JOPLIN, Mo. — With my 5-year-old grandson, Atlas, visiting, I’m learning lots of new things. For instance, I didn’t know Burger King has a macaroni and cheese kid’s meal.

The mac and cheese, along with apple fries, is a favorite at our house. I have never been a big fan of macaroni and cheese, preferring instead macaroni and tomatoes or any kind of potatoes. And, I’m pretty sure I’ve never fixed macaroni and cheese from scratch.

Instead, it’s the Kraft Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese that’s usually in my cabinet for use once in a while, so it’s a good time to revisit this kid’s menu staple.

My “More Please Macaroni & Cheese” cookbook by Deanna Keahley and Steve Kilner is full of mac and cheese variations and ideas. It also has the top 10 reasons to eat it, including how it tastes great, is easy to make, cheap, fast, a meal in itself and has as few as two ingredients.

Some of the rejected reasons: It doesn’t taste like brussel sprouts, you can eat it without any teeth and it protects your fall if you nod off at the dinner table. Love the last one.

I especially like the “What Goes on Top” section. How about breadcrumbs, French fried onion rings, crushed Doritos or potato chips, crushed crackers, mustard, paprika, parsley, pepperoni, pesto sauce or stuffing mix on top of that baked concoction? These toppings work best on baked dishes, but will work on stovetop mixes as well.

To spice up your macaroni and cheese, try adding some cayenne pepper, celery, garlic, mustard, nutmeg, sauteed onions or Tabasco or Worcestershire sauce for a more grown-up dish. If baking, add the seasoning before baking. For other variations, stir in just before serving.

Use less or no butter and skim or low-fat milk to lower the calorie count when fixing mac and cheese and as always when cooking pasta, don’t add oil to the boiling water, just a little salt.

Adding meatballs, sausage, hot dogs, hamburger or ham will make a dandy meal. Be sure to cook the meat before adding it to the macaroni and cheese. Buy a roasted chicken and add the meat to your dish. Easy and tasty.

For side dishes, add sauted spinach, corn, green beans, fresh tomatoes, mixed vegetables or sauted red bell peppers for two great tastes in one. There’s lots you can do to make something good even better and appealing to even those like me who can take or leave macaroni and cheese.

I was happy to hear from my friend Pauline Birsner. She passed along the best tip for peeling tomatoes she said she got from a co-worker.

Using a serrated knife, run the knife up and down over the peel. Remove the core and bottom of the tomato and peel.

I tried this and it is now the only way I will peel tomatoes. You must use a serrated knife and you must press fairly hard on the tomato. Just be sure to not press so hard as to puncture the peel.

Thank you, Pauline, for sharing this great tip. I’m all for anything that gets that tomato ready to eat faster.

Having Atlas here is a good excuse to go to different places for entertainment. Friday night was the Shriner’s tractor pull in Carthage where announcer Mark Simpson caught me yawning real big between bites of a delicious hamburger.

Saturday featured a trip to Silver Dollar City with my nephew Billy, his wife, Teresa, and Teresa’s daughter and granddaughter Brandy and Baylee. Atlas rode a bigger roller coaster than I did.

Then Sunday was the “Toy Story 3” movie with Aunt Sue where we had some popcorn with our butter and it tasted fabulous. I enjoyed every single minute of the weekend, but I can’t decide if it’s keeping me young or making me age faster!

“More Please Macaroni & Cheese” has low fat, Crock-Pot, microwave and stovetop recipes; something for everyone’s preference. I’m including three today.

The souffle recipe is light and fancy enough for even a grown-up lunch. The tuna casserole recipe is just about perfect, except I would crush some potato chips on the top. If I’m in a hurry, I usually just warm up this dish in the macaroni pan, but I like the melted cheese that gets a little brown when it’s baked.

The broccoli cheese casserole is a twist on the all-time favorite broccoli rice casserole and will please the young and and not-so-young alike.

Happy birthday tomorrow to my dad and happy eating to everyone this week.

 

Souffle

4 ounces elbow macaroni

3 eggs, separated

1 1/3 cups milk

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup soft breadcrumbs (1 slice of bread)

Salt and pepper

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook macaroni in boiling, salted water, until al dente. Drain.

While macaroni is cooking, separate eggs. Beat yolks lightly then combine with milk in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add breadcrumbs and macaroni to cheese; mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Whisk one-fourth of the egg whites into the macaroni, then carefully fold in the remaining whites, gently but thoroughly. Fill sprayed individual souffle dishes almost to the top with macaroni mixture. Smooth the top.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until top is well puffed up and golden brown. Serve immediately. Makes 8 individual souffles.

 

Tuna casserole

1 box macaroni and cheese

1/4 cup milk

3/4 can cream of mushroom soup

1 (6 ounce) can water packed tuna, drained

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup shredded Jack cheese

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cook macaroni in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and return to cooking pot. Add milk, soup and contents of cheese packet to macaroni; stir until well combined.

Stir in tuna and dill weed; mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Put mixture into baking dish, smoothing the top. Spread cheeses over top.

Bake 20 minutes or just until lightly brown. Serves 4.

 

Broccoli cheese casserole

1 box macaroni and cheese

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup margarine or butter

2 cups broccoli florets

3/4 cup diced onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare macaroni and cheese with milk and margarine according to package directions.

While macaroni is cooking, saute onion in olive oil until softened. Add broccoli, onion and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese to macaroni and cheese, mixing thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Put into a casserole dish, smoothing the top.

In a bowl, beat milk and eggs until well combined. Pour milk mixture over macaroni. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and remaining cheese. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown. Serves 4 to 6.

Address correspondence to Cheryle Finley, cÚo The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802.