Blue boxed Mac & Cheese, replaced by Real Food

Once you go real cheese you can go back to powdered.  The blue boxed mac and cheese (you know the one) use to be my all time favorite comfort food / hangover food.  It was quick, easy and my husband could make it.  It was a staple in our house for years.  Then I mastered my version of Flemings Steak house mac and cheese.  I starting trying mac and cheese at restaurants and found my favorite was Flemings Steak House.  Once I was able to duplicate it at home the blue box hasn't been the same.

Good news is another processed food item I'll be doing away with.  It will no longer be a staple in my house.  It amazes me how wonderful I use to think it was, now it's bland, watery with no true cheese flavor.  Wow has the processed food industry screwed up our taste buds or what.  Once you start getting away from processed foods and realize that REAL food tastes better it's hard to go back to the processed foods.  I can't believe the orange powder is passed off as cheese.  It is worse than the cheese sauce some places use on nachos.

You can't beat real cheese.  Here is my perfected recipe for smokey mac and cheese.  I want to try the version from Stanford's next which has Fontina, Gruyere, Cheddar and bacon.

SMOKEN HOT MAC N CHEESE
Fry:
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Boil:
2 C. elbow macaroni
Melt roux:
3 T. unsalted butter
2 T. all-purpose flour
½ t. pepper
½ t. chipolte pepper seasoning
Add:
2 C. milk
8 oz. (1 C.) Havarti cheese, shredded
4 oz. (½ C.) jack cheese, shredded (optional)
4 oz. (½ C. or 5 slices) Muenster cheese, shredded
8 oz. (1 C.) smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
Topping:
1/3 C. Sweet French bread crust, crumbs
-Parmesan/Romano cheese

Cook macaroni in boiling salted water until al dente; drain and rinse. Fry bacon in a large 10 inch skillet, drain and wipe out. In same skillet, melt butter; add flour, black pepper and chipolte pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add milk; cook and stir till thick and bubbly. Add cheeses; stir till melted. Remove from heat. Add macaroni and bacon . Turn into 1 ½ quart greased casserole. Sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on top of macaroni. Bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes, or until heated through and Parmesan is melted and browned. Makes 6-8 servings, depending on serving size or who you are serving.

Note:  I tried adding Smoked Gouda but wasn’t crazy about the smokey flavor it added but the smoky cheddar did the job.  Didn't use the jack cheese last time because I was out and it was great.  I have to make it again soon to see if it makes it even better.