BikeBookBread Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) I have tried quite a few very nice homemade Mac & Cheese recipes, both baked and creamy-style, and my kids just won't eat any of them! I've done the fancy roux thing, the basic mix the cheese into milk thing and more... I just want to kick the blue box habit. Funny thing is, they eat very healthily otherwise, but like many kids, they have this thing about that blue box. To their credit however, I have convinced them :sneaky2: that it is normal to put nonfat plain yogurt in instead of milk, so they at least are used to a tangy flavor, and get that good yogurt into them. Any ideas for a recipe that uses natural cheese (not Velveeta or processed) and kind of mimicks Kraft? Edited March 4, 2009 by BikeBookBread typo/spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfside Academy Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 :lurk5: That's funny! I just made homemade mac-n-cheese last night and my kids wouldn't touch it. They prefer the box also. Yuck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixpence1978 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 None that I have found yet...and I have tried so many. The last batch I made, I didn't even try to call it "macaroni and cheese". I just said we were having "cheesy noodles" and then they ate it without complaining. So far, the best alternative I have made is with milk, 1/2 cheddar cheese, and 1/2 Velveeta. I'm content with that for now since I go easy on the cheese sauce, and the Velveeta comes out with less sodium and fat than boxed macaroni. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Oh...you HAVE to try some of this natural cheese powder. So delicious, much healthier than the blue box, and yet it gives kids their 'powdered-cheese-in-packages' thrill. :D http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/detail.jsp?id=1223 Ginger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 PM waxwing or PlaidDad! Anne's mac and cheese recipe converted my blue-box-loving kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 Oh...you HAVE to try some of this natural cheese powder. So delicious, much healthier than the blue box, and yet it gives kids their 'powdered-cheese-in-packages' thrill. :D http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/detail.jsp?id=1223 Ginger Just looked it up...how much do you use? The package is 8 oz dry...I would assume about 2 ounces at the most...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie in Oh Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 my kids won't touch the stuff from the box. It is mom's or nothing here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muffinmom Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 PM waxwing or PlaidDad! Anne's mac and cheese recipe converted my blue-box-loving kids. Can you post it here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Can you post it here? I PMd waxwing, but haven't heard back. I can't find PlaidDad... I will with waxwing's permission! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I PMd waxwing, but haven't heard back. I can't find PlaidDad... I will with waxwing's permission! Oops, Plaid Dad is two words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Oops, Plaid Dad is two words. Thanks!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldjoy Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I use evaporated milk. It makes it creamier. Does anyone else? I guess I dont know the nutritional ramifications of it though???? e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I'm rushing to get out the door to work, but I asked dw to post our recipe. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waxwing Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hi all, Sorry for the delay, but I had no idea our mac & cheese was so much in demand. ;) We're very fond of this recipe, but I must warn you that it's really nothing like the boxed kind...the sauce has more body and thickness. Also, we're snobs here in New England about orange cheese, so I always use white cheddar - but there's no reason you couldn't use the orange. In any case, our kiddo has the opposite problem from most of yours: she loves this mac & cheese, but won't eat the blue box stuff or even Annie's natural kind. Hope you enjoy! -Anne Mac & Cheese adapted by Anne Campbell from Jacques Pepin 1 lb. penne or other short pasta 1 tsp. butter 1/2 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. flour 1 1/4 cups milk 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, diced 1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese 1 plum tomato, cut into small dice (optional) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the penne and boil until al dente, firm to the bite, about 6-8 minutes. Drain and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter and oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour with a whisk and stir for about 10 seconds, then add the milk, whisking it in so it doesn't scorch. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for 10 seconds. Add the cheddar cheese and salt and pepper to taste, and stir over low heat for about 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened. Mix the pasta with the cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the Parmesan and tomato (if desired) on top. An optional step is to place the mac & cheese under the broiler until brown. You can also assemble it ahead of time and bake in a 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Another optional step: This dish is a great way to sneak in extra vegetables. Just add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pureed cooked cauliflower, zucchini, white beans, or any other light-colored vegetable to the sauce at the same time that you add the cheddar, and it will be completely unnoticeable by kids or adults. The book The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals, by Missy Chase Lapine, has lots of ideas and recipes for these kinds of tricks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 ...but I can't find it right now. :confused: One thing that made it different was that it used a bit of cream cheese in the sauce. Actually, I haven't been that crazy about homemade mac & cheese either, but I do like that one. I will look for it and post it if I find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muffinmom Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Hi all, Sorry for the delay, but I had no idea our mac & cheese was so much in demand. ;) We're very fond of this recipe, but I must warn you that it's really nothing like the boxed kind...the sauce has more body and thickness. Also, we're snobs here in New England about orange cheese, so I always use white cheddar - but there's no reason you couldn't use the orange. In any case, our kiddo has the opposite problem from most of yours: she loves this mac & cheese, but won't eat the blue box stuff or even Annie's natural kind. Hope you enjoy! -Anne Mac & Cheese adapted by Anne Campbell from Jacques Pepin 1 lb. penne or other short pasta 1 tsp. butter 1/2 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. flour 1 1/4 cups milk 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, diced 1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese 1 plum tomato, cut into small dice (optional) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the penne and boil until al dente, firm to the bite, about 6-8 minutes. Drain and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter and oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour with a whisk and stir for about 10 seconds, then add the milk, whisking it in so it doesn't scorch. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for 10 seconds. Add the cheddar cheese and salt and pepper to taste, and stir over low heat for about 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened. Mix the pasta with the cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the Parmesan and tomato (if desired) on top. An optional step is to place the mac & cheese under the broiler until brown. You can also assemble it ahead of time and bake in a 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Another optional step: This dish is a great way to sneak in extra vegetables. Just add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pureed cooked cauliflower, zucchini, white beans, or any other light-colored vegetable to the sauce at the same time that you add the cheddar, and it will be completely unnoticeable by kids or adults. The book The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals, by Missy Chase Lapine, has lots of ideas and recipes for these kinds of tricks. So the cheddar actually melts and doesn't get all oily and separated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waxwing Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 So the cheddar actually melts and doesn't get all oily and separated? In my experience, yes, it melts fine. If you leave the sauce around at room temperature, it does separate, but heating and stirring again brings it back around. I use the store-brand version of Cracker Barrel cheese, not farmstead cheddar or anything fancy. -Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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