Mac ‘n Cheese
The pasta was from Italy, but Mac ‘n Cheese originated in medieval England; and nothing could be more American.
Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing Macaroni and Cheese to the US after encountering it while in Paris, which I find strange since British colonists would have surely known about the dish that had been around since medieval England. It was first published as a recipe in 1769. Jefferson served the dish at a White House state dinner in 1802, and in 1824, the recipe was first published in the US by Mary Randolph in her cookbook, The Virginia House-wife.
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
Fast forward a hundred years or so when in 1937, Kraft came out with the Kraft Dinner, as it was originally called, which was one of our first “convenience foods.” When it debuted in the height of the Great Depression, it advertised itself as being able to feed a family of four for only 19-cents. The “blue box” as it ultimately became known, has since become a pantry staple and nary a college student wouldn’t have had it in their weekly menu rotation before Nissin Cup Noodles became popular in the 1970s.
Kraft, or more specifically, James L. Kraft, was a Canadian immigrant to the US who created the world’s first shelf-stable processed cheese in 1916 and in fact, first boxes of Kraft Dinners were sold with a package of grated, processed cheese and were self-contained, requiring no further additives. But in 1954, Kraft capitalized on a process called, “spray drying.” In spray drying, the liquid cheese is first emulsified and then sprayed into a hot air chamber where the moisture quickly evaporates, leaving behind a fine powder. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner became more affordable and had a longer shelf-life, and consumers were happy to add back the removed moisture and fat in the form of milk and butter to make the dish.
This recipe recreates the old flavor of Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese as I remember it as a kid (or perhaps even as a college student). In trying a blue box of the Kraft product not very long ago, I was taken aback at how sweet is was, and wanted something akin to the original flavor, so after some research, I concocted this recipe. Kraft is still getting its revenue from me, because the key ingredient in my recipe is Velveeta, which is closest to Kraft’s original shelf-stable processed cheese product. Say what you will about Velveeta, I think it makes the quintessential Mac n Cheese, with a rich, creamy texture you cannot get with any other cheese. That said, however, I add a smidgen of sharp cheddar to the recipe for flavor.
Mac 'n Cheese
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb elbow macaroni, cooked al dente according to package directions
- 1 lb Velveeta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp powdered English mustard (like, Coleman's)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 cup sharp cheddar, grated
- 1 tsp paprika
- non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
- In a sauce pan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and using a whisk mix well until you form a roux.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, until all has been incorporated. Allow the mixture to bubble for a few seconds. You have now made a Bechamel Sauce.
- Cut the brick of Velveeta into 1-2 inch cubes. Add three to four cubes at a time to the Bechamel Sauce stirring constantly and allowing them to melt before adding more cubes. Continue until all Velveeta has been melted into the sauce. Add the powered mustard, black pepper, cayenne pepper and parsley, and then remove from the heat.
- Add the sauce to the macaroni in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Turn the macaroni and cheese out into a baking dish that has been treated with non-cooking spray.
- Level out the top of the casserole, and lay on an even layer of the grated cheddar cheese.
- Sprinkle the paprika and parsley on top of the cheddar and bake for 30-40 minutes. It should be bubbly and slightly browned on top.
Notes
- Note that in high altitudes above 5,000 feet, water boils at a slightly lower temperature and therefore is absorbed by the pasta at a slightly slower pace than at sea level. If above 5,000 feet, add two minutes to the cooking time.
