cheesy comfort

It’s Friday, yaaaaaaaayyyyy!!!! This week has been brutal at work and at home, so I decided it was time for some good old fashioned comfort food. I adore mac & cheese but have been disappointed with every recipe I’ve ever tried because nothing is as creamy and delicious as Stouffers. But poking holes in the film covering and pushing a few buttons does not make me feel very nurtured or domestic...

Finally I’ve found a recipe that comes close! My only regret is that I had to ask a supermarket clerk to point me toward the Velveeta, which was perhaps my most humiliating moment in recent memory. Who eats that stuff? And it’s so expensive, my gosh! But here’s a tip: don’t skimp on the processed pasturized cheese food product. The first time I made this recipe I bought a brick of the store brand stuff and it was vaguely gray and I could not bear the thought of eating it. Splurge on the real, artificially orange Velveeta, you’ll be glad you did. In fact, the original recipe calls for eight ounces of Velveeta which is half of a small-size brick, but honestly, what are you going to do with the other half of it? Unless you have some salsa, chips and a microwave standing by, just go ahead and chuck it all in. Mmm, cheesy!

Here’s what you do. Cook 10oz of elbow macaroni in salted water.

While the mac is boiling, combine a can of evaporated milk, a can of cheddar soup (I know, I’d never eat this stuff either but hang in there, this is worth it), a cup of shredded sharp Cheddar, three beaten eggs, a splash of Tabasco if you are a spicy chica and some seasoned salt and white pepper.

When the macaroni is al dente, drain it, return it to the hot cooking pot and toss in half a stick of butter and anywhere from 8 to 16 ounces of cubed Velveeta. Yeah, baby! Stir it so the “cheese” and butter melt into a  reassuring goo, then pour in the wet ingredients and mix vigorously to combine. This is your cardio for the day and will help to offset the negative health effects of this dish.

Pour the mixture into a well buttered baking dish; if you like the crusty part of baked mac & cheese use a 9x13 pan to get more surface area, but if you are all about creaminess use a couple loaf pans so the mac is deeper. I compromise and use my grandma’s old meatloaf pan which doesn’t quite hold the whole recipe, but that just means this is THE perfect potluck recipe because I can bake the extra mac & cheese in a couple ramekins and eat some while it’s piping hot AND have private leftovers AND still arrive at the potluck with a whole tray of trashy deliciousness, totally intact.

Top the mac & cheese with another cup of shredded sharp Cheddar to give it a veneer of legitimacy and bake the whole shebang at 350 degrees for about half an hour. I think you are supposed to put foil over the pan for the first little while but my foil is always in my studio space when I want it in the kitchen, so I forego that step. It works out fine either way. If it looks like it is browning too quickly, reduce the heat to 325 and cook it a little longer. Do you get the idea that I am a loosey-goosey chef? It’s true but I like it that way, and my food hasn't killed anyone yet.

You can dress this up by adding some dry or prepared mustard to the wet mixture or topping it with buttered bread crumbs. But don’t get too fancy with it—there's no point in putting lipstick on a pig. Eat it up, yum!

Comments

[Susan Tuttle]

Mmmmmm Suz! This sounds incredible--my mouth is seriously watering as I read your recipe. I must try it!

Hugs,
Susan

[Shirley]

No, Mommmy ,NO! not Velveeta.--
real cheese not that processed stuff.

Try different types of expensive but real cheeses: Asaiago blu, romano, parmesan,
the more the better. I've even added mozzarella but just a wee bit.

It's only 7:27 A.M. and I want some mac & cheese. HA! >> Shirley

[Beth]

Yes, velveeta! I'm going to make this for Zachary - although he is all about the blue box..

[Sheila]

I have been reading your blog for the past hour and was so happy to find it! Your mac and cheese recipe sounds yummy- I love mac and cheese. I will definitely try it. I always have velveeta on hand- my hubby will not eat a grilled cheese sandwich without it. Makes a great grilled cheese- I use mayo (bestfoods)on the outside bread slices instead of butter, makes the sandwich nice and crispy tender. FYI, thought you might want to know, Target has the best prices on velveeta- it is literally a couple of dollars cheaper than at the grocery store-