View Full Version : FBC Mac n Cheese
Looking for Mac N Cheese, FBC style. I have two thoughts. The "microwave" Easy Mac. Soak noodles for 10 minutes drain as necessary add powder. Other thought, regular Mac, cook noodles in Jetboil Cup, drain, add to FB with ingredients. Other suggestions?
The microwave version has the advantage of not needing extra ingredients like butter and milk.
Cheesy Couscous (http://www.trailcooking.com/recipes/cheesy-couscous) works fantastically.
Cheesy Couscous
Ingredients
1⁄2 c couscous (whole wheat or regular)
3 T cheese sauce powder
1 T dry milk
1⁄4 t salt
1 c water
Instructions
At home package everything in a quart freezer or sandwich bag, depending on method used.
FBC method:
Add 1 cup near boiling water to the freezer bag. Stir well, seal tightly and put in a cozy for 10 minutes. Fluff up.
One pot method:
Bring 1 cup water to a boil and turn off the stove. Add in the dry ingredients and stir well. Cover tightly and let sit for 10 minutes. In cold weather use a pot cozy to insulate. Fluff up.
Notes
Notes:
Cheese sauce powder is what comes in boxes of mac and cheese but also can be bought separately. Some grocery stores carry it in bulk bins or on the shelves in shaker containers, just like shelf stable Parmesan cheese. Or find it online at www.packitgourmet.com/Cheese-Sauce-Powder-p315.html (http://www.packitgourmet.com/Cheese-Sauce-Powder-p315.html)
For a natural version of cheese sauce powder see here: http://www.frontiercoop.com/products.php?ct=dfmbc&cn=Cheese+Powder
You can also use an ounce of cheddar cheese (get it in stick form, just like string cheese). Dice it up and add with the water.
This dish is mild tasting which is why for little kids it works well if they don't have a wide experience with flavors. Or for adults who don't like their food spicy or seasoned.
~This recipe is from our first book, Freezer Bag Cooking: Trail Food Made Simple.
PS...oops on the weird formatting, that is what I get for cut n' pasting it from the website :p
mad4scrapping
05-15-2011, 14:00
Sarbar-- I have your cookbook and have tried several recipes already. they are great. I'm looking forward to trying this one.
Simple instructions for FBC mac 'n cheese (using the regular kind, not the Easy Mac):
1) Boil 2 cups of water
2) Add to freezer bag with mac (don't add the cheese powder yet)
3) Let sit in cozy for 10 minutes
4) Add cheese powder. Stir.
5) Eat.
Ant other methods will be more work or more weight to carry.
Rocket Jones
05-15-2011, 18:24
Pre-cook the macaroni at home, then dehydrate it. That way, you're just rehydrating with the boiling water, not cooking it.
The way I do it is to bag dehydrated macaroni, peas, a little onion and Nido milk for the water. The cheese comes ten minutes later, along with a diced spam single and sometimes a clove of garlic.
Pre-cook the macaroni at home, then dehydrate it. That way, you're just rehydrating with the boiling water, not cooking it.
You don't need to precook macaroni. If you add boiling water and keep it warm (in a cozy or something), the macaroni will cook just fine. I've done this dozens of times.
The same method works for almost any kind of thin-ish pasta: angel hair, tortellini, etc.
Rocket Jones
05-16-2011, 06:29
You don't need to precook macaroni. If you add boiling water and keep it warm (in a cozy or something), the macaroni will cook just fine. I've done this dozens of times.
The same method works for almost any kind of thin-ish pasta: angel hair, tortellini, etc.
That's never worked for me with macaroni, which is why I started to pre-cook.
In any event, you absolutely should test your recipes at home beforehand. Adapt to what works for you with the gear you have.
Cooking mac in the Jetboil cup can get really sticky and difficult cleanup. I vote for the method of adding the boiling water to the bag, and putting it in the cozy.
Kerosene
05-16-2011, 13:11
a) Is the taste of regular mac-n-cheese palatable without the addition of dried milk?
b) How does microwaveable mac-n-cheese turn out with an FBC approach?
The easy way is to put the "microwave" mac and cheese in a freezer bag and add the correct amount of water as is on package. Then drop that bag into boiling water. Good eatin's and no mess.
The easy way is to put the "microwave" mac and cheese in a freezer bag and add the correct amount of water as is on package. Then drop that bag into boiling water. Good eatin's and no mess.
The only issue there is that you're carrying needless water weight (in the cooked mac and the "cheese" sauce. Personally, I like my food to be as light as everything else in my pack. But if people want to schlep around unnecessary weight, it's their hike.
The only issue there is that you're carrying needless water weight (in the cooked mac and the "cheese" sauce. Personally, I like my food to be as light as everything else in my pack. But if people want to schlep around unnecessary weight, it's their hike.
There's no needless water weight. The water in the pot (not the bag) can be put back with the rest of your drinking water. The issue is that this method uses more fuel to heat up more water.
I thought that Easy Mac was the one that's precooked and all you have to do is heat it. Do you still add water? If so, how is it different from regular mac'n cheese?
I thought that Easy Mac was the one that's precooked and all you have to do is heat it. Do you still add water? If so, how is it different from regular mac'n cheese?
Yes, you still have to add water. The cheese mix is separate and doesn't require milk to be added. The difference is that the noodles wet through much faster, and it seems to me that the noodles have thinner walls and a different texture. I'd love to buy the noodles separately in bulk.
firegazer
05-16-2011, 19:59
I make a wonderful on the trail Mac and cheese...Just prepare mac and cheese at home (from scratch or the box), add a can of tuna, dehydrate overnight, place in small zip lock bag. On the trail, add water to just cover, and heat. It tastes like it is fresh from scratch.
How about hydrating some ramen noodles in a FB and then adding some of the cheese sauce form the Velveta shells and cheese and some tuna? It may be gross, but I was just wondering if anyone has tried this.
How about hydrating some ramen noodles in a FB and then adding some of the cheese sauce form the Velveta shells and cheese and some tuna? It may be gross, but I was just wondering if anyone has tried this.
Your best bet on that is to cook and dehydrate the box pasta first at home, then you can rehydrate it in a FB and yes, add the sauce and so on. It works and is good!
Wow, didn't know I needed a college degree on how to cook mac n cheese. I feel so shtupid now. Here I was, thinking, all I had to do was heat water, soak macaroni, drain a little water off, or if you I'm really in Iron Chef mode, use JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT of water to not have to drain anything, and mix with orange death powdered cheese-like sauce! No milk needed. No butter needed. If in doubt, directions are printed on the box!
It's almost as easy as dehydrating oatmeal!
I coudn't help myself.
Pasta isn't precooked in most cases (ramen is deep fried so is cooked) hence why one needs to boil it for best results or precook at home and dry.
SKessler
08-11-2011, 20:51
For me, nothing beats a half stick of butter in trail mac and cheese!