This one-pot macaroni and cheese is fast, versatile, and delicious – loved by kids and adults alike!
Hi new friends (at least I sure hope to get to meet and call ya’ll friends!). I am so happy to be here as a new face that will pop up once-in-a-while here on The Pinning Mama. I feel honored and blessed to have met Kimber and, through a mutual friend, received the “hook-up” to contribute some of my favorite eats on her blog.
My name’s Christina, by the way, and I am a self-proclaimed foodie and chocoholic. I currently share recipes with my sister-in-law at FoodApparel.com where we “dress” food for every occasion (fancy, everyday, simple, healthy). We like to focus on helping you learn how to take a recipe and make it “your style”. We are constantly adding our newly approved recipes and noting modifications to the archives of our favorites.
Also, since I am kind of obsessed with chocolate like in a serious way, I have a new little space that I’m starting: chocolateloversclub. It is my little shrine dedicated to all things chocolate. A looooong time ago, I started The Chocolate Lover’s Club in college just for fun. And I keep getting prodded by myself to revive it. So it’s happening! Right now I just have started an Instagram, but there is more to come. If you are a chocoholic like me, you will want to come and visit as I add new bars that I discover, recipes, and just general chocolate love oozing out from every corner.
So for my first post here, I’ve been pondering about what is a good recipe to share around the holidays? I mean, I could throw a million pumpkin recipes your way, which I do love, but sometimes one can get “pumpkined out” so to speak. One thing that I find during the holidays is that I am EXTREMELY BUSY. And believe me, I try not to be. I seriously try to keep it low key, because I don’t like living my life as a stress case!
Well, I finally came to the conclusion that I would share a recipe that makes a frequent appearance around my house and has for the last 10+ years (even before marriage and children), and makes an even more frequent appearance during pregnancies, this One-Pot Macaroni and Cheese. (Yes, that’s my pregnancy craving folks. Good ole’ mac n’ cheese!)
Why do I love this recipe? -It’s fast, it’s seriously only one pot, and it tastes pretty freakin’ fantabulous! When you can make delicious homemade mac ‘n cheese in the same amount of time that you can put together the pre-boxed powdery stuff, it’s homemade or bust! Also, you can do a lot of simple things to change this mac up and make it something totally new. For example, in the pictures I have here, I swapped out cheddar cheese for smoked gouda (highly recommended!), threw on some pancetta that I sizzled up in a pan, and of course…..bringing out the kid in me, had to throw in a few peas, just ‘cuz!
What’s the secret to the easiest creamiest cheese sauce known to man? AN EGG. Yes, my friends, an egg. You’re thinking, say what? Aren’t you talking about cheese sauce? And yes, the traditional cheese sauce is our famous white sauce (butter, flour, milk) with cheese added. But, who’s got time for that thickening? And another pan? No. I tell you, an egg is an amazing thickening ingredient and it also blends in so well with the cheese as to make almost a Velveeta consistency. And you thought you had to go fake for that? No, not anymore!
Well, I could keep talking forever, but let’s just go ahead and get this fantastic recipe out there. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do, and that it will make a regular appearance at your table.
Come join the fun! Join me for more drool-worthy eats!
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One Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni cooked and drained (cook per package instructions to al dente)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 6 to 8 ounces evaporated milk about 2/3 can
- 8 ounces about 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook elbow macaroni as per instructions to al dente. Drain, and return to pot.
- Add butter and stir until melted. (sometimes I return the pot over a burner to low heat, to help keep the added ingredients warm.)
- Add one large egg, and stir quickly until it blends and coats macaroni.
- Add evaporated milk and stir quickly to incorporate. (If mixture later seems too dry or thick, you can add more milk to help it out - I often "eyeball" this).
- Add shredded cheddar cheese and stir quickly to help it melt and incorporate.
- Add more milk if needed to thin out the sauce and keep it looking creamy.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- That's it! Enjoy.
Recipe Notes:
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Here are a few more quick and easy recipes that you can enjoy during the holiday madness!
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Seana Turner says
Looks delicious… I’m surprised you don’t end up with scrambled eggs. I need to give this a try!
Kimber says
SO cool isn’t it? Thanks for stopping by Seana!!