almost forgive the junk food factor . Still easy to use . We omit butter and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil ( or there is a great product out now , real butter with olive oil , we stear clear of margarine ) and use almond milk . Sometimes you just have to adjust in life . And sometimes busy families have to make up time . Only customer said to add a cup of fresh grated cheese before serving , will do that next .
0 comments:
Post a Comment