Blog Assignment #2 - Part 2

We eat macaroni & cheese fairly often so I am quite familiar with making & eating it.  I try to mix up what we serve as side dishes so it doesn't get old.  I actually prefer to buy & prepare the whole grain version but it is so much more expensive.  Ah, well, I started out by choosing to make 3 boxes since in addition to my husband & 2 kids I also have a little girl I babysit eating with us, plus my mom & her mom.  It's always nice to have leftovers for lunches too!

First I got the water on the stove & boiling.

While I waited for that I decided that we would have Low Fat "Big Franks" (vegetarian hot dogs) as our protein side dish.

Once the water was boiling I added the noodles and got those cooking.

While the noodles cooked I tried to do some other things but had to keep going back and stirring so they wouldn't stick--they still stuck to the bottom a little bit.  While they cooked I got our bag of salad out & open and ready to serve.

To be honest, although my kids love Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, I don't really think it's the healthiest product.  I much prefer whole wheat/whole grain breads & pastas and use very little plain white pasta.  I do appreciate that Kraft has put out other options and go that way occasionally.  I figure the noodles do have some nutrition and by adding a dark green leafy salad with shredded carrots on top and lowfat vegetable protein plus fortified 100% fruit juice I am putting together a reasonably healthy meal that my kids will enjoy.  I also make it with olive oil-based margarine & skim milk so it's not high fat.  With the obesity problem in our society, and weight problems in my family, I try very hard to keep meals reasonably "midfat" for the kids.

And let's face it!  I like mac n cheese too!  When I was pregnant with my oldest son (now 6) I craved macaroni & cheese like CRAZY!  I remember going to a nice restaurant at the beach when I was about 4 months pregnant and ordering macaroni & cheese off of the kids menu to eat at our romantic dinner by the fire.  It's no surprise to me that Sammy LOVES mac n cheese!

The kids were thrilled to pieces and all 3 had seconds.  Our little friend Ellie even had thirds!

I don't know what it is about Kraft macaroni & cheese but it is always a hit!  And it can't be any other kind.  Nothing else can be added.  A couple of times my husband grated some Tillamook cheddar cheese into it and my youngest wouldn't even touch it!

Overall macaroni & cheese is a staple in our house.  When it's on a REALLY good sale it is not uncommon for me to buy 20-30 boxes.  When I make it for dinner at home it's a MINIMUM of 2 boxes, often 3.  At the beginning of the school year I think I bought 70-80 boxes.  I'm very glad it's on sale now because I was starting to get low!

Kids enjoy the dinner and I enjoy the easy prep!