Hi everyone! We took the week off because our daughter, son-in-law, 4 kids and dog came to vacation with us for way too few days. We visited the Melbourne Zoo, which is one of the most beautiful zoos in the country, rode the air boats and saw alligators, did two Universal parks in one marathon day (I don’t know if I’m up to that again!) and spent a day at Kennedy Space Center. The rest of the time was spent in the pool and eating.
I had completely forgotten just how much kids can eat each day, but thankfully I had prepared a big bunch of Mac and Cheese prior to their arrival.
I totally understand relying on packaged mac and cheese mix from a box for kids. If you only have a few days to vacation (minus travel days), the last thing you want to do is to spend time cooking. That’s why I wanted to have something on hand that could go right into the microwave and to be served with a hot dog or hamburger.
I absolutely love my go-to mac and cheese recipe. It’s simple, uses just a few ingredients, and ends up so creamy and gooey – it’s the ultimate comfort food.
Now don’t judge me, but this recipe is a mixture of sharp cheddar and processed cheese. It just melts so beautifully! I’ve tried using different cheese mixtures, and this one just turns out perfectly, and the kids love it.
Most mac and cheese recipes also call for ground mustard. Even with a whisk, I’ve had issues trying to incorporate ground mustard into the cream, so I’ve started using Dijon mustard. It seems to melt into the cream much easier for me.
When I make this mac and cheese for the kids, I leave of the panko topping. But when I make it for adults, like for Christmas boat party potlucks or Super Bowl parties, I add the topping, and some hot peppers for some added zest. I like to add both pickled jalapenos and a mined raw hot pepper as well, just for some added kick. I use the pickled peppers because the heat level is the same. You never really know the exact level of heat a fresh pepper will have. Here is the recipe I use:
Kid-Approved Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 lb elbow macaroni
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 ½ cups half-and-half
½ tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp garlic powder
2 lb sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 cups)
8 oz processes cheese (like Velveeta), cubed
Instructions
Put the salt and water into a large pasta pot and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook to an al dente texture (about 1-2 minutes less than the box recommends, if it doesn’t specify ‘al dente’). Drain the macaroni in a colander.
Combine the half-and-half, mustard, garlic powder and butter in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cheddar and processed cheese in small batches and stir to incorporate each batch. Once the cheese is melted, and the cream and cheese mixture is smooth, pour in the macaroni and thoroughly mix to combine.
For an Adult Version of Mac and Cheese
Added ingredients
2 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup chopped pickled jalapenos
1 minced fresh hot pepper of your choice (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the mac and cheese as you do for the kid-approved version. Add the peppers into the cheese and cream mixture with the macaroni and stir to thoroughly incorporate. Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the panko and stir constantly until the panko is golden brown. Sprinkle the golden brown panko over the top of the mac and cheese after it is in the serving bowl.
