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Mac Attack! Kraft-Style Stove-Top Mac and Cheese

partysugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:00:21 -0700

When I was little my favorite meal was Kraft macaroni and cheese with slices of Ballpark hot dogs stirred in. Although I haven't had this dinner in years, I remember it fondly and sometimes crave an intensely creamy stove-top mac and cheese. I considered giving the old package a try, but the thought of powdered cheese made me cringe. That's why I decided to make my own version of Kraft's classic mac. Surprisingly, it's very quick and easy to put together and the resulting dish is comforting and nostalgic, yet a little more gourmet. To ensure a smooth rich texture, I combined Velveeta - what can I say, it's a guilty pleasure! - with a good-quality, extra-sharp cheddar. The mixture works wonderfully and from now on instead of reaching for a box, I'll reach for this recipe! To do the same, get it now and read more.

Kraft-Style Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Original Recipe

Although I used whole milk, you could probably substitute 1 or 2 percent and still have a thick orange sauce.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups small pasta shells
1 1/2 cups large pasta shells
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 3/4 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces velveeta, diced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon of hot sauce
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large saucepan of boiled water, cook the pasta shells until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly for 2 minutes.
Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking until the mixture thickens, about 4-5 minutes.
Turn the heat to low and add the cheddar and velveeta in handfuls, whisking to melt. Stir until all the cheese is combined and
Season with the mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
Fold in the cooked pasta and stir well to coat all of the pasta with the sauce. Enjoy immediately.

Serves 4.

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Say Cheese! Nacho Cheese Dip

partysugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:15:39 -0700

If someone were to ask me, "what is your guilty pleasure food?" there is only one thing I can honestly answer. Velveeta. It's so bad, but it's so good! Technically Velveeta isn't a cheese, but a "processed pasteurized cheese product" that has a creamy texture, mild cheddarish flavor, and characteristic artificial-orange color. Velveeta's most endearing quality, however, is its wonderful ability to melt - it becomes as smooth as velvet. Since 1928, when Kraft first introduced it to America kitchens, Velveeta has been used to make macaroni and cheese and my personal favorite, nacho cheese dip. To see how I make this gooey, insanely delicious dip, read more.

While I enjoy the traditional queso dip (a mixture of Velveeta and Ro-tel, a line of canned tomatoes and green chiles popular in Texas), I prefer this jazzed-up rendition. The refried beans provide a nice meatiness and the cumin gives it an element of smoke.

Nacho Cheese Dip
Modified form Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1/2 cup beer
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
1 16-ounce can refried beans
1 10-ounce can Ro-tel
1 16-ounce package Velveeta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Tortilla chips

Directions

Combine beer, cumin, dried oregano, garlic, and jalapeño in heavy medium sauce-pan. Bring to simmer.
Add beans and Ro-tel; stir until heated through.
Add Velveeta cheese; stir until cheese melts and liquifies, about 5-8 minutes. If the dip is too thick, thin with a little beer.
Stir in cilantro. Transfer to bowl. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Makes about 3 cups.

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Not Your Regular Nachos: Chili Con Queso Nachos

partysugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:15:48 -0700

A couple of weeks ago, I featured audreystar's recipe for chili con queso. While she served her variation as a warm dip, I decided to experiment with the cheese as a nachos appetizer. I substituted chicken habanero sausages for the Jimmy Dean and used a combination of Velveeta and sharp cheddar cheeses.

The nachos were decadent and spicy. They reminded me of a gourmet version of classic ballpark nachos. Perfect for watching a game, these nachos are crowd pleasing and delicious. While they aren't FitSugar friendly, they are exactly what nachos should be: crunchy, melty, pure scrumptiousness. To learn how I made them, read more.

Chili con Queso Nachos
Modified from audreystar's chili con queso

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large spicy habanero chicken sausages
2 cups diced velveeta cheese
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
half of a small can of diced green chilies
1 small jalapeño, minced
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 bag of tortilla chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, 5-7 minutes.
Add the sausage meat and break up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.

Cook until sausage is brown and onion is wilted, 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile melt the Velveeta and cheddar cheese in a large pot, stirring to ensure that the bottom does not burn and no skin forms on the top.

Once the cheese has melted, stir in the chilies, jalapeño, and taco seasoning.

Add the cooked sausage onion mixture to the melted cheese mixture.
Spread a layer of tortilla chips on a large baking sheet.
Pour the cheese mixture over the top.
Bake in the oven until chips are crisp and cheese is bubbling, 10-12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and enjoy immediately with more chips and salsa on the side.

Serves 8-10 (as an appetizer).

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What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:30:19 -0700

I'll never forget the authentic campfire flavor of these homemade s'mores popsicles.
Ring in the return of Gossip Girl with an informal premiere party.
Learn how I prepared for my road trip to the massive Nugget Rib Cook-Off in Sparks, NV.
Velveeta might be lowbrow - but it's also delicious in a nacho cheese dip.
Can you tell the Mario Batali fun facts from the fiction?
What do you recall about this week's French-themed Top Chef?
Don't forget to play Who's the Better Chef? for a chance to win $1,000!

Kraft's Orange Slices Get Singled Out

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 05:50:40 -0700

You may be impossibly in love with ricotta, feta, and manchego, but Kraft Foods is hoping you'll give its signature orange slices another chance. According to Advertising Age, the food company has begun a major push for Kraft Singles, its synthetic-cheese line of American, Swiss, and Cheddar cheese slices. Although the brand's natural cheese sales have declined amid the recession, processed cheeses such as Velveeta and Kraft Singles have helped to lift the segment's sluggish sales numbers. As a result, Kraft will continue to focus on marketing its Singles products with a grassroots promotion.

