Beefy Mac & Cheese!

Time, money, and ease of recipe are important to the college student who cooks for himself. One must fit in some time to cook around class, homework, and parties.  What's worse is being restricted to the measly income from any low-paying campus job, if you are lucky enough to have one. This recipe should allow any student with minimal (or none) cooking experience to make an easy, delicious, and frugal meal to soak up all the alcohol in his or her system.

Since a student’s budget is often limited, shop with thrift in mind. Buy in bulk as often as possible, maximizing your price per unit. Always go for store brands, and learn the convenience of coupon clipping. When choosing products, overlook fillers and additives in the ingredients list and instead focus on the tremendous savings. The college lifestyle is already unhealthy enough, so why should your eating habits be any different?

The ingredients are simple:

· 1 box of macaroni and cheese (Kraft or Velveeta are perfect)

· 2 cups water

· 1/2 cup milk

· 4 tbsp butter

· 1 lb. ground beef

· 1 packet taco seasoning (Taco Bell or Ortega work great)

· Hot sauce

· Tortilla chips

Begin by putting a small saucepan filled with water on one burner, and a large shallow pan on another. Let the water boil and start to brown the beef in the pan. Be sure to turn the meat to ensure it is cooked thoroughly. This can get a little dicey, so be careful. You might want to wear a protective bib or apron, and probably some long thick gloves or oven mitts. As the beef simmers in its own grease, it has a tendency to bubble and splash back vengefully at the chef, in an attempt to punish anyone who dares to cook it. I still have plenty of scars from nights when this spiteful dish has lashed out at me, and believe me when I tell you it is NOT something to cook while in a bathing suit, especially after a few beers. So take this cautionary tale and remember to cover up, and save all drinking for after the meal is prepared.

Once the meat is fully cooked you may drain the grease. Replace the pan and meat to the burner, turning it down to simmer.  Add taco seasoning and water, mixing well until the meat is saturated with spicy flavor. Mix it up with additional spices of your choosing, such as chili powder, cayenne, or cilantro. Let your creativity liven up this dish and make it your own!

Put the macaroni in the boiling water, and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Drain the macaroni and replace in the saucepan. Cook macaroni and cheese as directed, adding milk, butter, and cheese mix to pot. Simmer until fully mixed in and pasta is nice and cheesy. Add the beef to the macaroni, mixing well so as to evenly distribute the spicy, cheesy concoction. Allow the flavors to combine to a creamy sauce. Pour in a dash of hot sauce for some extra kick.  Or as much as you can handle.

Once the meat and macaroni are together, your meal is complete! Serve with tortilla chips, nacho style, or crumble the chips over the top of the dish like a taco salad, ready to eat with fork or spoon. This would be best to eat with a cold Keystone Light, or your other favorite cheap beer, or a vodka and coke.  This carbohydrate-rich meal will help to soak up the alcohol in your system so your hangover is not so severe in the morning. The quick prep and cook time allow you more time to party with friends, and the simplicity of ingredients leaves room in your budget for more booze. With recipes like this, you can keep your stomach and your beer fridge filled.