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October 7, 2010

Good-Better-Best: Macaroni and Cheese!

This is my first edition of Good-Better-Best. Basically I take 3 similar items, and compare them to see which is the best!

One of my guilty pleasures is macaroni and cheese-healthy or not, I love it! So I decided to look at some of the new "healthier" options out there.

The Contestants:

  • Annie's Real Aged Wisconsin Shells & Cheddar
  • Kraft Dinner "Smart"
  • Homemade macaroni and cheese

The Results:

Good: Annie's Real Aged Wisconsin Shells & Cheddar

I picked this up in the Organics section of WalMart. I was excited to find an alternative to KD with organic ingredients. But the result? I did enjoy the shell shaped noodles, as they hold the sauce just as well as elbow macaroni, but have less of a tendency to overcook. But my biggest disappointment was the flavour. For all the "Real Aged Wisconsin" promises, it tasted like any other packaged cheddar mix. Except for the aftertaste. The aftertaste was so strange, and almost left a burning sensation on my tongue after the fact. I'm not sure what caused this, but it certainly ruined the meal for me!

Better: Kraft Dinner "Smart"

I have to give credit to the people at Kraft. This was actually quite good. The noodles are made with cauliflower, so they give you some "veggies" when you think you are simply getting pasta. I could taste a slight cauliflower flavour, but since I enjoy cauliflower, I enjoyed that. Otherwise, it tasted just like the classic KD!

Best: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

I know, pretty predictable, right? But for anyone who has had the real deal, boxed mix can't beat it! If time is a factor, sure, go for KD, but when you want the best, take the time to make it.

Cheese sauce is simply 2 Tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons melted butter, mixed to make a rue. Add a cup of milk, allow that to thicken. Then add a cup of old cheddar, grated (or more if you want!). Add salt and pepper to taste, toss with whatever noodles make you happy, then bake in the oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes with some extra grated cheese and a sprinkle of bread crumbs on top. The crumbs should be browned and the cheese topping nice and bubbly...bliss!