It’s probably pretty easy to figure out how mac ‘n’ cheese was created. One dark and stormy night, someone who had pasta in their pantry and cheese in their fridge decided that, instead of going outside into the cold rain for food, they would combine what they already had to eat. And the classic comfort food was born. But, why stop there? With the dawning of the Pinterest age, so many brilliant people have let their mac ‘n’ cheese evolve into something that your grandma might not recognize. Grab your favorite stirring spoon and decide which one of these delicious mac ‘n’ cheese recipes you’re going to make for dinner.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Via: kirbiecravings.com
Most people eat the same foods during their childhood. Among the chicken nuggets, corn dogs, and chicken noodle soup, mac ‘n’ cheese is one of those foods. Grilled cheese is probably another. Well, here’s a recipe that combines both childhood dishes into one sandwich of epic nostalgic proportions. First, make your mac ‘n’ cheese as cheesy as usual. Then, slap it between bread and more cheese and fry it until it’s golden and crispy. Is your mouth watering as much as mine? It is a great way to finish off your kid’s leftover mac ‘n’ cheese after they’ve gone to bed. Or, you can plan this awesome sandwich for Wednesday night’s dinner and you’ll have something to look forward to all hump day long!
Mac ‘n’ Cheese Pizza
Via: scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com
I don’t know about you, but I’m wondering how I can get that same mac ‘n’ cheese pizza that Ben and Leslie are eating. Wonder no more. This recipe can be in your mouth within 10 minutes! Use a ready-made pizza crust and microwave mac ‘n’ cheese to throw together this pizza pie. It’s recommended that you use bacon, additional cheeses (such as Parmesan, feta, mozzarella… or all of the above), and herbs to give a little pizza flavor to your pie. Some people can’t imagine a pizza without that tomato sauce, though. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to throw some on there with your cheese and bacon. Trust me when I say that this recipe is what you want to be eating on your next Netflix and chill night. Just add wine.
Maple Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Via: thereciperebel.com
If this recipe proves one thing, it’s that you are never too old for mac ‘n’ cheese. Also, bacon. Which brilliant person first used bacon as a garnish? They deserve a peace prize! Anyway, imagine setting this steaming bowl down in front of guest at a dinner party. Sure, they might question your sanity for a minute but, as soon as they take a bite, you’ll have a dozen requests for the recipe. And I hope your dishes are pretty because it’ll be all over Instagram. You’ll become the mac ‘n’ cheese queen of your social circle. Plus, since there is maple syrup involved, that makes this mac ‘n’ cheese officially acceptable for breakfast—or brunch! Oh, yes. Eating this dish for brunch would set up any person’s weekend for success.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese Dogs
Via: tasteandtellblog.com
There are two things that you will inevitably find at every classic American cookout. One is hot dogs. The other is mac ‘n’ cheese. So, the person that came up with this mac ‘n’ cheese dog was either a mom with a baby in one hand and food in the other, or a one-handed teenager that texts non-stop. Either way, combine these two cookout classics and you’ll blow the minds of every single person at your party. It’s like a chili dog, but easier and cheesier. And it doesn’t stop there! Need something you can eat with one hand while driving? The mac ‘n’ cheese dog is your answer. Looking for a quick meal to make with the ingredients in your fridge? The mac ‘n’ cheese dog. Desperate for a dinner that will have you watching Game of Thrones as fast as possible? The mac ‘n’ cheese dog!
Fried Mac ‘n’ Cheese Balls
Via: realfoodbydad.com
Some days are so bad, you just need to ditch your diet. You know the days I’m referring to. They go a little something like this: you wake up late and rush to work, only to realize you forgot to put on deodorant and you have that big meeting you thought was next Thursday. Traffic makes the commute home twice as long as usual and all the stations on the radio seem committed to playing the songs you hate. When you finally walk through your door, you discover your cat has left you a hairball in the kitchen and knocked over the only plant you’ve been able to keep alive.
After a day like that, there’s just one thing to do—eat fried food. Put on your yoga pants, turn up your favorite tunes, and make these fried mac ‘n’ cheese balls! They’re like the American version of fish and chips—crispy and comforting.
Breakfast Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Via: spicysouthernkitchen.com
Lazy weekend mornings are just made for all those breakfast recipes that take more than two minutes to make. Forget the instant oatmeal and take a break from your green smoothie. This breakfast mac ‘n’ cheese is perfect for your next slow weekend. It’s like mac ‘n’ cheese, sausage gravy, and veggie omelets all mixed together! If you want to eat a little sooner so you can make it to the Farmers’ Market, go ahead and use boxed mac ‘n’ cheese. But, if you have the whole day to hang out in your pajamas and read all those blog posts you’ve been saving, I recommend going by the recipe for your own homemade macaroni. It will give your cheese mixture extra flavor since you make it in the same pan as your sausage.
Toxic Waste Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Via: cookingwithcurls.com
If you have kids, you’ll know that sometimes you have to get creative with your meal presentation to convince them that eating is fun. Octopus hot dogs and Mickey Mouse pancakes might be just an example of what’s on rotation at your house. But, sometimes it takes simply serving a food in an unexpected color to make it fun. Mac ‘n’ cheese, for example, which is usually served cheesy yellow, can be transformed by using green food coloring. Everyone will be surprised when you slop a green mess of “toxic waste” on their plates for dinner. And no one will say no. Bonus points go to the mom who sneaks veggies into this dish. It’s already green, so who can really tell the difference?
