Ok, so this is really a 15 minute meal, but it is five minutes of work and ten minutes of waiting for pasta to cook.
Ingredients:
- Your favorite box o' mac and cheese (I like Amy's organic)
- Your favorite frozen meat or meat-like product, preferably in nugget form (I like Morningstar Farms "Chicken" Nuggets)
- Your favorite frozen vegetable (I like peas, but corn, zucchini, carrots and broccoli would also work)
Very Complicated Instructions:
- Cook up the mac according to the instructions on the box. Mix up the cheez sauce (this is an excellent job for a three year old).
- Nuke the veggies. You know, until they aren't frozen anymore.
- Nuke the meat or meat-like nugget product. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Throw it all together and slop into bowls.
The beauty of this meal is that everyone can choose what they like. So Mia has just mac and cheese, Owen and I have everything, and Chris orders a pizza. Serve with apple slices left over from lunch.
Comments (13)
You know what else is good to do with the blue box of mac & cheese? Make the mac & cheese as directed. Heat up a can of tomato soup. Mix the two together. Serve with salad or veggie.
Simple, yet delicious.
Posted by margo | April 21, 2009 2:34 PM
This is a variation on what was a staple in my house growing up - especially on Fridays in Lent (we were Catholics). Our version always included canned tuna and peas added to the mac and cheese. To this day I still think it is delicious, and occasionally make it when I need a fast dinner. One time, in a moment of inspiration, I added a a generous sprinkling of dill, and now I always add dill because that made it even MORE delicious!
Posted by Amy | April 21, 2009 2:59 PM
So easy! I like to add tuna to my mac & cheese.
Posted by aimee | April 21, 2009 3:00 PM
We have your first edition of five minute meal in our rotation and it's one of my favorites simple and yummy! I have a child who refuses to eat anything with cheese on it except for pizza...Go Figure! But I might have to give this one a try anyway. ;)
Posted by Michelle | April 21, 2009 3:36 PM
i bet you could throw it in a casserole dish and bake it as well so the cheese gets a little crust. that sound uber fancy. ;)
Posted by kat | April 21, 2009 4:46 PM
I'm impressed that you cook the veggies. I usually throw them in frozen or just hand the bag to the kids straight from the freezer.
Posted by Kelly | April 21, 2009 5:58 PM
This is so funny on a number of levels... the first one being that it was my dinner on Sunday night! haha.
Except I used Kraft Mac and Cheese (whole wheat), added leftover keilbasa, and had a mixture of corn and green beans. It was mighty tasty! AND there was very little cleanup. The best thing about a meal! ;)
Posted by Laura | April 21, 2009 7:52 PM
This is one of my favorites for an "easy night". I usually use tuna as the meat and I have found that throwing the frozen veggies in just a couple of minutes before the pasta is done cooks them right up.
I never thought about nuking them seperately and then letting the family kind of "Make their own mix"...that's a fantastic idea.
Posted by Holly Reynolds | April 22, 2009 1:34 AM
My girls love it when I throw cut-up hot dogs in the mac-and-cheese. I make something else for myself those nights.
Posted by Drama Queen Jenner | April 22, 2009 1:44 AM
Sorry Beth, but I'm with Chris on this one. Going for the pizza instead. After eating boxed junk all through college I refuse to eat anything from a box or freezer, all fresh for me. Five minute meals in my house consists of salads, which we eat at least three nights a week.
Posted by Tai | April 22, 2009 7:31 AM
And Chris orders pizza. I love it. Here's my favorite. Make ramen noodles like noodles and not like soup. Throw in some cheese and frozen peas. Heaven.
Posted by k8 | April 22, 2009 9:37 AM
Hey, excellent recipe. more of these please, maybe a weekly, ok monthly thing? please please pretty please?
Posted by NM | April 22, 2009 11:04 AM
I just made this with two cans of tuna and frozen peas (I don't even bother with the microwave. The water is boiling! Sweet!) and my kids fully rejected it. And me. It hurt.
Posted by Sabrina | April 23, 2009 9:14 AM