Sometimes life throws a monkey wrench in our meal plans. An unexpectedly, uncomfortable dentist appointment, forced a last minute switch to an easy to chew meal and my son’s request last night for macaroni and cheese.In earlier times, that would have me reaching for a box of Annie’s or Kraft’s. Homemade macaroni and cheese was just too much work for a “kids” food. The need for two pots, one for the sauce and the other to cook the pasta, was the real deal killer. My sister-in-law whips-up a mean mac’n cheese: a white sauce from scratch with freshly grated cheese. I wanted that rich and creamy home cooked taste, with the convenience of a box.
I’ve succeeded in creating a one-pot recipe that delivers on both counts. The key is to follow the same steps you use with the box: Cook the pasta, drain and return to the pot, add butter, allow to melt, sprinkle flour over the buttered macaroni, mix, gradually add warmed milk, and then slowly add grated cheese (from a bag of course!) It takes a bit of stirring to get the cheese melted and incorporated, but the result is worth the minimal effort. Best of all, there was only one pot to clean.
For those of us with a fully functioning set of teeth, dinner was rounded out with a salad of tomato, hearts of palm, and cucumber, and chicken Italian sausages.
RECIPE FOR ONE POT MACARONI & CHEESE
1 box elbow pasta (usually 1 lb.)
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1.5 cups low fat milk, warmed in microwave (about 2 minutes on high)
2 cups grated cheddar ( equivalent to one small bag of pre-grated cheese)
salt & pepper to taste
Cook and drain pasta. Return to pot. Over a low heat, add butter to the pasta. Stir to evenly coat pasta with the melted butter. Sprinkle the buttered pasta with the flour, stirring to coat evenly. Slowly add the warmed milk while stirring. Add the cheese by handfuls, stirring to fully melt between additions. Salt & pepper to taste. Sometimes I add a few dashes of hot sauce. If you want a runnier sauce add an additional 1/2 cup of warmed mile.
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