The ingredients for this mac and cheese can be dumped in a disposable 9x13 pan, stirred and baked for an hour. Easy peasy & the critics approve. Critics being my children who usually prefer the cheap stovetop boxed version (eww.) I love the Pioneer Woman’s recipe and this one is decidedly less fussy and will now be my go-to recipe. Easily halved and baked in 8x8 pan. The original recipe was seen in a Lazy Genius newsletter. I’ve tweaked and added more instructions.
Ingredients
4T butter
16oz dried elbow macaroni (or 4 cups)
5 cups whole milk (preferred is 2c cream or half & half + 3c milk)
1t sea salt
24 oz of shredded cheese of your choice
Instructions
Melt butter - Place 4 tablespoons of butter in the 9x13 pan (or 2 quart deep dish) and set in the oven to preheat to 375*. Butter will likely melt before oven is completely preheated and could burn if left that long, so if you’re easily distracted, set a 10 minute timer to pull it out. When butter is melted, pull pan out of oven and swirl to cover the bottom and up sides of dish.
Dump ingredients - this is the order I’ve used, though I suppose it doesn’t really matter: dry pasta, milk, sprinkle 1t salt over entire pan, then cheese. Give it a stir.
Cover with foil and set in preheated oven for 30 minutes. If using a disposable pan, I found it helpful to set the pan on a cookie sheet for stability.
Uncover and stir.
Leave uncovered and set back in oven for 30 more minutes. See note below on broiling.
Let rest for at least 10 minutes and up to an hour before serving. If you want to preserve the warmth for an hour, place foil back on the top. Room temp mac and cheese is still delicious. Perfect for a pot luck.
Notes
Pasta - The first time I made this with fancy Italian noodles that were thicker than elbow pasta and it needed more time in the oven to completely cook them. I pushed heavy Italian noodles under the cheese/milk at the 30 minute stir because I didn’t want anyone to break a tooth on baked pasta. The elbow mac didn’t need pushing under the milk. This recipe could be made with gluten free noodles yet I haven’t experimented.
Milk - I’ve made this twice and both times used 4c whole milk and 1 c heavy cream. the original recipe said 3c milk + 2c cream. Use half and half if that is what you have.
Cheese - I’ve used a combination of pre-shredded and block cheese, shredded. It is a lot of cheese. If you want to use less cheese, make the Pioneer Woman’s recipe. I haven’t tried but I think substituting an 8oz block of cream cheese, cubed, for some of the shredded would be divine. Or, be amazing with parmesan sprinkled on top at the end. Or blue cheese…or? Sky is the limit.
Toppings - Wouldn’t this be wonderful with bacon or bread crumbs drizzled with butter? Add toppings after stirring at the 30 minute mark.
Broil - When I made this with a heavier pan (not disposable) and Italian noodles, I broiled for about 2 minutes at the end. Watch it that it doesn’t burn. Go longer if preferred. When I made with elbow macaroni in a disposable pan, the top was perfectly golden after 1 hour, as seen pictured above.
Mother’s Day Menu
Quiche (or Cheese Pie) is easy enough to make for breakfast, brunch or lunch…the day of or the day before. If you’ve never made a quiche, I highly recommend trying it. Very easy. Frugal. Nutritious. The recipe linked was written with newbies in mind. Making quiche is simple and the variations are limitless.
Smashed potatoes or cheese grits would be fantastic with quiche, esp if the oven is already hot. Quiche and grits could bake simultaneously. If making smashed potatoes, bake quiche first then turn up the oven for the potatoes. Quiche is still good room temp.
Make Ahead Appetizer: Spinach Balls - originally posted this recipe at Thanksgiving because I usually use frozen spinach. If you have a garden, you may be overflowing with spinach these day.
Listen
Last week I encouraged you to listen to the Joe Rogan interview with Dr. Aseem Malhotra, MD (cardiology), specifically in relation to statins. The entire 3 hour interview is fascinating and educational. At the 2:28:00 mark Dr. Malhotra says, “The perception of modern medicine is that it is a savior…”
He shares about a study from 1850 to now, that the average increase of life is 40 years. Scientists asked the public “How much of this 40 year increase is due to modern medicine?” The public response was 80%. The real figure was 3.5-5 years could be attributed to modern medicine.
Most of the increase to life expectancy in the last 150 years has been as a result of safe drinking water, seat belts in cars, better sanitation, safer working environments, smoke-free buildings, and better access to nutrition. (Previously in the conversation he mentioned a tax on tobacco, and in the UK a sugar tax). Most of what happens to your health happens outside the doctor’s consultation room.
Most of what happens to your health happens outside the doctor’s consultation room. —Dr, Aseem Malhotra
It is worth it to learn to cook. Your health is worth the time it takes to source and eat real food. Food is medicine.
Life is hard, food doesn’t have to be,
Julie
PS - gathering with family to celebrate mothers this weekend? Check out this article I wrote called Tips for Dinner Conversations with Awkward People.
Every single thing I MUST make! I love the thought of substituting cream cheese for part of the shredded. And you mentioned less cheese...but that’s a head pass for me.🤗 I say more cheese by adding Parmesan on top in addition to the called for, and in my opinion mandatory, 4C of cheese. I am definitely in the mood to make a quiche too, since I have been purchasing and devouring store-bought Ukrops quiches.