[KitchenWench]

Guests and holidays require scratch made. Although some of our guests are more like family members so they don't rate homemade...lol

How do you all feel about boxed mac and cheese vs homemade? If it's just us it's boxed. I know there's a major taste difference but if I'm doing a quick and easy, no brains required supper, it's boxed all the way.

 

[Shane R]

Guests and holidays require scratch made. Although some of our guests are more like family members so they don't rate homemade...lol

How do you all feel about boxed mac and cheese vs homemade? If it's just us it's boxed. I know there's a major taste difference but if I'm doing a quick and easy, no brains required supper, it's boxed all the way.

If I'm going to use the boxes with powder I buy the extra creamy recipe. It bumps up the butter and milk a little bit. I also use half and half rather than regular milk. Generally, I buy the Deluxe boxes that come with cheese sauce rather than a powder packet. The sauce incorporates much better if you warm it a bit first. I do this either by setting the packet on the pot lid, if the pot is covered, or by putting it in a vessel of hot water while the pasta cooks. My younger daughter prefers small shells over macaroni.

 

[Colbyt]

Guests and holidays require scratch made. Although some of our guests are more like family members so they don't rate homemade...lol

How do you all feel about boxed mac and cheese vs homemade? If it's just us it's boxed. I know there's a major taste difference but if I'm doing a quick and easy, no brains required supper, it's boxed all the way.

Cooks choice. For me there isn't that much difference.

 

[Roll_Bones]

This is a great work around for a quick side dish. When they are on sale I buy several at a time. Then its just a few minutes in the microwave. Very fresh tasting and better than fresh bought in the produce section in the store. Not to mention there are all kinds of vegetables with sauces or without. The broccoli with cheese sauce was my daughters favorite.
Green Giant also has a line of "Steamers". Very good as well and many choices.

How do you all feel about boxed mac and cheese vs homemade? If it's just us it's boxed. I know there's a major taste difference but if I'm doing a quick and easy, no brains required supper, it's boxed all the way.

I rarely make boxed mac and cheese. But when I did I added extra cheese and some milk. Its not bad.
But homemade is a fairly good project. Very good but takes a little time. I don't really make or eat mac and cheese much.

 

[KitchenWench]

I use the steamable bags when I can't get fresh, in season or pick from my own garden. The quality and flavor are excellent.

With boxed mac and cheese I've found bumping up the butter and cutting the milk by about half. It thickens up the powered sauce and improves the flavor.

 

[Wooleybooger]

Take those green beans out of the bag and dump in a skillet with 2 T of melted butter and 3 finely sliced cloves of garlic. Worry them around in the pan just until the color changes to a darker green. Serve. As TwoKnots says you'll thank me.

 

[KitchenWench]

That's how I do my garden fresh green beans

 

[Roll_Bones]

Take those green beans out of the bag and dump in a skillet with 2 T of melted butter and 3 finely sliced cloves of garlic. Worry them around in the pan just until the color changes to a darker green. Serve. As TwoKnots says you'll thank me.

We use them for convenience and then we found out how good they are. I use regular frozen vegetables for your suggestion. Much less money.

 

[Colbyt]

I've been buying packages of Idahoan Instant Mashed on Amazon using

Follow up question as there seems to a major outage of Hungry Jack in this area right now.

Are you using the nothing but water style or do you add milk, butter & water?

 

[Wooleybooger]

Follow up question as there seems to a major outage of Hungry Jack in this area right now.

Are you using the nothing but water style or do you add milk, butter & water?

The milk, water and butter version. And being lazy and using powdered whole milk I put the total amount of water in a measuring cut and add the proper amt of milk powder. Works just fine.

 

[Colbyt]

Guess I am going to buy a box and try them. I tried the 'complete' version the other night and found it greatly lacking. A lot like the stuff we pushed in the cafeteria.