Don't mess with a good thing.

I had a lot to say about this mac 'n' cheese. It's fabulous. There were some really intelligent things about this stuff vs. cafeteria macaroni, and all the reasons I like it, and a facsinating rant about how people shouldn't try to make classic lunchroom foods into 'gourmet' delicacies. There was a good joke about ladies in hairnets, too.

Then my computer alt-deleted my entire post. And now all of that is gone. I am filled with rage.

Since I'm too lazy to try and recreate all that brilliance, let me give you the bullet points instead.

• This is a 'light' recipe. One serving has 403 calories, 11 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, and 36 mg cholersterol. Pretty good, compared to the original.



• Since it's light, the sauce doesn't taste so... heavy. That pun was just as bad in the first draft.



• It's super easy to make. Only five ingredients, commonly found in most kitchens, and 20-25 minutes of prep time. Much of that is your basic pasta-cooking stuff. Boiling copious amounts of water takes a while.



• Kids will eat this. It tastes very normal. I promise.



• If you're making it as a side dish to chicken nuggets or something, I would half the recipe. It keeps well enough, but it does make LOTS.

I got this out of my mom's Healthy Cooking magazine, which is a quarterly off-shoot of Taste of Home magazine. However, they don't like you looking at the recipes from the magazine on the website, unless you're paying for them (like you would be if you bought the hard copy) so I can't link you directly to the source. I did throw the link in here, though, because it is a great resource if you're trying to cook for a family and be calorie-conscious at the same time.

Makeover Macaroni and Cheese (from Healthy Cooking magazine)

16 oz. elbow macaroni

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 cups fat-free (skim) milk

16 oz. reduced-fat (mine was called 2% milk) Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in processed cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese until smooth. Drain macaroni; stir into cheese sauce.

2. Remove from the heat; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.