Cooking in the Kitchen with Sydney: Mug Mac n’ Cheese

I love mac n’ cheese. Seriously, it’s an addiction. However, I don’t know about you, but I feel like those little microwaveable cups you get at the grocery store are way too expensive for the mac you get. 

They come out to $1 a cup or more if you go for a brand like Annie’s, which is superior in my opinion, and you don’t get a whole lot of actual pasta in your cup. Buying a box of pasta and a bag of shredded cheese is significantly cheaper, and it only takes a little bit longer to put together. 

I have become quite the fan of this recipe over the past couple of weeks as the semester has been ramping up. While I’m keeping myself busy I’ve found I have less time to make the long walk to the dining hall and I’m more prone to craving comfort food. This meal has been something simple to throw together before getting right back to reading textbooks, writing papers, or attending lectures. 

Ingredients 

• Pasta 
• Water 
• 4 tbsp milk 
• 2 handfuls shredded cheese 
• Seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika) 
• Additions (bacon, green onions, etc.) 

Directions 

In a large microwavable mug or bowl, add in the pasta filling mug/bowl less than halfway and add enough water to submerge all the macaroni, and then some. Microwave for 4 minutes, then continue microwaving in 1-minute intervals until fully cooked. Make sure you keep an eye on your pasta while it’s cooking, as the water may boil over. 

When finished, drain the water. Stir in the milk and shredded cheese, and microwave for an additional minute to melt. Season, add your toppings, dig in. 

Cooking time will vary depending on your microwave and the bowl/mug you use, but this is what worked in both my tiny, dorm sized microwave, as well as the bigger microwave I have at home.

I hope this is useful to those of you who, like me, could eat mac n’ cheese five times a week with no complaints. And while you could always go to the kitchen and make a regular batch, why not make it in your own dorm, where it is acceptable to wear pajamas all day — we all have our moments.