Make Kraft® Macaroni and Cheese

Everyone can take what's in the blue box and throw it together, but the key is putting the ingredients together in the right order and making the Kraft® Macaroni and Cheese as tasty as possible.

Steps

  1. Fill a pot or pan about three-quarters full of water and bring to a boil. There's no need to measure the water, since you'll be draining the noodles later.
  2. While the water is coming to a boil, get out your ingredients. Measure 1/4 cup milk and cut off the amount of butter you'll need. The instructions call for more butter, but if you like it creamy, use the full amount.
  3. Pour in the macaroni when the water reaches a rolling boil and bubbles are actively rising to the top. Lower the heat to medium-high. Stir a few times so they won't stick together.
  4. Drain the macaroni when they soften (you can tell by tasting it, or having good timing). Turn off the heat. Pour the macaroni back into the pan.
  5. Add the butter and stir. Keep stirring until the noodles are coated and the butter is completely melted.
  6. Pour in the cheese sauce, making sure to get all of the powder from the corners.
  7. Pour milk over the sauce, and then stir everything together, working from the edge of the pot inwards, in a folding motion.
  8. Scoop into a bowl and enjoy your meal!

Tips

  • As an alternate order of doing things, while the noodles are draining, melt the butter in the pan while the pan is still hot. Stir in the cheese sauce and some (but not all!) of the milk. Fold in the noodles, and add the rest of the milk.
  • If you like it spicy, add a teaspoon or two of Habanero Tabasco sauce. Be warned, this stuff is hot, but it will make some good mac & cheese.
  • A bit of yogurt or sour cream can give macaroni and cheese a bit more of a tang and help make it creamy. You could substitute it for part of the butter to lighten things up.
  • If you have children who will not eat their green vegetables, toss a can of cut green beans (not French cut) into the water as you boil it. The green beans will absorb some of the cheese flavor and won't taste like vegetables in the final product.
  • Pack the finished product with a serving spoon, then cover and let stand 15-20 minutes to help the flavors set, particularly if you added spices.
  • To stretch your mac & cheese, add a few handfuls of extra elbow noodles. You'll need more cheese to compensate, though, if you add more than one handful. The Kraft cheese will cover some extra, but not much.
  • If you save excess macaroni, it won't taste as good a day or so later. Add a little milk and/or shredded cheese to the noodles and microwave to help bring back the flavor and texture.
  • If you find your macaroni too soft (like glue), do not boil macaroni for the full time it says on the box. Usually about 6 minutes is adequate time for it to boil.
  • Add a can of tuna after everything's mixed together. Be sure to drain the tuna first. Even if you don't normally like tuna, try it in Mac and Cheese. It's delicious. A little lemon pepper with it adds some nice flavor.
  • Try adding sliced hot dogs into your mac and cheese.
  • For a little extra flavor, add a dash of nutmeg. It brings out the cheese flavor really nicely.
  • Grate some cheddar cheese over it at the end and stir to mix. This makes it extra cheesy. If you're on a budget, break up a slice of American cheese in it, and stir well.

Warnings

  • Your pan may overflow while boiling water. If this happens, slide the pan away from the burner, or turn the heat down.

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