The macaroni cheese thread

[spanglechick]

in the interests of research (and 'cause it was in the tramps buffet) i picked up a waitrose / heston blumenthal cauliflower & macaroni cheese with truffle (flavour ) oil. i'll report back to the group once it's been eaten.

i had ne of those last timme i was off my diet. it was delicious!

 

[spanglechick]

In Canada it tends to be more ready made I think. Kraft macaroni cheese?

I made three cheese (parmesan, cream cheese and mature cheddar) and kale pasta bake the other day. It was so good I ate 2 days helping in one

like, in a tin? i've never had the tinned stuff... is it very chemically, then?

 

[8115]

like, in a tin? i've never had the tinned stuff... is it very chemically, then?

I don't know, JC is the best person to comment on this. But Kraft dinners used to be North American junk food, and one of the archetypal Kraft dinners is macaroni cheese. Ingredient list here. You add milk, water and butter, it's in a packet.

 

[spanglechick]

I don't know, JC is the best person to comment on this. But Kraft dinners used to be North American junk food, and one of the archetypal Kraft dinners is macaroni cheese. Ingredient list here. You add milk, water and butter, it's in a packet.

oh, ok. like those wrong-but-tasty pasta and sauce sachets that they used to make in the nineties (and maybe still do?) Those were indeed, very chemically.

But surely, even in north america, most people make their own macaroni cheese? lik most people make their own pasta sauces here?

 

[killer b]

tinned mc is revolting, i can confirm.

 

[killer b]

i had ne of those last timme i was off my diet. it was delicious!

it would have benefited from the addition of bacon. but then, what wouldn't?

 

[aqua]

can people STOP bumping this fucking thread now I NEED MC for tea

 

[killer b]

why the facepalm? just have it for tea. problem solved.

 

[aqua]

why the facepalm? just have it for tea. problem solved.

the because I'm so fucking easily led astray by the mere mention of some foods I will have it don't worry, and pickle loves it so it's all good, but seriously, will power anyone?

 

[Idris2002]

You know, I don't think I've ever eaten macaroni and cheese.

 

[sojourner]

I avoided it in case it got me annoyed during a Valentines Day meal

 

[sojourner]

You know, I don't think I've ever eaten macaroni and cheese.

Now's a good a time as any to start then!

 

[Idris2002]

Now's a good a time as any to start then!

You know, I rather think it is.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

what's chemical about pasta / cheese / milk / butter / flour?

Cheese Sauce

Every package of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese contains a package of mix to make cheese sauce. The cheese sauce mix contains several milk ingredients: whey (milk protein), milk protein concentrate, milk, milkfat and cheese culture. The cheese sauce mix also contains salt, sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium phosphate and calcium phosphate. According to the International Food Additives Council, sodium phosphates help cheese retain its melting properties and calcium phosphate improves nutritional value. Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 are added to the sauce mix as colorings. Final ingredients in the sauce mix are citric acid, lactic acid and enzymes. According to the Food Additives and Ingredients Association, acids are added to foods as preservatives and emulsifiers. Enzymes are catalysts, and may help the cheese sauce reconstitute properly

 

[weepiper]

melt some butter, stir some flour into it til it makes a paste, add half a pint of milk little by little stirring til it thickens each time, add a bunch of grated cheese. Hey presto, no chemicals.

 

[Drei]

my tea tonight, it was yummy i like the idea of adding bacon and will try that next time.
When i was pregnant i added olives, chorico and homemade pesto (at the time it was to die for) but have since tried it and its just not right, it tasted like an italian mush

 

[spanglechick]

and do most people use this kraft stuff rather than make their own cheese sauce? a cheese sauce is pretty easy. I'm no great cookery shakes, and i could make one by the time i was 16... just to help with the sunday lunch. and it must be cheaper.

 

[Orang Utan]

Everyone on this thread has been making their own. I buy the cheese sauce packets occasionally and Kraft macaroni cheese packets very occasionally, but it's a comfort food and therefore deserves care and time and love and therefore ideally made from scratch.

 

[killer b]

i've never even seen packet cheese sauce on sale, let alone know anyone who's used it.

 

[Orang Utan]

I've used it! You get them in the aisle with the gravies and other packet convenience sauce thingies. They save a bit of time, but you still need to add loads of cheese to make it taste right.

 

[weepiper]

I've used it! You get them in the aisle with the gravies and other packet convenience sauce thingies. They save a bit of time, but you still need to add loads of cheese to make it taste right.

How does it save time? You're waiting for the pasta to cook anyway

 

[ice-is-forming]

I have a secret ingredient for macaroni cheese that makes it the best in the entire universe, it was passed down to me by my dad, i am only allowed to tell my kids it. sorry.

 

[Orang Utan]

How does it save time? You're waiting for the pasta to cook anyway

The bother of making a roux to thicken the sauce.

 

[weepiper]

The bother of making a roux to thicken the sauce.

But it takes, like, literally 5 minutes I can understand buying things like shepherd's pie ready made because that is a faff to make properly but cheese sauce??

 

[Orang Utan]

Shepherd's pie seems less faff than macaroni cheese!

 

[Drei]

I don't know, JC is the best person to comment on this. But Kraft dinners used to be North American junk food, and one of the archetypal Kraft dinners is macaroni cheese. Ingredient list here. You add milk, water and butter, it's in a packet.

never seen that stuff for sale, but other than flour and cheese do you have to add all the ingredients yourself?
I usually make roux for white sauces and bechamel for lasagna etc, so now i do the cheese sauce with my eyes closed but my mate uses powdered bechamel sauce when making hers, is this the same thing?

 

[Orang Utan]

Kraft dinners are the whole thing, pasta and sauce, in the packet.
Just add water, milk and butter.

The answer to your question is in the post you quoted!

 

[Drei]

No the impression is that what American's call "wheat" the British call "corn" and what the Americans call "corn" the British call "maize."

i thought maize was made from sweetcorn or is that polenta?
the American's call sweetcorn "wheat"? or are we talking flours here... im so confused now?

 

[Drei]

Kraft dinners are the whole thing, pasta and sauce, in the packet.
Just add water, milk and butter.

The answer to your question is in the post you quoted!

ah right, so the pasta is included... i think i have seen them actually.
Can the users give me some tips for making this nice, and do you still need to bake it in the oven... it might be great for camping

 

[Orang Utan]

You just make it on the hob. It's not very nice though. I would take something else