There isn’t a comfort food more comforting than mac and cheese. The delicious squishy noodles, the melty cheese, and the inner warmth it provides makes it a classic nearly impossible to live without. We took this diner food staple and turned it up a notch to provide you with mac and cheesy goodness no matter where your adventures take you. This is camp mac and cheese three ways.
DUTCH OVEN MAC BAKE
It doesn’t get more classic than this. When you have a lot of mouths to feed, you better grab a dutch oven.
Ingredients:
- 16 oz Cavatappi pasta or elbow macaroni
- 4-6 cups water
- 4 cups milk
- 8 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup of flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- 2-4 tbsp of cream cheese (chopped)
Prepare coals or briquettes in a campfire. Add water and pasta to dutch oven. Place the lid on the oven and place the oven over approximately seven coals.Use tongs to arrange 14 coals over the lid.
While the noodles cook, shred cheese with a camp shredder. Cook the noodles for approximately 12-18 minutes, until pasta is aldente and there is only a small amount of liquid left. Remove pasta.
Melt butter and stir in flour, salt, pepper, ground mustard, and nutmeg. Slowly stir in milk and cream cheese into roux. Remove from coals and stir in the rest of cheese and noddles. Once the cheese has melted into the mac, let cool slightly and scoop into bowls and serve. Feeds 6.
BACON JALAPENO ‘N’ CHEESE
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cavatappi pasta
- 8 slices bacon
- 2 jalapenos
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cups milk
- 4 cups cheddar
- Salt and pepper
Place a Glacier Stainless 5L pot and frying pan over a two-burner stove. Cook pasta in pot according to package directions. While pasta cooks, dice bacon, garlic, and jalapenos. Heat pan on medium heat and cook bacon until crispy, set aside. Add diced jalapeno and garlic to pot and cook to soften. Add flour and milk and whisk over low heat until smooth. Add shredded cheese and whisk until combined. Drain pasta, add cheese sauce and bacon bits to pasta, and stir to combine. Serves 4.
BACKCOUNTRY SPICY MAC
The one-time box mac and cheese is acceptable: when weight matters.
Ingredients:
- 1 box mac of cheese
- Powdered milk
- Water
- Sriracha sauce in a Condiment Bottle
Cook mac and cheese in a small pot by package directions. Add water to the amount of powdered milk called for by the package. When pasta is done, drain water. Add cheese powder and milk and stir. Squeeze in sriracha sauce and stir to taste. Enjoy your pasta with a kick! Save the box and cheese packet and pack it out. Serves one.
Go back to your childhood roots and submit to the cheesiness with camp mac and cheese.
