Macaroni and Cheese as a side dish....

Who knew??? Just one of the many thing I have learned since marrying my fabulous husband is this: Mac and cheese (more specifically, Velveeta shells and cheese) is not meant to be a meal in  and of itself. Apparently, it is the perfect compliment to anything fried, roasted or grilled. Our wonderful meal of rump-roast and potatoes was not complete until the mac and cheese was cooked. And I didn't complain. What makes it so good? Such a staple?

I wish I would have known this information growing up. I can't tell you how many lunches were spent boiling water, pouring noodles out of that blue Kraft box and then the (daunting) task of getting the perfect milk-to-butter-powdered-cheese sauce. I still get nervous that it isn't going to turn out and be too dry. Or, even worse, too runny and therefore too diluted to be considered macaroni and cheese. Such pressure!

When I say staple. I mean staple. It held our family together sometimes. I can't imagine what it would have been like to not hear "there is macaroni and cheese (or a bowl of cereal)" every time one of my siblings or I would exclaim "there is nothing to eat in this house." Seriously, there was ALWAYS mac and cheese in the pantry; four shelfs up, on the left, right when you walk in. To this day, I guarantee there are some boxes of cheesy noodles in there.