Simply Quick Macaroni and Cheese

Lately I’ve been craving some good old-fashioned macaroni and cheese. 

There’s just something about that warm and creamy comfort food that calls to me, especially during those late nights curled up in front of the television. Tonight I decided to give in to my craving but only if I could find a simple recipe that used ingredients I already had on hand.

I found this recipe on www.campbellskitchen.com 

which strangely enough doesn’t use any Campbell’s ingredients.  

At first I was put off by the comments, but shush, don’t listen to them. 

In fact don’t even look at them yet. We’ll get to that later.

Simply Quick Macaroni and Cheese

Makes: approximately 2 servings

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups chicken broth

¼ cup all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

½ cup milk

5 slices American cheese (the prepackaged kind)

3 cups pasta noodles (cooked and drained)

*Note: this recipe claims to serve 6 but being cautious I cut it in half and it barely made 2 servings. However, I still used all 5 slices of cheese.

Directions:

First, if you’re like me, you’ll need to boil water and mix your bouillon cubes to make your chicken broth. This was all I had on hand but using already made broth works just as well. Also, you’ll want to start your noodles now, unlike me who waited until the last minute. Drain them and set them off to the side. 

In a small saucepan on the stove combine your broth, flour, black pepper and milk. Stir together over medium heat until the mix starts to thicken and boil.

Next, add in your cheese, tearing the squares into smaller pieces to help them melt faster. I started with 3 slices but after a taste-test I decided to use all 5 slices. Stir until the cheese is completely melted into the mixture.

Next, add your drained pasta noodles to the mix and stir until all noodles are coated, scoop into a bowl and enjoy this warm, cheesy and simple snack.

This recipe is perfect for those late night cheesy cravings, when you want something warm without fuss. What I love about this recipe is that it’s simple and uses ingredients most of us already have in our pantry. 

Now about those comments...

despite how often it’s mentioned, I didn’t find this recipe to be bland at all. I actually liked the flavor because I could taste the cheese without it being overpowering. 

Also, a lot of people suggest wonderful ways to spruce up the recipe and even make a meal out of it by adding ground beef and veggies. That’s all lovely but honestly I just wanted macaroni and cheese and it worked for me. 

Enjoy!