Mac and cheese/butter

[Bruce Hudson]

Just returned from the local Krogers-- trying to expand my eating beyond Ramon. Got a fair amount of Lipton and Knoor stuff, tinfoil packets of chicken and tuna but I keep reading everybody's favorite (well maybe not everbody's) being Mac and Cheese. I'm a good cook at home. I don't eat this stuff normally. ARe you talking about those kraft packages that say to boil the noodles for 8 min. or so then add butter, salt and cheese? OK about the butter. The little squeeze bottle, " I can't believe it's Butter" comes from the cooler and says it's best if refrigerated. Best?? Does that mean eatable if not refrigerated? What are you using for butter? And of course the packages I looked at said something bout milk and cheese. You have to have your own cheese? What's in the package besides the pasta?

Please enlighten me.

Bruce Hudson

[le loupe]

I think i've been making something called EasyMac that doesnt require any butter or milk and is very cheesy and delicious (if you're into that sort of thing)

typically its made in the microwave, although with a little experimentation it could be adapted to the trail

[le loupe]

I make it for my kids - I don't eat it myself- they loooove it.

[fiddlehead]

What? a hiker that hasn't done mac and cheese yet? You are a rare breed for sure.

You don't really have to put butter in but it does make it taste better and will give you some fat that you need. I believe the thing that is called "i can't believe it's not butter" is trans fat and not very nutritional but will make your mac & cheese taste better.

I carry butter sometimes but i have a special nalgene container that i rarely see for sale anywhere that does not leak. good luck finding one.

Also milk is optional but does make it taste better. (powdered of course although i met a hiker that was carrying a gallon of whole mile already)
The cheese comes inside the box in a separate packet.

Also, there are many things you can add besides the chicken or tuna to please your taste buds and nutrition: dried veggies (onion, tomoatoes, brocolli, cauli, mushrooms, use your imagination), those little dried shrimps that oriental stores sell in different sizes, fiddleheads, ramps, nuts, beans, bread crumbs (or ritz crackers) sprinkled on top, again, use your imagination.

I hiked with a guy who ate one of these EVERY night on the trail. He had the exact same thing the whole thru-hike (with a can of tuna added)(that was before the foil pouches came out)

Enjoy and let us know some of your variations after being out there a while.

[Pokey2006]

You can carry real butter for a long time, even in the heat, if you clarify it first, making something called "ghee." Heat up the butter in a sauce pan, keeping it from boiling. Once the sediments fall to the bottom, skim off any foam from the top, then carefully pour it into a container, leaving the sediments in the pot.

If it's only a couple of days, regular butter or that fake butter stuff would probably keep just fine.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I use olive oil instead of the butter and it taste fine. Do the same with instant potatoes and stuffing.

[Pokey2006]

I think you can even get olive oil in little individual-serve packets nowaways, can't you? I might have to try that myself.

[sarbar]

Minimus.biz carries olive oil packets - each one is one serving. Otherwise, yes you can carry oil for extended periods. Ghee can be made easily at home or you can get it ethnic/natural food stores.
Way better than liquid fake butter

[Tipi Walter]

Right next to the regular Kraft mac and cheese is the Annie's organic mac and cheese which I usually take out with me. In a ziploc, of course. I never pour off the water and add the powder after the noodles are cooked, etc. I can time it to end up cooked with just the amount of water I want. There's nothing quite like a pot of good old mac and cheese at the end of a long hiking day. Carbo loading defined.

[Flush2wice]

Right next to the regular Kraft mac and cheese is the Annie's organic mac and cheese which I usually take out with me. In a ziploc, of course. I never pour off the water and add the powder after the noodles are cooked, etc. I can time it to end up cooked with just the amount of water I want. There's nothing quite like a pot of good old mac and cheese at the end of a long hiking day. Carbo loading defined.

Yeah, and if your dehydrating stuff, forget the veggies for the Mac; dehydrate some wieners. Nathan's or Hebrew Nationals are the best. Way better and lighter than a can of tuna. Also- there's not really a need to clarify butter. It will get eaten long before it spoils. It lasts for weeks without refrigeration. So does Mayo by the way. And fresh eggs too.

[Pokey2006]

True, clarifying it is only really needed when it's hot out and you're out for more than a couple days. After a while in the heat, regular butter does go rancid.

Mac and cheese doesn't taste the same without real butter, or clarified butter (tastes the same). Gotta have it.

[budforester]

Just returned from the local Krogers-- trying to expand my eating beyond Ramon. Got a fair amount of Lipton and Knoor stuff, tinfoil packets of chicken and tuna but I keep reading everybody's favorite (well maybe not everbody's) being Mac and Cheese. I'm a good cook at home. I don't eat this stuff normally. ARe you talking about those kraft packages that say to boil the noodles for 8 min. or so then add butter, salt and cheese? OK about the butter. The little squeeze bottle, " I can't believe it's Butter" comes from the cooler and says it's best if refrigerated. Best?? Does that mean eatable if not refrigerated? What are you using for butter? And of course the packages I looked at said something bout milk and cheese. You have to have your own cheese? What's in the package besides the pasta?

Please enlighten me.

Bruce Hudson

There's a box in my grub supply; a picture is at this Kraft link. Half a box is enough for me, usually. Oh... you can get it with macaroni action- figures, too. Boil the pasta and drain most of the water. Add a heavy squirt of olive oil, butter, margarine, whatever. Add a couple or three spoons of milk powder and the powdered cheese sauce mix (cheese mix is in an envelope). Stir it up and eat... there are endless variations of add- ins and seasonings. These things are cheap enough to experiment with and it ain't rocket- science... most anything will be edible to a hungry hiker.

[rambunny]

Hint from Aswah-add a to-go packet or two of mayonaise!

[mudhead]

Couscous, parmesean, basil, fat of choice.

[pure_mahem]

I use olive oil it comes out great. Of course I add a little tomato powder, dehydrated hamburger, and some crushed red peppers! Now that's a meal!!!

[Nomad94]

I use a small screwtop ziploc style tupperware for butter. It lasts for well over a week. If a little mold does grow it will start on the outside and is easily removed.

Clarifying butter is easy, even in the field, if you want to go that route. The leftover solids are *awesome* on popcorn.

Salad dressing is another favorite for mixing with the pre-made meals (or ramen). Lightweight plastic hip flasks are great containers for dressings and olive oil.

[Wise Old Owl]

OK the vote is in No further posts are needed, Fiddlehead has the question for 500, FD is just behind by 300 and Sabar nailed the question because there wasn't any need to clean up after the dinner.

Yes, I am playing favorites, but you won't starve!

[grayl1te]

I use coconut oil instead of olive oil. It goes rancid much slower than olive oil, tastes better (to me) and can be solid depending on the temps outside.

[mkmangold]

I use coconut oil instead of olive oil. It goes rancid much slower than olive oil, tastes better (to me) and can be solid depending on the temps outside.

Or, Butter Buds, dry milk or Nido (which has fat, I believe), dry cheese package, and the right amount of water left over after cooking the noodles. It works. May not be gourmet but it works. And you don't end up lugging around a large amount of liquid.

[Zzzzdyd]

I use olive oil instead of the butter and it taste fine. Do the same with instant potatoes and stuffing.

Yep I carry a small nalgene for extra virgin OO, 1 oz goes a long way. Parkay works great too !