» Cook a 12-16 ounce package of gnocchi according to the directions.
» Drain the gnocchi, and coat it with a pat or two of butter or margarine, or a tablespoon or two of olive oil.
» Pour in the cheese powder and stir it up.
» Grind some fresh pepper over the top; add some fresh chopped herbs such as basil or parsley too, if you like.
Variations on Pasta - Gnocchi
Try using the cheese packet on gnocchi instead of the included pasta.
“Doesn’t get any simpler than this. But you have to actually try it to taste that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts – it surprised me!”
– Debbie K., Prince George,
British Columbia
Variations on Pasta - Risotto
You can also try out the cheese powder on risotto.
» Use about one cup of dried Arborio rice.
» Coat the bottom of a pot with olive oil or butter and pour in the rice.
» Stir the rice, attempting to cover all grains with the butter.
» Add 1 3/4 to 2 cups of water, per the package instructions.
» Stirring regularly, cook until most of the water is absorbed and it is soft, but has an al dente center. You may need to add more water to complete the cooking.
» Add the cheese powder and mix it in.
» Grind some fresh pepper over the top; add some fresh chopped herbs such as basil or parsley too, if you like.
The Easiest Fried Macaroni & Cheese
This one is so easy it wouldn’t count, except that it’s so good! Don’t you love the taste and feel of those little brown bits in baked macaroni & cheese? Well here’s an easy way to get all that you’ll ever want!
Instructions
- Preparation» Do not add any oil or butter!» Bring the mac & cheese to room temperature or warmer using a microwave, if it is not already warm.» Preheat a large non-stick skillet (the bigger the better) over Medium-high heat.» Place the mac & cheese in the skillet.» Spread the mac & cheese around until it’s evenly distributed.» Every minute or so flip the mac & cheese over and stir it up.» Do not let it burn to black; keep cooking it till you have the amount of brownness you like.
- Notes» For some reason this seems to work best for the kind of mac & cheese you get at deli counters; in the end, it depends of course on the particular kind your deli has – you’ll just have to try it!» Certain homemade recipes and certain frozen brands may also work – generally saucy ones work better; not recommended for boxed mac & cheese.» This works best if the mac & cheese is already at room temperature or warmer.» No need to add oil or butter, the cheese should have plenty.» Make sure you regularly flip over all portions of the mac & cheese, otherwise you’ll get pieces burnt to black.» Remove from the pan as soon as you’re done cooking.» Cooking this way will cause the mac & cheese to reduce in size, so be sure you start with enough.
Notes
The number of servings depends on how much you buy.
A container of macaroni & cheese from the deli; start with about half again as much as you want to end up with.
The Greatest Chili
Here’s a terrific way to spice up your mac & cheese! You can vary it to get just the level of heat you like, and best of all, it takes only minutes to prepare. You’ll love this!
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1 box macaroni & cheese
- 1/4 c. margarine
- 15 oz. an chili
- 1/4 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
- handful oyster crackers (optional)
Instructions
- » Prepare macaroni & cheese with milk and margarine according to directions on the box, or your favorite variation.» While macaroni is cooking, heat chili in a saucepan.» When macaroni & cheese is ready, scoop macaroni into one side of a bowl, and chili into the other. Repeat for second bowl.» Scatter Cheddar on top of the bowls, and top chili side with oyster crackers.
- Variations» Vary spiciness – Different types of chili vary a lot in ingredients and spiciness, so experiment until you find one that suits you. We preferred chili with beans, but see what you like.» Vary proportions – The basic recipe calls for half mac & cheese, half chili, but you can try macaroni & cheese with just a touch of chili, or vice versa.» Make your own chili –This can be time consuming, but yields the optimal flavor. Whenever you make chili, make a big batch and save some to serve with mac & cheese. It freezes well, so make lots!