Mac and Cheese Fo' Me

Leftovers for lunch!

Last night Ryan had soccer practice and came home famished so I decided to cook up some Annie’s organic white cheddar macaroni and cheese for my super-schweaty fiance.

This pasta delight doubled as my lunch today. Both of us love white cheddar macaroni and cheese, so when I saw this lil’ baby sittin’ pretty in my parents’ pantry the last time I was home, I snagged it! It’s been taunting me ever since we brought it back to Orlando.

I love several things about this boxed pasta:

1. Whole wheat pasta shells!

2. It’s made with real cheddar cheese (listed as the second ingredient)

3. One serving provides a decent amount of protein (9g) and fiber (5g)

Compare the ingredient list of Annie’s mac and cheese with Kraft‘s famous blue box and the “real cheddar cheese” is replaced by “cheese sauce mix” followed by a slew of other ingredients. Yum??

Making the macaroni and cheese was beyond simple… So easy even a caveman could do it, Geico might say.

First, boil water and add the whole wheat shells, returning the water to a boil until the noodles are slightly soft (though I prefer them al dente).

Then add 1/4 cup of milk and the cheese mix, stirring until the shells are covered in ooey-gooey cheese.

I LOVE pasta shells because each little noodle holds the possibility of housing a pocket of delicious cheese sauce. It’s like a cheese explosion!

I added some Morningstar Farms chik’n strips to my macaroni and served it with a side of steamed broccoli and cauliflower to round out my lunch.

This macaroni and cheese did not disappoint.  Looks like Miss Annie is here to stay!

Question: What was one of your favorite childhood dinners?