A Staple in the Homes of Many.
Macaroni and Cheese is a food that has been a staple in the homes of many for a very long time. Stiavetti [1] explains how Thomas Jefferson was a true ambassador for macaroni and cheese. How he traveled many places like Italy and France and was amazed by all the different shapes of noodles. He then brought this lovely cuisine over to America where we all enjoy it to this day. It not only is the highlight at the dinner table, but also an option for those that may not have hours to spend in the kitchen. Marlena Spieler [2] says that it is understandable to love macaroni and cheese. That not only is it simple to prepare, but extremely easy to be utterly passionate about. Now yes, you could go to your local grocery store and pick up a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese, or you could create a masterpiece
Versatility & Variation
There are so many options of noodles, from elbow to bowtie, to spaghetti noodles if you really wanted. Howland [3] wrote a whole article about all the different flavors of cheese and what they are good for. Not only are there options that you would never think of, but there are options that would make your dish that much better. Macaroni and cheese is one of those dishes that can either be a quick 8-minute cook time, or something that is worth writing a book about. It is up to you and where you take it. This recipe is simple, but has every door open to each possibility within each step
This video is a perfect example of the variation within the ingredients, while keeping the basic steps the same.
Ingredient
- Noodles (any shape)
- 4 cups of water
- 4 tablespoons (tbsp) of butter
- 1 cup of whole milk (2% will also work)
- This recipe is made with shredded cheddar cheese (you may use any cheese you would like, that just might change the consistency of the dish.)
Utensils
- Mixing spoon
- Pot
- Stove top
- Plate
- Measuring cup
Steps
- Gather your ingredients and utensils
- Place pot on stove and pour 4 cups of water into the pot
- Turn stove on high and wait for water to come to a boil
- Once to a boil, pour noodles in the water, let boil for 6-7 minutes
- Once done, turn off burner, drain the water out of the pot, leaving noodles in pot
- Place pot on a cool burner, pour milk into pot, add butter, and stir
- Once mixed in, add at least 3 cups of cheese or until you are satisfied and mix until cheese is completely melted in
- Plate and enjoy!
Each time you make this macaroni and cheese it may turn out a little different than the last. That might just be the best part. Feel free to try different shapes of noodles or even different flavors of cheese!
Works Cited
[1]
Stiavetti and G. McCord, MELT. Little, Brown, 2013.
[2]
Spieler, Macaroni & Cheese. Chronicle Books, 2013.
[3]
Howland, “Say Cheese, Say Flavor,” Flavor & The Menu, pp. 1–6, Feb. 2004.
I enjoy making this at home and my children loved it when they were little. This is a great meal for a tight budget and is super simple to make. Please note that the type of cheddar cheese also makes a difference. Mild cheddar will “ball” up and be more stringy while Medium cheddar will melt more evenly!
Mac & Cheese is a classic, one that I would be surprised if no one has had before. O remember several days were my parents would come home, and not knowing what to make for dinner, they would make different variants of Mac & Cheese. Rather with can pasta, hot dogs, cream of mushroom soup, you name it. Personally, I love that you mentioned that it can be any noodles. Although commonly associated with Macaroni Noodles, it can be made from any.
I really love mac and cheese. It is one of my favorite foods ever. I love how you mentioned that Thomas Jefferson really brought it into popular culture at the time. I also love the video that you provided. I had never actually thought of putting sour cream in mac and cheese but it does seem as if it might enhance the flavor. I will probably try that sometime.