Wetfoot

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I just started noticing it recently on restaurant menus. Not surprised with the current bacon-wrapped-over-the-top-calorie-count-Anthony Bourdain-will-love-it food mega trend. Personally, I can't imagine ordering Mac N Cheese as dinner but obviously lots of folks are into it. Of course I loved it as a kid at home as a side dish (even the boxed stuff), and we still make it as an occasional side dish (with swankier cheese). But entree status?

So, do you think MnC, as entree, is the latest 'dumbing down' of American culture or the hippest thing ever?

BrewKnurd

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I had a lobster mac and cheese entree once. It was phenomenal.

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Hammy71

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Well..It says Kraft Mac and Cheese dinner on the box.....Just sayin.

Raenon

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IMHO... Mac and cheese is a side, but as soon as you start adding other stuff to it though, especially meat (or standin proteins for the vegetarian crowd), it starts crossing into "pasta" territory.
The only real difference at that point is cheese selection, as you could easily use an alfredo on any noodle shape, including elbow macaroni. Is it really that different because it uses a cheddar-blend base?

Personally, I'm a fan of a good macaroni with a meat sauce on top. You can either make it as cheap and easy or as fancy as you like simply by swapping out your ingredients.
Like... whole wheat pasta, with cheddar and smoked gouda, and shredded barbecue beef on top

iaefebs

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That was a good one.

E-Mursed

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To my grandchildren...mac and cheese is definitely an entree.

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ChshreCat

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I've never made mac-n-cheese as a side. It's always been a main dish. Never occurred to me that it could be used as a side dish, now that I think about it. Would be like making lasagna as a side dish.

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milldoggy

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A side where I come from

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Revvy

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It's been an entree on many restaurant menus for 20-30 years at least. I remember eating it in trendy food joints and even on brew pub menus in the 80's. It's always been there, you just haven't noticed it.

At at home it's more an entree item than a side when I make it, heck I can't think of any time where I've actually made it as a side dish. I've had it as a side, but it I'm going to make it, that's going to be the main dish.

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Captainfester

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My wife makes hands down the best home made Mac on the planet. If I can't get her to divulge the recipe I will post it cause it's that good. It is served as a side but when it is made, it is all I eat for dinner.

Fantastic.