Quick mac-n-cheese​

I have a general mistrust of un-naturally hued foods. The pinky-pink cotton candy or the ultra blue blueberry "flavored" drink and so on.. The neon orange packaged mac n cheese however, absolutely heads that list and I therefor never make it.

 

On a very busy weeknight years ago, I had run out of ingredients to prepare anything else and came up with this recipe, which did not take long and required very few ingredients. I know this is not a healthy recipe by absolutely any standards, but kids  are kids and they will ask for their mac n cheese once in a while (or may be more often :)). Plus  every mom I know is so busy that I believe she really needs this recipe for that last resort meal.

​

Another thing, this is not a microwave recipe. So, by quick I mean it takes a few minutes more than the time needed to boil the pasta. The cheese sauce is light, and needs no cream or roux (roux is just a fancy french word for a butter and flour base used in soups and sauces, nothing to be scared of).

​

So here goes..

​

​Ingredients:​

1 cup pasta of your choice (any tube shaped pasta works just

fine)
1/3- 1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 - 1/2 cup cheese of your choice
Pat of butter
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Method: ​

• Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than directions on the package in generously salted water.​ Drain the pasta but do not pour cold water over it.
• Place the hot pasta back to the still hot pan that you boiled it in. 

• Add the milk and bring it to a simmer.
• Add the butter, salt and pepper. Doesn't need too much salt

  since the cheese is pretty salty, and the pasta is boiled in

  salted water.
• Remove from heat, add the cheese and stir gently till cheese

  melts.​​

• If want want more sauce add more milk and cheese.
• You are done! I almost always serve this with a side of carrot sticks or steamed broccoli with a pat of butter.