Mac ‘n’ Cheeseburger
Via: buzzfeed.com
I have a sneaking suspicion that some people think up crazy hamburger recipes just to see if it’s possible. Bacon-wrapped hamburgers, guacamole-stuffed hamburgers… the wackier the better. As you might have suspected, there is an actual recipe for a mac ‘n’ cheese hamburger, appropriately called the mac ‘n’ cheeseburger. Actually, it’s a recipe for mac ‘n’ cheese sliders, but there is an the opportunity for a full fledged tickle-your-taste-buds burger here. You simply put your mac ‘n’ cheese inside your beef, fry to perfection, and top with your favorite burger toppings. There is no discrimination against boxed mac either. So, while you might be thinking that it’s time to put the grill away for the winter, I would suggest you re-evaluate your decision because you’re going to be dreaming about this burger.
French Onion Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Via: dinnersdishesanddesserts.com
There is just something about a bowl of simple soup that seems so decadent and out of reach for the day-to-day grind. I mean, who eats tomato bisque or French onion soup on a Tuesday? From now on, you do. All brought to you by this French onion mac ‘n’ cheese. It will give you all the flavor of the delicate simple soup while remaining the cozy meal that you long for after a long day. Especially on Tuesdays. It’s basically your classic mac ‘n’ cheese made with the cheeses you typically find adorning a steaming cup of French onion soup. But, it’s also mixed with caramelized onions and bacon, and topped with crispy croutons. Excuse me. I need to go change my dinner plans because this sounds too delicious.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese Waffles
Via: babble.com
Ah, waffles. The food of choice for Leslie Knope and so many other Pinterest lovers. It’s a recipe that lives up to the hype, whether it’s made plain with syrup and whipped cream or boasts a pumpkin spice flavor. You can eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and you will get judgement from no one. So putting mac ‘n’ cheese in your waffle maker sounds like an awesome idea, right? This particular recipe uses some herbs to give your mac’s flavor a bit of punch. But, this is also the perfect way to use up your leftovers from that family reunion or work pitch-in. Suddenly, you’ll find yourself praying that they won’t eat all the mac ‘n’ cheese so that you can bring it home and make these.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese Tacos
Via: blogchef.net
Do you ever have a problem deciding between multiple meals? You’re craving this food, but that other food sounds amazing, too, and it’s just impossible to decide which! And you don’t want to have both because you’ll feel like a pig and have too many leftovers. Been there, done that. Now, you can have mac ‘n’ cheese on Taco Tuesdays and satisfy all your cravings at once! Cook up some basic boxed mac while you make your taco meat and you’ll be able to forget about toppings like guacamole, tomatoes, and sour cream. Mac ‘n’ cheese will become your new favorite garnish for Mexican night. Your next mission? To convince your friends that mac ‘n’ cheese and tacos go together like mac ‘n’ cheese.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese Breadsticks
Via: buzzfeed.com
Close your eyes for a minute. Imagine you are biting onto a breadstick on pizza night and that breadstick is filled with warm creamy mac ‘n’ cheese. Now, wasn’t that the best daydream you’ve ever had? Fortunately, you don’t have settle for dreams about mac ‘n’ cheese breadsticks! Your fantasies can come true with this recipe. All you have to do is cut frozen mac ‘n’ cheese into strips, wrap them in pizza dough, and bake until browned and bubbly. Once you’ve made them, you might just forget about pizza night and have mac ‘n’ cheese breadstick night instead. Sure, it’s a lot of carbs, but when it’s cold outside and you’ve just come home from work, this recipe will fill you up, warm you up, and put you to bed with happy thoughts.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese Soup
Via: spicysouthernkitchen.com
Speaking of cold nights, soup is just the thing to have on standby for inclement weather. Especially this mac ‘n’ cheese soup! It’s like broccoli and cheese soup, but macaroni is the substitute for the broccoli. It’s just the kind of thing you want to eat when the snowstorm hits and you’re procrastinating on shoveling your sidewalk. Or, when you have to go to the grocery store, but the roads are windy and ridden with sleet. Or, when your dog needs a walk, but you really don’t want to put on your snow boots. Stay inside, grab your stirring spoon and warm yourself up with mac ‘n’ cheese soup instead! It will be a hit for you, your spouse, your kids, and even your mother-in-law! I wouldn’t advise feeding it to your dog, though.
Mac n’ Cheese Egg Rolls
Via: missinthekitchen.com
Egg rolls are the classic dish in every Chinese buffet in America. You might even say that egg rolls are the mascot of Chinese buffets. But, that creates a problem for those who don’t like egg rolls. It resigns those poor souls to fried rice when it’s Asian night in your kitchen. Or does it? Give your picky eaters a break and make these mac ‘n’ cheese-stuffed egg rolls. All you have to do is make some mac ‘n’ cheese alongside your egg roll stuffing. Then, stuff a few of your wrappers with mac ‘n’ cheese and fry just like regular egg rolls. Your egg-roll-averse friend or child will thank you (and you might even steal a mac roll for yourself). Gosh, you might even be converted!
Mac n’ Cheese Nachos
Via: veganyackattack.com
Can I just say that this recipe blew my mind? Because it did. The recipe itself is vegan, but you can easily use your basic kitchen ingredients for the same result. The concept is to exchange your nacho’s taco meat for nacho mac ‘n’ cheese. Yes, it’s that simple. Just make your mac ‘n’ cheese with some hot sauce and jalapeños to give it a kick. Then, pile it on your favorite brand of tortilla chips with sour cream, lettuce, peppers, onions, avocado, salsa, and whatever other toppings your heart desires. It will be such a great twist on your classic Mexican dish that you might never go back. And I wouldn’t blame you. I would definitely eat that nacho mac ‘n’ cheese straight out of the pan.
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