Easy Peasy Mac'n'Cheesey

At the moment, I'm pretty busy. OK, maybe that's an understatement - perhaps insanely busy would be more accurate. For example, I left for work this morning at 7.30. I arrived home from work at 9.30. To my mind, that constitutes a long day - but I still gotta eat! Now, desperate times call for desperate measures. And this recipe is a pretty desperate measure - it's a) processed (which I'm normally not a big fan of!) and b) really carb-heavy (even by my standards). But it's filling, comforting, and it has quite a bit of protein. And above all, it's easy, even when you get home from a 14 hour day. And it makes you feel all comforted and warm inside.

Normally, packet mac'n'cheese is pretty bland (to say the least). But this trick elevates it into something that is actually quite yummy!

Easy Peasy Mac'n'Cheesey

You will need:

1 packet microwaveable mac'n'cheese (plus ingredients specified by the packet - usually milk, water and/or butter) - I use Basco's (cuz it's gluten free!)
3-4 Tbsp grated good quality Parmesan or Peccorino cheese - the stronger, the better
Tiny sprinkle cracked black pepper

Microwave safe bowl

1. Prepare mac'n'cheese in the microwave as per instructions on the packet.
2. As soon as the cooking is finished and the macaroni is tender and the sauce reduced, stir in the grated cheese. It will melt through and make the sauce all gooey and rich.
   
3. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper to serve.

That's it! Soooo incredibly easy but a huge improvement over what normally comes out of the packet. There are heaps of variations - you can add chopped ham or other cold meat, or fry up some bacon or mushrooms to stir in - but always start with the Parmesan or Peccorino.

Please - make your mother happy and serve it with salad.