5 Variations In The Key of Mac + Cheese

Mac and cheese is an old fave of mine and many others, and has gotten many a student through the semester when funds were low. But it doesn’t have to be a budget meal. Here are five ways to give something extra to a meal of macaroni and cheese - whether you’re making it from scratch or from a handy package.

(1) Greensleeves: Green onion slivers, paprika, sliced canned shiitake mushrooms, dried basil. Incredible colour, taste, aroma, and multiple textures (mouth feel). Just add these on top of a bowl of mac and stir in. Appealing enough to vegetarians who eat dairy. [Greensleeves is an old medieval song that everyone probably knows without realizing it.]

(2) You’re Gonna Bacon After All. Bacon, crumbled. A great textural contrast to the softness of the macaroni. [I took liberties here, but “You’re gonna make it after all” are lyrics from the theme song of the old Mary Tyler Moore TV show.]

(3) Time Keeps On Slippin’, Slippin’. Soft-boiled egg. A perfect soft-boiled egg takes exactly the right amount of time, and has been the bane of my existence. But when it’s right, one of these over a bowl of mac and cheese adds an incredibly rich dimension. Not recommended for those whose waist keeps on slippin’, slippin’. [Steve Miller Band]

(4) That’s Amore. Meatballs. Nice, juicy, homemade meatballs, even with a little bit of sauce. [When the moon hits your eye/ Like a big pizza pie/ That’s amore. Meatballs are not mentioned in the song That’s Amore, but it just seemed appropriate - just sounds like they should be, since pizza and pasta fazool are mentioned.]

(5) My My My Bologna. Fried bologna. When my brother and I were still both pre- or early teens in the 1970s, this was our fave variation of mac and cheese. You couldn’t beat the warm slices of bologna that had some crunchy sections from being fried. And of course, we called it “baloney” back then. [Weird Al Yankovic’s spoof of The Knack’s My Sharona.]