Kick the Neon Cheese Habit for REAL Food at $0.90 a Serving

There is nothing in this world more comforting than a big bowl of homemade macaroni and cheese. Kittens, Eskimo kisses, and fluffy towels straight from the dryer have long struggled in vain to dethrone the mighty mac from its position of prominence.

I remember the macaroni and cheese my mom made for us when I was a kid. Huge shells exploding with molten cheese were a big hit in our household, and leftovers wouldn't last more than two days (tops). I'm afraid that this recipe, or any other for that matter, doesn't even come close to replicating the perfection that my mom routinely achieved in her suburban kitchen circa 1997. It is, however, a dish that can be made on the cheap and easily altered to suite differing and developing palates.

For this recipe, I used 1% milk and 2% sharp cheddar cheese. The broccoli florets were on sale, hence the use of frozen versus fresh. If you'd like to use fresh- go for one large crown. The type of cheese, milk, and quantity of vegetables can be changed to your preference or whatever you have on hand. Have fun with the types of vegetables you use and feel free to sneak in as much as you can possibly get away with in your household.

 

If I may...a word about cheese: grocery stores across the country are now routinely built with gourmet cheese counters. An amazing assortment of cheeses from around the world is now only steps away from the cooler stocked with GoGurt (if you know what GoGurt is, you have lost 3 points and I now think less of you). Whether you're a sucker for a rich Camembert, a smoky Gouda, or a tangy Bleu, you're sure to have options. These cheeses are wonderful to savor on their own, or in recipes that do justice to the cheese and appropriately feature it. Macaroni and cheese is not one of those recipes. Get the cheapest cheese you can find. On sale, generic, it doesn't matter. "But I only buy brand name Crapft cheese-flavored-food-products!" To this I say: Settle down, friend. Save the money.

Now, on to the recipe!

Total Recipe Cost: $5.42
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost Per Serving: $0.90
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 25 min.

Ingredients		Cost
8 oz.	pasta	$0.65
2 cups	vegetables	$1.15
1 med	onion	$0.35
3 Tbsp	butter	$0.30
3 Tbsp	all-purpouse flour	$0.03
2.5 cups	milk (any type)	$0.70
8 oz. (2 cups)	sharp cheddar, shredded	$1.83
1/4 cup	grated parmesan	$0.35
1 tsp	hot sauce (optional)	$0.03
to taste	salt and peper	$0.03
TOTAL		$5.42

STEP 1: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the dry pasta and cook for 8 minutes. Once the 8 minutes is up, add the broccoli (frozen or fresh) to the same pot as the pasta and cook for another 2 minutes. Once done, drain everything in a colander and cover with a towel to keep warm.

STEP 2: While the pasta and the broccoli is doing it's thing, make the cheese sauce. You'll start by creating a roux. A roux is a fancy French term which, when used, will make you sound far more cultured than you actually are. The roux acts as a thickening agent for the sauce, and if you cook regularly, you'll run into it again and again.

Begin the roux by sauteing the finely diced onions in the butter over medium heat. Once softened and slightly translucent (about 3-4 minutes), whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk the onion, butter, and flour mixture for 2-3 minutes, taking care not to let it burn or scorch.

 

STEP 3: Add the milk to the roux, thoroughly stirring with a whisk to eliminate any lumps. Increase the heat ever so slightly and bring to a gentle simmer. Add cracked pepper, and continue to simmer until the roux has thickened and lightly coats the back of a spoon.

STEP 4: Remove the pan from the burner, and stir in the cheeses. Seriously, though...remove the pan from the burner. The mixture will have more than enough heat to melt the cheese, and cooking cheese sauce at high temperatures can easily lead to a grainy, curdled texture.

STEP 5: Season the sauce (if needed) with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. The hot sauce gives it just a slight tang that is really quite delightful. If hot sauce isn't your bag, you can use yellow or Dijon mustard, or skip this additive all together.

STEP 6: Pour the cheesy nectar over the cooked pasta and veggies, stir, and dive in.

Store any left overs in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Alternatively- freeze individual portions in regular sandwich baggies. They keep spectacularly, and they're a great heat-and-eat meal for lunches.