Name: Kids Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 2 cups elbow macaroni (8 ounces); 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese (4 ounces); 8–10 thin slices deli American cheese , torn into small pieces (4 ounces); 1 tablespoon cornstarch; ½ teaspoon dry mustard; ½ teaspoon table salt; 2 cups water; 1 cup milk; ½ cup frozen peas (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

With this mostly-hands-off baked macaroni and cheese, even the youngest chefs can help make dinner. First, we stir together the dry ingredients right in the baking dish, including dried elbow macaroni and two types of cheese (let your young chefs tear up the slices of American cheese). Then we add two liquids (water and milk), cover the baking dish, and bake until the sauce is creamy and the macaroni is tender. Have your young chef taste the cheddar and American cheeses. How are they similar? How are they different? And why do they think they need to use both in this recipe? The cheddar cheese adds lots of flavor, but it doesn’t melt well. The American cheese contains special salts that, when they melt, help keep our cheese sauce smooth. Without the American, your mac and cheese would end up grainy and greasy.

Before You Begin

Make sure to use thinly sliced American cheese from the deli section of your grocery store in this recipe, not individually wrapped cheese “singles”—they are made from different ingredients.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. In 8-inch square baking dish, use rubber spatula to toss together macaroni, cheddar, American cheese, cornstarch, mustard, and salt.

Pour water and milk over macaroni mixture. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil.

Place baking dish in oven and bake until macaroni is tender, about 35 minutes. Use oven mitts to remove baking dish from oven and place on cooling rack (ask an adult for help).

Uncover and use rubber spatula to carefully stir mixture together until it looks creamy (ask an adult for help—baking dish will be hot!), about 1 minute. Stir in peas (if using). Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir once more before serving.