Ridiculously Easy Macaroni and Cheese

This was really easy and delicious. Was a hit w/ the kids especially. Next time we make it though, we will up the cheeses and cream to make it more cheesy.

This recipe brings back a lot of memories! The simpler and more affordable times when this is all we had to make. I added in some spicy Monterey Jack cheese along with some leftover Brie that I had in the fridge to add some more flavour to it. Super easy and keeps people happy. Thanks for sharing, Kyle Kerr

I haven't eaten American cheese since college (um, late 90s). I tend to not eat processed food, save for the occasional indulgence of doritos on a road trip. This recipe is now the very top of the list for "I don't give a crap day". SO GOOD. My post-cancer, super picky, vegetarian mother ate it. My ultra-runner husband who lives on quinoa and beets ate it. My toddler who eats nothing ate it. And I inhaled it. Perfect for a weeknight meal that please everyone. Double the recipe.

(Those that are scoffing at the American cheese...come on y'all, live a little. :) Everything in moderation.)

We made this mac n cheese in our dorm room in the early seventies using our popcorn popper. Boiled pasta and added the American cheese slices when the water had reduced. Of course we had no $$ to buy heavy cream. This recipe sounds a bit richer, but glad to see a comeback of a great idea.

This is seriously not good mac and cheese, the fact that this is what people consider good makes me want to start a food blog. You poor souls.

Love this quick and easy recipe for creamy Mac and cheese. I used 2% milk but added a tablespoon of butter and a little extra milk.

After a challenging day at work - this is pure comfort! Very easy and excellent results!

It sorta tastes nice, but now I've made it thrice and it always comes out grainy. Am I stirring too much? Should I be using a whisk? Is it too hot?

I woke in the middle of the night, starving after a long sleep. I do keep American cheese slices on hand, now that I've been making Fast Food Burger clones. And I had a carton of heavy cream from ice cream making. So nice not to have to make a roux, I really liked this texture with the cream base. I always have sharp cheddar and Parm. No bacon or I would have been making carbonara. Well it couldn't have been faster or easier. Like a box mix on steroids from the sharper cheddar and parm. That was fun. I am going to make this for a mac n' cheese box addict nephew. And I can't wait to see what my housemate thinks of it. Her ultimate easy dish is cooked elbows or shells in individual glass dishes mixed with sharp cheddar and splash of milk, then in the toaster oven until heated and browned. Not my fav, but it does work. Next I will try the dish I set out to make which was a Parm cream sauce pasta with a runny egg on top. Much more grown up. Final note: a pound of pasta seemed too much for the small amount of sauce so I just used 2 dry cups of elbows. It's a bit gloppy, maybe 3 cups would be better.

Please help me understand how the plastic-wrapped cheese slices are different from plain old cheese slices?!?!?!!?

I just made this tonight. It was just what we neede! Total comfort food.
We are living in Italy for seven months and were craving American food. I found cheese slices online at the grocer and decided to try this. The only thing I added was fresh sweet peas and a little Dijon mustard. Fabulous! This recipe will go home with me!

Been doing this for years! I just add whatever other cheeses I have besides the american cheese singles I have in the fridge on that day. Comes out wonderful every time! Also to note, if you look for the Deluxe American Cheese singles you'll be buying actual cheese and not the cheese food types for slices. I usually buy the store brand and the quality has been good with all I've tried.

Love this - truly lives up to its title. I totally admit to being a food snob sometimes, but I really don't think you should change this recipe. I used organic American cheese, but it was still American and nothing melts quite like it. Thank you for this recipe!

This food sounds ridiculously easy and seems very good.
Thanks for posting this on "Food 52"

I can't fathom why there would even be one negative comment, never mind the many I read here. It's really quite simple.....if you don't like the ingredients, don't make it! The site isn't called "Gourmet Food 52". I happen to love, love, love Velveeta and it has a crazy multitude of uses in cooking and is easy for people on a budget or who are not necessarily food savy. Keep your negativity to yourself or find a site that caters to your opinion. Hey, here's an idea......create your own food site and then you can just flatter yourself all day long!

Made this a few nights ago and I thought it was really very good considering how easy and fast it is (one pot! no bechamel and potential for graininess). I particularly appreciated that this wasn't one of those one-pound-of-cheese-for-one-pound-of-pasta recipes that I just can't bring myself to make once I realize what goes into it. I replaced the heavy cream with evaporated milk and it worked great. Next time I will:
1) Increase the evaporated milk to 1 cup
2) Only use 8 slices of American cheese (I used 10 and it was a little too heavy on that flavor profile for me)
2) Replace the parmesan with more cheddar, and make sure the cheddar is extra sharp to make that flavor more prominent.

This recipe sounds amazing. What I have been using on pasta lately is "Pub Cheese" which I buy at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. Super easy and tasty. Add vegetables and "done". Pub cheese is also super on hot spiralized zucchini, which I eat for lunch every day during the week.

Yep, Kraft American cheese and Velveeta were staples in my house when my kids were little. They are all grown and out of the house and I don't use American slices anymore but when making Mac N Cheese, along with La Ti Da cheeses, I add some Velveeta as it melts beautifully. Don't go all gourmet cheese-snob on Mrslarkin. This is family fare. Sure, I would add some stuff like ground mustard, a pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper. But overall, kids will scoop it in their mouths with shovels.

Yep, I didn't have any cream or even 1/2 and 1/2 on hand and tried 2% milk as that was all I had. it does work, but you have to increase the cheese slices in order to get it to thicken up. In a way, it ends up even cheesier!

Would whole milk (what I have in the fridge) work in place if cream?