Homemade Mac ‘N’ Cheese Versus the Boxed Stuff

My mother and I have a running joke/argument regarding macaroni and cheese.

She loves Kraft mac & cheese; she admits that her love for it goes back to her childhood. I should add that she was born in the 1930s. Kraft mac & cheese came out in 1937. At 19 cents a box, it was a great success. Between the depression and WW II food rationing, Americans were looking for cheap ways to feed their families.

I prefer homemade macaroni and cheese. Over the years, I have perfected my recipe. My key tip is to undercook the macaroni. Otherwise, after you combine the cooked macaroni with all the other ingredients and bake the dish – you can end up with overcooked mush. Also, I like to use a good quality macaroni. For my latest effort, I paid an extra dollar for Italian macaroni. The result was a delicious dish with great texture.

As far as the cheese mixture, I normally use a combination of a really sharp cheddar, parmesan and either smoked Gouda or smoked mozzarella. Other key ingredients include: Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, sweet hot mustard, nutmeg, dry Sherry, butter, heavy cream and milk.

When I make the roux, I immediately add the Dijon mustard to the butter and flour – before I add the milk and cream. I then add in the cheese, spices and so on. I like texture in my macaroni and cheese. After combining the macaroni and cheese sauce, I fold in additional grated cheddar and cover the top with extra grated parmesan.

My mother considers herself a Kraft purist; she likes her Mac ‘n’ cheese exactly as the box directions state. My husband and I just seem incapable of following the directions. We usually add additional cheese and replace the milk with either cream or half & half. My mother will protest if we make too many additions.

I did notice that the other night, Mom ate her entire serving of my homemade macaroni and cheese. She grudgingly even admitted that the pasta texture was perfect. My husband and I just laughed as soon as she left the table.