I wish my mom was here today because it’s July 14th is National Mac & Cheese Day #NationalMacAndCheeseDay and my mom made the best Mac & Cheese ever. Even though I can make her Mac & Cheese it doesn’t have the same taste as my mom’s. But your still welcome to join us for dinner this evening as I plan on making Pan Fried Steak, Green Beans and my mom’s Mac & Cheese. Would you like to bring desert or Rolls to top off our dinner. Or I can ask David to stop by Sweetie Pie’s to pick us up there Roll’s which are so good and will make you want to slap yo’ mama good. I have Honey for the Rolls.
Mac and Cheese is perhaps the king of comfort foods, the dominant dish of America. A favorite of all ages all over the Country: Macaroni and Cheese. Golden is gooey, baked and hearty, this sideline staple or main dish can be served up any number of ways. On July 14th, you’ll have the opportunity to try as many of these dishes as you can on National Mac and Cheese Day, which is also known as National Macaroni and Cheese Day.
Kraft may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Mac and Cheese, for good reason. The company has been dishing out delight in the form of a box since 1937, but the origins of the creamy casserole can be traced back hundreds of years to Italy, where Pasta and Parmesan have been a staple meal for centuries. In America, some credit Thomas Jefferson for bringing the recipe back to America after spending time in Italy, but this idea has been disputed.
NATIONAL MAC AND CHEESE DAY ACTIVITIES
- All over America, restaurants are enticing visitors to take on food challenges that, if conquered, mean a free meal for those strong enough to finish them. July 14th, try to find a place with a Mac and Cheese eating challenge, like the Midnight Mac and Cheeserie in Chicago. Here, if you eat five pounds of the house Mac and Cheese in under an hour, you go down in Chicago Cheese-story, not to mention get a free meal and a T-shirt out of it.
- Break apart from the casserole mold this year and go big. For a fancier dish, try adding Caramelized Onions and Prosciutto. To give your Mac and Cheese a fiery Southwest flavor, toss in Bacon and Jalapenos. Or, invite your friends to bring in a recipe of their own, and judge whose is best to determine who’s the big Cheese of the evening.
- If your local restaurant scene is getting in on the holiday, don’t miss out. Check out if any restaurants in your town are cashing in on the craze, or simply visit a favorite spot and order up a bowl of Classic Mac & Cheese.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL MAC AND CHEESE DAY
- If you’re in the Midwest, Mac & Cheese is a hotdish. If you live in the Northeast, Mac & Cheese is a casserole. Down in the South, Mac & Cheese is sometimes-spicy side dish that accompanies BBQ right along with Potato Salad. But wherever you’re from, there’s a version of Mac and Cheese that you grew up with, and will always taste like home. What do they serve in your neck of the woods?
- Basic Mac and Cheese only requires a few ingredients, and most of the magic happens in the oven while you’re enjoying an afternoon drink outside with friends. When paired with any meal, Mac & Cheese will likely be polished off long before your Aunt’s Green Beans or Twice Baked Potatoes. Mac & Cheese is a dish loved by all ages and is simple to make. Wy wouldn’t Mac & Cheese be your contribution to the Summer BBQ?
- While we often think of Mac and Cheese as an Italian-turned-American favorite, there are variations on the dish all over the world. In Hong Kong, for instance, it’s common to eat Macaroni and Cheese for breakfast, doctored up with several ingredients, including Peas, Ham, Mushrooms, and Eggs.
Recipe for Velvetta Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. Velveeta
- 2 cups (8 oz.) elbow macaroni
- 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
Instructions
- Take the Velveeta out of the fridge. Cut it into small cubes. Leave it at room temperature while the pasta cooks.
- Cook macaroni according to package instructions, but right before draining it, remove 1 cup of the cooking water from the pot. Set that water aside and then drain the rest of the water off of the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in.
- Immediately add the butter to the pasta and stir.*
- Add the Velveeta and stir for 30 seconds to start it melting. Drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of the pasta water and stir.
- Keep stirring until the Velveeta is fully melted, 1-2 minutes, adding a tiny bit more pasta water if needed to help it melt and to form a smooth sauce.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
