I love mac ‘n cheese- even the blue box stuff (preferably with Spongebob noodles). It’s a quick and easy fix, you get to use real butter (even I draw the line at Easy Mac), and it’s cheap as all get out. But I cannot overstate how crazy easy this recipe is- and how much better it tastes.

You see, there are only three (count ‘em) necessary ingredients for this m&c: milk, cheese, and noodles. The noodles cook in the milk, releasing their starch which makes it a perfect binder for the cheese when added, to make a delicious creamy sauce. No leftover boiled water, no extra butter, no weird chemical cheese. Just all the good stuff.

Stir in a bit of dijon if you want, add some paprika and whatever herbs you like, and you’re in business. I will go out on a limb here and say this is MUCH lighter than the previous mac ‘n cheese you may have seen on this blog… but every ounce as delicious!

Thank you Budget Bytes for sharing this amazing recipe (which apparently costs $.68 per serving)… I am a transformed woman!

The Easiest Mac ‘n Cheese… Ever

Serves 4
Cook time: 25 min or less!

Ingredients

• 2.25 cups milk
• 2 cups (1/2 lb.) dry macaroni
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (optional)
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 10-15 cranks fresh cracked pepper (optional)

Directions

1) Combine the dry macaroni and 2 cups of milk in a medium pot. Place a lid on top and bring it up to a boil over medium/high heat while occasionally stirring.

2) As soon as it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let simmer until the pasta is tender (about 10-15 minutes). Make sure to stir often during this process to keep the pasta from clumping or sticking to the bottom of the pot. Promptly replace the lid each time to help hold in the moisture.

3) Once the pasta is soft and has absorbed most of the milk, season with salt, pepper, paprika, and dijon, or the spices of your choice. If the mixture begins to look dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup of milk.

4) Turn the heat off and stir in the shredded cheese. Serve immediately.

Woof that was easy! Ya gotta make this or you’ll have the no-blue-box-blues.

Happy Eating
mally