As soon as I went off to college, my diet went from home-cooked meals to Kraft mac n' cheese and the occasional turkey sandwich. When my kitchen isn't a disaster and I have actual clean pans to use, I'll throw a classic grilled cheese into my eclectic menu. That's about the extent of my "cooking." (Remind me how I'm a writer for Spoon again.)

Give me a little credit, though. I've experimented with a few recipes here and there. One of those is grilled mac n' cheese. Sure, it's simple, but it works. It's tasty, exceptionally photogenic and easy to prepare. Not to mention, kids love it! Good thing to keep in mind for a few years (or 20) down the road. 

Grilled Mac N' Cheese

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:15 mins
  • Total Time:20 mins
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 2 slices bread
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese or 1 slice cheese
  • 1/2 cup macaroni
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup milk your choice
  • 1/2 cup different shredded cheese
cheddar, milk, macaroni, pasta, bread, wheat, cheese
Jayna Goldstein
  • Step 1

    Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook until it begins to look like a thick paste. This should take about a minute.

    milk, cream, tea, dairy product
    Jayna Goldstein
  • Step 2

    Slowly add in the milk. Be sure to whisk any lumps as they begin to form. Stir for 2-4 minutes. Add desired amount of shredded cheese.

    carrot, pasta, ramen, noodle, vegetable, soup
    Jayna Goldstein
  • Step 3

    Mix the creamy cheese sauce together with the pasta.

    white sauce, flour, batter, custard, sweet, pudding, egg, dairy product, cream, milk
    Jayna Goldstein
  • Step 4

    Allow to cool. Butter 2 slices of bread.

    cream, toast, butter, pastry, flour, cake, dairy product, sweet, wheat, bread
    Jayna Goldstein
  • Step 5

    Add mac n' cheese and extra cheese to 2 slices of bread. It should look like a sandwich.

    vegetable, ramen, pasta, spaghetti, cheese
    Jayna Goldstein
  • Step 6

    Grill the mac n' cheese sandwich like a regular grilled cheese. Allow it to cool, and enjoy!

    toast, cheese
    Jayna Goldstein

Not to be total buzzkill, but grilled mac n' cheese tastes exactly how you imagine it would taste. Stuff two slices of bread with mac n' cheese, grill it like a normal grilled cheese, and call it a day. What I've learned, though, is that these kinds of recipes are often the ones that stick around the longest. I guarantee, your grilled mac will consistently bring you a smile. Too cheesy? (Pun intended.)