How to Elevate KD Mac N Cheese in 10 vs 30 Minutes

Hello, welcome back to another food post! We have four different kinds of mac and cheese recipes for you today. The first two recipes can be done within a minimum of ten minutes and you will have fancier mac and cheese meals in no time. The other two recipes are still very easy but will take you about half an hour which isn't that bad either for a delicious and stimulating dinner. Read on to discover why the last two dishes will leave you breathless. We hope you enjoy!

Margherita Style Mac and Cheese

Think of a Margherita pizza but on a mac and cheese. It is very easy to whip up with ingredients you might already have in your fridge and pantry (we even used fresh ingredients from our garden). This recipe can be a go-to if you're wanting to add a little twist to what once was just an ordinary boxed mac and cheese.

Ingredients:

Kraft dinner mac and cheese

3 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. cream

1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup fresh mozzarella cut into chunks

4-5 basil leaves cut into thin strips (leave some for garnish)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the Mac and cheese as per box instructions with cream, and butter (the box will ask for milk and you can still use milk but we prefer the creaminess that the cream gives this pasta)

2. Stir in the packaged powdered cheese with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil

3. Add salt and pepper to taste

4. Serve the mac and cheese with some basil to garnish

5. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Style Mac and Cheese

This is another very easy way to change up your mac and cheese game. The unique combinations of the flavours in this dish is what makes this recipe stand out. It does require a few more ingredients than our previous mac and cheese but they are still very budget friendly and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

Kraft dinner mac and cheese

3 tbsp. of Olive Oil (in place of butter and milk)

1 1/2 tsp. of garlic

1/2 tsp. of garlic powder

1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese

4 tbsp. of chopped sun dried tomatoes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook the pasta following the box instructions. Drain and set aside.

2. Combine olive oil, garlic, garlic powder, and cheese packet to make the sauce.

3. Toss the pasta in to the sauce and mix in the crumbled feta cheese and chopped sun dried tomatoes.

4. Transfer to an oven proof casserole dish and cover with an aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown.

5. Plate and Enjoy!

Southern 4-Cheese Mac

Now, we move on to our super extra KD mac-n-cheese recipes. This mac-n-cheese recipe is not just any momma’s recipe, but it’s your momma’s recipe taken to a whole different level! With 4 different boujee cheeses (yes, we’re going all out on the cheese) and some pancetta. You’ll be sure to impress your guests with a taste of home and your new-found knowledge on cheese names. WARNING: NOT FOR THOSE WHO ARE LACTOSE-INTOLERANT, sorry :(.

Ingredients:

Kraft Dinner mac and cheese

6 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 whole onion (minced)

150 g pancetta

200 g cremini mushrooms

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup butter

1-2 cups heavy cream (depends on how creamy you want it)

3-4 tbsp. sour cream

1 large egg

pinch of salt

1/2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

3 tsp. onion powder

3 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp, rosemary

1/4 cup Pecorino-Romano

1/4 cup Gruyere

1/4 cup smoked and spicy Monterey Jack

1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

Parsley

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375° F.

2. Cook mac and cheese according to box instructions.

3. Sauté garlic and onions in a pan until soft and fragrant.

4. Next, sauté pancetta and mushrooms until brown and cooked through. Set aside.

5. In a saucepan, make roux with equal parts flour and butter. Slowly stir together until combined and mixture has thickened. TIP: Lower heat at this point to avoid mixture from breaking.

6. Slowly pour in your heavy cream and mix.

7. Slowly add in sour cream and one whole egg. Mix.

8. Add salt, Cajun seasoning, onion & garlic powder, paprika, and ground rosemary.

9. Add in grated cheeses.

10. Take off heat and mix in the pasta and the sautéed aromatics, pancetta, and mushrooms.

11. Transfer mac n cheese to an oven-safe dish.

12. Grate cheese on top and broil in the oven for 10-15 minutes (or until top is brown and bubbly).

13. Add parsley on top for garnish. (If you want to be a tad bit extra, sprinkle some cooked ground beef on top)

Death By Mac-n-Cheese Burger

Call an ambulance! This smashing mac-n-cheese burger will leave you short of breath and looking for a salad after a few bites, but damn, it’s so good that it's bad. This burger will leave you thinking about it more than your ex. In this burger recipe, we will use the Southern 4-Cheese Mac, and it can make approximately 3-4 burgers. WARNING: DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.

Ingredients:

Southern 4-Cheese Mac

1/2 kg lean ground beef

1/2 tbsp. garlic powder

1/2 tbsp. onion powder

3 tsp. rosemary

3 tsp. paprika

Pepper & salt

1-2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

Juice of half a lemon

6 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

2 slices bacon (each burger)

1 whole large onion (sliced into rounds or julienned, caramelized)

Mozzarella cheese

Burger buns

Tomatoes (sliced into rounds)

Lettuce

2 American cheese slices (each burger)

Ketchup & mayonnaise, mustard

Directions:

1. Season ground beef with salt & pepper, garlic & onion powder, rosemary, paprika, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice and garlic.

2. Form patties into balls and flatten.

3. Add chunks of mozzarella cheese in the middle and form the meat back into a ball, making sure the cheese stays inside.

4. Flatten meat back into a patty and set aside.

5. While patties are marinating, grill bacon and onions. (Use a cast iron pan if you don’t have a grill)

6. When bacon is brown and crispy, and onions are soft and caramelized, grill your patties.

7. At this point you can choose to season your mayo if you wish (i.e. Add some paprika and cayenne pepper to mayo)

8. Toast buns and begin assembling burger. (Little secret: we made the buns ourselves and accidentally burnt the top, so we skipped toasting the buns lol)

9. To assemble burger:

   • Spread mayo on buns

   • Add lettuce, burger patty, tomato, bacon, Southern 4 cheese mac, and American cheese. Feel free to add in any condiments/vegetables (or even ground beef -yes, this is a heart attack burger) you may like.

We hope you try these meals and let us know which one you prefer (you might need to bust your heartburn pills out). Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think.

We'll see you for Friday's post, enjoy!