When did Mac N Cheese become an Entree?

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

imagesCA6ZM95E.jpg
 
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 ;)
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Yeah, mac and cheese was a side for us growing up, but once you add protein, it becomes an entree. Actually, now that I think about it, I've had mac and cheese (just plain mac and cheese) for lunch many many times.
 
With the kids all out of the house, my wife and I enjoy Mac and Cheese with some added proteins as our "entree." One of our favorites is to cut up a ring of kielbasa, "nuke" it to warm it up, and fold it into the pasta and cheese just before serving.

glenn514:mug:
 
glenn514 said:
With the kids all out of the house, my wife and I enjoy Mac and Cheese with some added proteins as our "entree." One of our favorites is to cut up a ring of kielbasa, "nuke" it to warm it up, and fold it into the pasta and cheese just before serving.

glenn514:mug:
Click to expand...

Try throwing the kielbasa into a pan and frying it a little until it gets browned and a little crispy at the edges before adding it to the mac'n'cheese.
 
Hey, ChshreCat...thanks for the idea! That DOES sound good! Recently, we've also used some Johnsonville turkey and cheddar sausages...and THAT was yummy, too. But frying the pieces up a bit prior to putting it in the mac 'n cheese does sound even better!

glenn514:mug:
 
Wetfoot said:
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?
Click to expand...

I think you are mischaracterizing both Mr. Bourdain and mac and cheese when you say that they are part of the over the top food trend. But I do think that Mr. Bourdain can be used to explain the trend which brought about mac and cheese as a upscale restaurant entree.

Mr. Bourdain very rarely (if ever) eats bacon wrapped pork loin. He spends most of his time exploring everyday street food and poor man's food in a particular culture. One of the things he looks for is what a local might eat after a long night of drinks if he needed a snack before he went to bed. And that is exactly the kind of dish that mac and cheese is.

I think what you are seeing is comfort food being offered at fancy restaurants, with fancy preparation. The kind of food you would make for yourself or seek out if you were coming home drunk. Ramen; biscuits and gravy; fried chicken; and yes, mac and cheese.

As with any food trend, you are going to see abuses. But consider this. If your favorite chef is capable of making any number of amazing dishes and still reserves a spot for mac and cheese, chances are the mac and cheese is pretty awesome.
 
There's a place locally that makes beer brats with Arrogant Bastard. I'm gonna be trying some of those soon.
 
Had this at the Hopcat in Grand Rapids:

Killer Mac & Cheese $8.95
Resistance is futile! Have it as is or create your own for $3. Add one meat & one veggie or two veggies. Meats, marinated chicken, sloppy Joseph, smoked bacon, or chorizo. Veggies, Roasted peppers, herb tomatoes, fresh spinach, basil or jalapenos. Signature dish alert!

If they hadn't stopped serving me that day, I'd probably still be eating it!
 
Soupy mac n cheese is a side. Baked mac and cheese is an entree. And one of my favorites.

maxam said:
So, wait... Is there something wrong with wrapping other foods in bacon?
Click to expand...

No. No there is not.
 
What you do is you mix a whole bag of frozen broccoli with mac n cheese. It's great! Kids love it and it's not a junk food anymore. Mac n Cheese with broccoli is an entree.
 
I was forced to eat the boxed stuff as an entree as a kid, both plain and with stuff added to it. I've made it as a side dish but I've eaten it as a restaurant as the entree. Gordon Biersch serves a lobster mac and cheese I really like.
 
maxam said:
So, wait... Is there something wrong with wrapping other foods in bacon?
Click to expand...

Wait a minute...what about deep fried bacon, wrapped in bacon, pan fried, then beer battered and fried again...then...wait for it...

Dill pickles, battered and fried in bacon grease...

I really miss my South...

:tank:
 
Raenon said:
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 ;)
Click to expand...

Yes
 
This should be a poll along with considering the state each person is from.

I like polls!

Mac n Cheese has always been an entree for me.
 

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