# Favorite Mac & Cheese hacks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [April 2, 2021, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276 "2021-04-02T22:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/1 "2021-04-02T22:52:58Z")
The is a current thread on [shameful culinary practices](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-most-shameful-culinary-practices/938498/320) which has sidetracked into mac & cheese practices. So what are yours? Extra butter? Everything from scratch? Half & Half instead of milk? If I am making a “meal for the day” out of it, I’ll nuke a couple of Velveeta Shells & Cheese, dump them into a big bowl, add shredded pepperjack, chopped hot dogs, hot sauce, pickle relish and BBQ sauce. Disgusting to most folks but comfort food for me. You? ---
**Author:** ![Tarataratara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tarataratara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarataratara)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/2 "2021-04-02T23:00:29Z")
I love to add either leftover chili, taco meat, or sloppy Joe filling. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/3 "2021-04-02T23:12:05Z")
I like it best made from scratch, with a cornflake and cheese layer on top. But mostly I make it from a box, and for that I like the Annie’s aged cheddar one. Either way, I like it with extra shredded cheese, a hefty dose of worcestershire sauce, and sliced cherry tomatoes sprinkled on top. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/4 "2021-04-02T23:16:14Z")
An ungodly amount of broccoli florets, boiled with the noodles, then add a slice of kraft cheese food product, when you add the powdered cheese. Very yummy with a side of broccoli goodness! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/5 "2021-04-02T23:26:28Z")
Let’s move this over to Cafe Society from GQ. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/6 "2021-04-02T23:29:21Z")
Oops! Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/7 "2021-04-03T00:01:58Z")
Boxed mac-n-cheese, when fully cooked, then add a can of tuna (drained). Et voila: Instant tuna casserole. If you want to fancy it up, add some frozen peas or frozen broccoli. Yeah, I once went to college. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/8 "2021-04-03T00:14:27Z")
I’m pretty sure my recipe originated while I was attending Humboldt State, if you get my drift. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/9 "2021-04-03T00:21:44Z")
Replace the butter with an equal weight of bacon. ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/10 "2021-04-03T00:35:00Z")
“Replace the butter with an equal weight of bacon.” Why not both? ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/11 "2021-04-03T00:44:22Z")
Chopped onions and peppers (already chopped frozen store brand is only about one dollar), chopped ham (also available already chopped in small, inexpensive packages), and, of course, Tabasco sauce (or the much cheaper store brand which tastes almost, if not exactly, the same). ---
**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/12 "2021-04-03T01:01:16Z")
An inordinate quantity of applesauce on top of Kraft blue box mac and cheese. My daughter stumbled upon it as a toddler, and I have to agree with her. Delicious. I am also a fan of cheddar on apple pie, so I suppose there’s a parallel. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/13 "2021-04-03T01:04:51Z")
My adornment to mac & cheese is one of those trivially simple things that works: about 6 or 8 slices of smoky garlic sausage. The garlic sausage comes from a small local outfit that has been producing authentic sausages for many years. I use freshly made refrigerated mac & cheese from a great local supermarket, throw on the sliced sausage, and nuke the whole thing. Makes for an aromatic and greatly enhanced mac & cheese. Trivially simple, and a nice comfort food. A decent keilbassa also works, as long as it’s nicely aromatic and garlicky. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/14 "2021-04-03T01:11:59Z")
Green peas - that’s all. Comfort food. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/15 "2021-04-03T01:15:20Z")
Crystal hot sauce. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/16 "2021-04-03T02:15:18Z")
Yeah, you can add almost anything to boxed macaroni and cheese. My usual hacks include pesto, ham, a can of crushed tomatoes, a good shake of white pepper, some real cheese. Mushrooms and chopped spinach seem like good additions as well. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/17 "2021-04-03T02:19:51Z")
I cook it in the Instant Pot! [Creamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Five Ways | foodiecrush.com](https://www.foodiecrush.com/instant-pot-macaroni-and-cheese-five-ways/) ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/18 "2021-04-03T02:38:25Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Half & Half instead of milk? Sour cream instead of milk. A health spoonful of spicy horseradish. Fresh ground black pepper. Several dashes of your favorite hot sauce. Common add-ins: Green peas. Tuna or ground beef or, best yet, ground venison or even elk. Delicious ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/19 "2021-04-03T03:04:32Z")
Humboldt State? My sister lives in Arcata! ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276/20 "2021-04-03T04:19:07Z")
Kraft Dinner with a handful of frozen vegetables plus a healthy squirt of BBQ sauce or southwest sauce. Ambrosia. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-mac-cheese-hacks/939276.md?page=2)