by Aden Cruz

Created on: August 09, 2009

Boxed macaroni and cheese is fast and it does come in handy when the last thing you want to do is slave over the kitchen when your body is already aching. However, eating macaroni and cheese in a box almost everyday can be boring to the eyes and your tastebuds. Here is some great tips for you to try to ensure that macaroni and cheese in a box will still be a hot favourite with you and your family.

Tip number one: Add ham, Italian Sausage, Roast Beef

Ham, sliced beef, sausages or any smoked meat you can get from the deli will add a nice touch to macaroni and cheese. Not only it will add flavour, it also adds in more protein to the dish that you are eating.

Tip number two: Add in frozen mixed vegatables

A quick way to jazz up any meal is to add in colours to your food. The colours coming from the mixed vegetables would make it look appealing to the eyes.

Tip number three: Add in spinach and saute mushroom (Vegetarian Style)

Firstly, you should saute some mushroom until it have wilted nicely and you can see caramelising happening, you add in your frozen store bought spinach or fresh spinach (which ever that you have lying around the house!) Then, you season it with salt and pepper as well as freshly grated nutmeg and mixed together with a store bought macaroni and cheese. Assemble them together in a casserole dish and grate a little of lemon zest.

Tip number four: Add canned beans

Adding beans to your macaroni and cheese turn your ordinary dish to something filling and hearty

Tip number five: Macaroni and cheese lasagna

You can layer your lasagna with a mild tomatoes sauce. Add a layer of cheddar at every layer and you will have the most scrumptious macaroni and cheese. Kids simply adores this one.

Tip number six: Canned tuna

If you don't have ham in your house or you would prefer to eat something light. Adding tuna is the answer for you to get a much more hearty meal. Just drain the tuna and mixed it in. Add it in a baking dish and sprinkle on top with parmesan cheese. Bake it in an oven just to brown the top layer.

Tip number seven: Spicy Chipotle Peppers

If you like to eat spicy food adding finely diced chipotle peppers, remove the veins and the seed cos that is where the heat lives, in your macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan on top and bake it. Fry a big sausage and make toss a crunchy simple salad along side.

Here is my seven day tip to spice up an ordinary box of macaroni and cheese. Any box of macaroni and cheese can turn into something extraordinary if you put your creativity into it. This seven day tip is good if you have to eat that everyday for a week. Adding other ingredients to the simple dish allows your tastebuds more room to enjoy. If ever in doubt, just add more cheesey goodness to the dish and bake it to crisp up the top part. Give it a try, you won't get sick of macaroni and cheese in a box anytime soon!

Extra tip: Macaroni in a box for a kid's party

1) Add in ham inside the mixture and then put it in little ramekins. (1 ramekin per child)

2) Then you put a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and a mixed of cheddar, gruyere, parmesan. Baked the top part until its brown.

3) Baked some baby carrots with a squeeze of honey in the oven.

You serve the carrots along side with the baked macaroni and cheese. This would be a hit with the little ones. And you will feel good about it too as you serve the kids, a dish with vegetables that they will actually eat and thats not all, meat given them a source of protein and carbohydrate from the macaroni.

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