Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

A comfort food no matter what time of the year.

2-pound box of elbow macaroni shells (or other pasta, depending on your taste)
1-pound box of Velveeta cheese
Bacon bits
Red pepper Flakes
1/2 cup milk
Salt, pepper to taste
Shredded cheese (your choice of flavor) I like sharp cheddar.
deep pot for cooking
Baking dish


Cook pasta until desired tenderness. Put pasta in strainer and drain.

Pour milk into pot and then cube up Velveeta into small chunks.

Simmer slowly until chunks melt. Stirring to keep from sticking.

Add cheese sauce to pasta. Stir until incorporated.

Add salt/pepper and Red pepper flakes to taste. Add bacon bits as desired. Add broccoli or other veggies if desired.

Pour mixture into baking dish sprayed with Pam baking spray (or equivalent).

Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of the mixture.

Bake in 350* oven until cheese is melted/bubbly.

This wouldn't last very long at my house...Everybody here (4 people) love pasta/cheese.

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com·fort food
/ˈkəmfərt fo͞od/
noun
food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking.

*taken from https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=definition+of+comfort+food&sourceid...

Macaroni and cheese is a comfort food from when I was a kid. I grew up on Kraft Mac and Cheese with either tuna or hotdogs added to it. Ketchup - always topping my serving. As my sisters and I got older, we "graduated" to Hamburger Helper using tuna, chicken or hamburger, depending on what was handy at home. We also used veggies to round out the casseroles, such as sweet peas along with the tuna.

As I grew up and had my own children, macaroni and cheese continued to be a staple at my house. I learned how to make cheese sauce using Velveeta and milk, and found it to be creamier than the powdered mixes that used milk and butter.

This is an easy meal to prepare, and doesn't take a lot of time or effort. The kids always liked it, and I continue to enjoy it.

Over time, I've experimented with different cheeses and sauces. I've also tried different veggies such as broccoli, peas/carrots and cauliflower. I also have tried different pasta shapes/sizes to mix things up a bit.

This is my favorite comfort food, and has stood the test of time (40+ years). If one isn't opposed to pasta, I would recommend trying different kinds of pastas and cheeses with different seasonings and veggies. You really cannot mess this dish up.










Prompt ▼

Written for: "Sharmelle's Recipe Kitchen Contest" May 2025 Edition.S

Word Count: 418