Stoner Mac & Cheese

I had one of those moments yesterday where I was a little zazzed and suddenly needed mac and cheese. The problem? I don’t usually like mac and cheese… and I’m actually terrible at making it. So instead of following the rules, I said “forget all that heavy cream, milk nonsense” and just started experimenting and trusting my intuition.

Here’s what changed everything: I cooked the noodles in beef Better Than Bouillon (yes, the paste — trust me), drained them, and then went in with cream cheese, freshly shredded sharp cheddar (you have to shred it yourself), and a little butter. The seasonings are what make it though — garlic powder (light hand), onion powder (same amount, also light), and smoked paprika. That’s it. Nothing fancy, just intentional. Taste as you go because this gets rich fast — sometimes less really is more.

I don’t say this lightly, but this mac and cheese may have altered my life path and I ended up making this two nights in a row (I had to try it sober to verify it was indeed as amazing as I thought). It’s creamy, smoky, deeply comforting, and doesn’t taste like sad cafeteria noodles or that kraft trash you make your kids. I imagine you could elevate this further by adding in some brisket or pulled pork.

If you’re someone who thinks you “don’t like mac and cheese,” or struggle with getting a good creamy consistency; this might be your redemption arc.

Highly recommend making it a little stoned, trusting your instincts, and letting the paprika do its thing. #macandcheeserecipe #latenightsnack