Mac 'n' Cheese with Cut Up Hot Dogs

There's always a night when I just don't feel like cooking. And that's when I get out the macaroni and cheese. And a package of hot dogs. And make magic.

Mom laments occasionally about how a box of macaroni and cheese used to make enough to feed all five people in our family. And hamburgers were a nickel.   

My go-to in our house is Kraft Homestyle Mac 'n' Cheese, in the blue BAG.

Yes, you have to make a roux.  Yes you have to mix the cheese sauce packet into that.  Then you have to decide if you want to pop it in the oven with or without the extra bread crumb topping.  But let me tell you, over the years I've tried many recipes for homemade mac 'n' cheese, and this stuff blows it all out of the water.

  

I usually add an extra handful of pasta to the pot when I boil the noodles as they provide a lot of sauce in the packet, but if you like your mac 'n' cheese extra cheesy, you can omit this step.

Each of us likes our mac a little different; some of us add green olives, fresh tomatoes, or diced ham. Some of us love to eat it cold the next day for lunch with a squirt of ketchup.  But my favorite way to eat it will always be with cut up hot dogs mixed into it.

I always slather a big slice of bread with peanut butter to eat with it...somehow the play of textures between the creamy cheese sauce and the sticky peanut butter just does something for me.  A cold glass of milk to wash it all down with helps too.