Homemade macaroni and cheese became a bit of an archaic approach once Kraft Dinner hit the shelves, but in our house growing up there was no such thing as instant mac and cheese. I grew up in a house where absolutely everything we ate was made from scratch including our macaroni and cheese.
In college I tried the praised instant dinner, but felt that although inexpensive, it didn't hold a candle to Mom's Mac and Cheese. Today my daughter is at college and in her first apartment. While her roommate swears by the boxed mix, my daughter prefers to make the homemade version. It is nearly as fast to make it from scratch and it is so much tastier. Mom would be proud.
MOM'S HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE
8 oz macaroni (elbows are fine but shells or spirals add great texture)
4 oz Velveeta Cheese cubed
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Fill a medium sized kettle 2/3 full of water. Bring water to a boil and pour in macaroni. Turn the burner down to medium heat. Cook according to macaroni package instructions, but usually it is about 8 minutes. Do not over cook the macaroni as it will continue to cook in the cheese sauce. It is best if it is drained when it still has a little bite to it (al dente).
Drain the macaroni and pour back into the kettle.
Add cubed Velveeta cheese, butter and milk. Cook on medium heat stirring frequently until the cheese has all melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve as a meal or as a sidedish.
Macaroni and cheese does not have to come from a box. This simple recipe puts the boxed mix to shame. This is real comfort food for anyone far away from home that wants a quick recipe that will remind them of home.