2008 Woodie Awards
Cooking With Lauren!
Lauren Kerensky
Issue date: 10/14/05 Section: Arts & Features
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I am convinced that macaroni and cheese is a staple of our diet that we will never, ever outgrow. Whether you prefer the powdered version, are a fan of Velveeta or even if you prefer a microwaved version, it is one of those simple pleasures that is just so inexplicably good. Prior to these 20th-century conveniences, mac and cheese was a more complex meal, typically resembling a casserole or pasta with a white sauce similar to an alfredo.
In 1937, Kraft introduced their famous blue-boxed version, and I'm sure very few people have ever looked back. The original was a marvel in modern convenience, and a stroll down the grocery store aisle displays a dizzying array of modern approaches to macaroni and cheese. You've got your original flavor, but there are also a variety of shapes and cheese blends, not to mention different takes on Easy Mac to further cater to our busy lives (or utter laziness, depending on how you look at it). There are powders, sauces and frozen prepared dishes. Four cheese, Light Deluxe and Premium White, among others, round out the options. Macaroni and cheese has certainly emerged as a food genre of its own.
Because of its unceasing popularity and irrefutable goodness, the dish can easily be updated without a lot of hassle. You will feel more like a true cook rather than just someone capable of adding milk and butter to orange powder. If you are a purist, but would not mind a little extra flavor in your mac and cheese, adding some cayenne or chipotle pepper contributes a spicy kick. Even some black pepper or garlic will help it out a little.
If you don't mind tainting the homogeny of orange, there are tons of possibilities. Throwing in some broccoli florets is a simple and classic choice. Chives or mushrooms are other interesting alternatives, as are chopped tomatoes, either fresh or sundried. If you have ever had pasta with a creamy sauce, any of its ingredients can be integrated with your Kraft version. You can never go wrong with chicken or bacon, and, if you are ambitious, why not add asparagus, leeks or scallions? You can combine some of these options or use them independently, but any additional ingredient that provides color contrast somehow works wonders.
In 1937, Kraft introduced their famous blue-boxed version, and I'm sure very few people have ever looked back. The original was a marvel in modern convenience, and a stroll down the grocery store aisle displays a dizzying array of modern approaches to macaroni and cheese. You've got your original flavor, but there are also a variety of shapes and cheese blends, not to mention different takes on Easy Mac to further cater to our busy lives (or utter laziness, depending on how you look at it). There are powders, sauces and frozen prepared dishes. Four cheese, Light Deluxe and Premium White, among others, round out the options. Macaroni and cheese has certainly emerged as a food genre of its own.
Because of its unceasing popularity and irrefutable goodness, the dish can easily be updated without a lot of hassle. You will feel more like a true cook rather than just someone capable of adding milk and butter to orange powder. If you are a purist, but would not mind a little extra flavor in your mac and cheese, adding some cayenne or chipotle pepper contributes a spicy kick. Even some black pepper or garlic will help it out a little.
If you don't mind tainting the homogeny of orange, there are tons of possibilities. Throwing in some broccoli florets is a simple and classic choice. Chives or mushrooms are other interesting alternatives, as are chopped tomatoes, either fresh or sundried. If you have ever had pasta with a creamy sauce, any of its ingredients can be integrated with your Kraft version. You can never go wrong with chicken or bacon, and, if you are ambitious, why not add asparagus, leeks or scallions? You can combine some of these options or use them independently, but any additional ingredient that provides color contrast somehow works wonders.