So there’s a lot to read, and also a lot to talk about today during our Free Range chat. That’s our weekly live visit with you, dear readers. You get a chance to ask questions, we get a chance to answer them, and after an hour, everybody signs off happy. See what I mean by being there at noon sharp.
We don’t get to every question, but we try. Here’s a leftover from a recent chat.
I took mac and cheese to work and reheated it in the microwave. It came out with big pools of oil in the bottom of the container. Is that just what happens to mac and cheese, or was it because it got too hot?
It just so happens that macaroni and cheese is a subject dear to my heart. You DO remember my Mac-and-Cheese-O-Matic chart from about a year ago, right? Right? Please say you do. Well, anyway, suffice it to say that I love the stuff.
I’ve never thought the microwave was the best vehicle for reheating it. Yes, your lunch probably got too hot in there, and the oil separated from the cheese and oozed into that unappetizing puddle.
Not only that, but your food was probably a little dry. When you stashed it in your refrigerator, the pasta continued to soak up moisture. That didn’t help the reheating process.
Given a choice, here’s how I would do it: Put some milk in a saucepan, maybe a half-cup or so, and heat it with a little butter. When the milk gets hot and steamy, add a couple cups of leftover mac and cheese and stir constantly until it incorporates the milk and is heated through. You could even add a little fresh cheese at the end. If you don’t let the mixture get too hot, you should be able to reconstitute it so that it’s close to its previous creamy goodness.
At work, you might not have a saucepan and a stove. Still, you can heat milk and butter in a microwave-safe container, then mix in the mac and cheese. Reheat gently (not on full power) and stir frequently. Do it right, and your oily puddles will be a thing of the past. Enjoy.
And try this baker’s dozen of mac and cheese faves from our Recipe Finder:
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Macaroni and Cheese (healthful version)
Baked Macaroni With Cheese
Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese
Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
Classic Macaroni and Cheese
Grandmother’s Macaroni and Cheese
Indian Macaroni and Cheese
Lobster Mac and Four Cheeses
Low-Fat Soul Baked Mac and Cheese
Mushroom and Spinach Macaroni and Cheese
Shrimp and Pesto Macaroni and Cheese
Tim’s Macaroni and Cheese
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