WATCH #ParentingHacks: 5-minute microwave mac & cheese | Life

21 Sep 2017

By Bashiera Parker

We've put together a great 5-minute mac & cheese recipe that you can make from start to finish in the microwave.

That's right, the microwave!

This is a great parenting hack if you're in need of a quick and easy snack for the kids, or even yourself, after coming home from a long day at the office.

Toddlers can self-feed, under adult supervision, of course, while the cooking time and quantity also makes this recipe ideal for school lunchboxes.

And you know what? It's creamy AND delicious!

Check out the video below:

Ingredients:

½ cup elbow noodles
1 cup milk
½ cup finely grated cheese
extra cheese to top it off

Tips and tricks:

Cooking time will vary according to the power of your microwave. However, the smaller your noodles, the better. We recommend smaller elbow noodles as they cook the fastest in the microwave.
If you find that you don’t have milk at home, don’t fret, you can also cook your noodles in water. However, we recommend milk for a creamier finish.
We also suggest that you place your cup, mug or bowl, in a larger bowl as the milk tends to boil over in the microwave. It’s therefore also important to stir your noodles in 1 minute intervals. When you stop to stir your noodles, also pour the milk that may have poured over back into your cup, to ensure that it continues to cook.
Once your noodles are done cooking, if there's about a tablespoon of milk left in the noodles, leave it - combined with the cheese, this will give you your creamier finish.
After cooking, your cup, mug or bowl, and larger bowl, will be piping hot. Don't forget to wear oven mitts and let it cool for a few minutes.
We recommend adding a pinch of salt to your mac & cheese, just to give it a bit of flavour and make it even more yummy. However, if you're making this for babies and toddlers, it's preferable not to add any.

Enjoy!

Also see:

Try out this slime recipe and send us your comments and pictures to chatback@parent24.com and we may just publish them.

Sign up to our weekly newsletter to receive Parent24 stories directly to your inbox.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred

Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.

Join News24 today