I must be on a microwave food kick, (finals much?) I finished my lectures for the semester and now all that is left are the actual finals! So send all your good mojo and happy positive thoughts my way please!
So we read about microwave popcorn fails here on Wednesday, and today you get to read about my all time favorite food EVER.
Macaroni and Cheese!
I love Mac and Cheese so much my husband incorporated it with his proposal but that is a story for another time ;)
So without further ado, here is Kim's story!
The Original
Doesn't this look delish! If I only had milk on hand this would be going on in my belly RIGHT NOW!
This recipe is a easy homemade mac and cheese in a mug...microwaved! Say what?!
For those times when your little one (or you for that matter) HAS to have mac and you just don't have that heavenly blue box on hand.
Here is how Kim's turned out:
The Pinstrosity
No bueno.
So what happened? Here is what Kim had to say about it:
"We all know that neon orange cheese is less than healthy, and filled with processed junk, which makes this pin so appealing. My 3 year old eats mac and cheese ALL the time, and finding myself out of blue boxes, I turned to Pinterest! I pinned this a while ago, and finally got around to trying it with less than desirable results. I should have stopped myself when I realized the website it came from no longer exists, but how hard can microwave mac and cheese be? I threw everything into a mug, and guesstimated at 5 minutes since the pin didn't include a time. When the microwave beeped, this is what I came back to...
Giant mess and completely inedible macaroni. Every last bit of the cheese was either stuck to the mug or in the microwave. (Well at least this made me realize how nasty my microwave was...and now I have to clean it anyway!!)
Since it was the cheese that was bubbled over, I tried it a second time without the cheese, figuring I would add it after it nuked. I just put the water and a dab of olive oil to keep it from bubbling over. After 7 minutes, all the water had evaporated, but the pasta was still slightly undercooked, so I added the milk and 2 more minutes to the timer. Came back, and it looked just like my bubbled over cheese mess, but milk instead of cheese! I added the cheese anyway, and it was pretty good, looked remotely like the picture, but I still wasn't satisfied! If it could work like this in the microwave, why can't I just use the same ingredients on the stovetop with much less to clean afterwards?
So, I boiled the pasta (used more water), drained it al dente, added the milk and brought it back to a boil. Then I turned off the heat, let it cool for a minute (as to not get grainy cheese), then the cheese. It was reaalllllyy soupy. As it cooled it thickened up, but wasn't cohesive. I added some American cheese to creamify it, and that made it edible. But, for all that work, I should have just made a small bechamel and made it the real way..."
So there you have it. This is why it is SO important to use directions!
Kim emailed us later and added that she eventually found the recipe she was looking for (the original) and was now out of milk to give a test run. Isn't that just how life goes?! haha!
Anyone have any awesome Microwave instant Mac and Cheese recipes to share?!
I LOVE me some mac :)
Happy Friday Pinstrosipeeps!!
I had tried this out back when I first found the pin and didn't have any problems per say. I made it as a "quick" snack once I came home from work but by the time the pasta was cooked and the sauce set my husband had arrived home. He made fun of the sad mugful of macabomination that was in my hands and proceeded to request that I make him some.
ReplyDeletetl;dr
For the time it took to make the mugful I will make a potful and leave the delicious creamy leftovers for the return of my hungry beast-man.
I microwave my noodles all the time. You have to use a BIG bowl and make sure there is plenty of water. Then add your cheese stuffs after you drain the water. Martha Stewart actually has a whole section on Mac n cheese and the few I've tried we're yummy!
ReplyDeleteI have tried this recipe and it worked out very well, but...I did not use a mug to cook it in. With my microwave, I found that I needed a fairly deep bowl with sloped sides (not straight ones)to cook anything like this. I've tried instant oatmeal, the mac and cheese and several others and as long as the bowl is a good size and sloped, there is room for the liquid to bubble up and not over. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteHmm, judging by here: http://www.thekitchn.com/dinner-quick-onebowl-microwave-94006 & here: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/02/25/172505187/the-microwave-miracle-of-cooking-in-mugs
ReplyDeletelooks like you cook the noodles in water, adding more water if not done. Then add the cheese & milk and cook in tiny increments till done. I will have to try it!
BTW, I think I found the original post for that pinned picture: http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/instant-mug-o-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/ Same instructions, cook in water, then add milk/cheese.
It isn't microwave, but I promise this is the easiest/best Mac and cheese ever.http://cookingmadly.com/2012/11/21/creamiest-mac-and-cheese-ever/
ReplyDeleteSEVEN minutes? Wow. Try 30 seconds to 2 min intervals, checking between and stirring. =/ Nothing should ever be in the microwave a whole seven minutes in an uniterrupted stretch.
ReplyDeleteI would try a cup full of water with half a cup of noodles, let it cook for maybe one or two minutes, and check to see how it's coming. Repeat and add water as necessary, until the noodles are soft. Drain the excess water. Then add your milk and cheese and microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the cheese is melted. (It will probably only take 30 sec - 1 min for this step.)