For its National Grilled Cheese Month Sweepstakes, Kraft has launched an ad hoc website that encourages consumers to write short essays about why they love Kraft Singles, so they can be entered into a weekly drawing for free packages of Kraft Singles.

Kraft is also backing the Seventh Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational. Organizers of the world's largest grilled cheese competition, which takes place in Los Angeles later this month, expect to turn out 5,000 grilled cheese sandwiches.

I don't know about you, but I've always felt that tough times foster cravings for less than wholesome yet insanely delicious childhood favorites. Kraft Singles have a particularly special place in my heart, so there's no doubt that within the next thirty seconds I will be professing my love for them on IHeartGrilledCheese.com. How do you feel about Kraft Singles? Do you think this promotion will catch on?

Source

Taste Test: Pizza Hut's Tuscani Pastas

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:15:08 -0800

Earlier this year, Pizza Hut played a trick on the country by claiming it had changed its name to Pasta Hut. Although the name change turned out to be an advertising prank, the pizza delivery chain did roll out a new line of Tuscani Pastas ($12.99). After trying out Domino's new line of subs, I decided that to be fair, I'd give Pizza Hut's pastas a try, too. To find out how the chain's new offerings tasted, read more.

Much like we felt Domino's subs tasted like pizza, PartySugar and I thought Pizza Hut's pastas actually looked like pizza. I did a double take on the Meaty Marinara, as it looked like a standard cheese pizza!

Meaty Marinara: This pasta arrived with slightly burnt edges, and was the least appetizing to look at. Thank goodness its name includes the word "meat," since the dish actually looks like it's vegetarian: The pasta, marinara, and meat are on underneath a thick layer of melted mozzarella. The sauce tasted more like pizza sauce than pasta sauce, but this option, with its tomato base, seemed the healthiest of the three.

Creamy Chicken Alfredo: Although the chicken strips were tender and meaty, this was my least favorite of the pastas. The congealed Alfredo sauce was representative of why I usually hesitate to order Alfredo.

Premium Bacon Mac 'N Cheese: This was the best of the pastas, with its smooth, creamy Velveeta-like texture and crisp and meaty bits of smoky bacon.

Beware that these pastas are certainly not light. After tasting a sample of each, I felt satisfied for hours. Later, I had a few more bites of each, and I felt thirsty, bloated, and a little sick. However, if you're already inclined to order delivery from Pizza Hut, there's no harm in ordering a pasta instead - my vote goes to the Premium Bacon Mac 'N Cheese (2 a.m. after a night on the town, anyone?). Have you been tried out Pizza Hut's pastas? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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Trend Alert: The Casserole's Back

YumSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:00:55 -0800

Casserole has long had a bad rap, but after many years, it appears to be shedding its negative image and staging a comeback.

These hot entrées hit their pinnacle of popularity in the 1960s, when housewives relied on the easy formula to put dinner on the table. Over the years, however, people grew to associate the word casserole with unappetizing mixtures of mystery meats and canned soups, and casseroles went the way of the tape player. Enter the current economic crisis, and casserole dishes have been reappearing everywhere. To see why, read more.

On Nov. 10, one passionate casserole chef, Emily Farris, will organize her fourth annual casserole party, a showdown between the best casserole dishes. She's also just released a much-discussed cookbook, Casserole Crazy, with non-traditional recipes from star chefs like Paula Deen and Donatella Arpaia.

Today Kraft Foods announced a casserole competition, challenging five bloggers to create an original casserole recipe using its Velveeta cheese product that costs under $10 and feeds a family of four for two meals. And Campbell's even has an entire site dedicated to the creation of casseroles.

One thing's for sure: Casserole's not going away anytime soon, regardless of your feelings for it. Are you excited to see more of it?

Source

Would You Eat This Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread?

partysugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:30:57 -0700

Recently I found something shocking in my parents' refrigerator: It was a small box labeled pasteurized process cheese spread, in a spinach and artichoke flavor. I thought the box was a joke, but was disturbed to learn my dad wanted to try it. Although I love Velveeta and occasionally enjoy a slice of Kraft American cheese, I was a little nervous by the blatant "pasteurized process" label. I didn't end up tasting it, would you?

Yummy Links: From Shrimp Roll Pizza to Pie Pans

YumSugar — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 07:59:31 -0700

As if that crazy Japanese Double Roll pizza wasn't enough, now Korea has its own Double Roll and it includes shrimp! - Serious Eats
The five cookie finalists in the Mrs. Fields Search for the 30th Anniversary Cookie Contest have been announced. - iVillage
Learn more about fair trade, including 12 ways to shop fair trade. - TeamSugar
Moving to college? Check out these desperate dorm-room tricks and microwave hi-jinxs. - Chow
Summer is full of great produce, and here are five ways to eat more of it. - Apartment Therapy: The Kitchen
Take some time to learn the science behind the restaurant menu. - Will Work For Food
Here's another fascinating vintage recipe. This time it's for Velveeta Nutburgers. - Slashfood
Don't miss this list of eight foods men (and probably women) should eat everyday. - FitSugar
Ever wish you could make just a slice of pie? Well the individual pie slice pan takes you one step closer to that goal. - Baking Bites