Pasta Roni Shells & White Cheddar

I have a few boxes of mac and cheese I've been working through (and I use the word "working" pretty loosely) over the summer. For today's lunch, I was debating between a few different kinds. I chose the Pasta Roni variety, however, because I realized that many of my recent reviews have been of Kraft products, and while we all love Kraft, variety really is the spice of life.

I initially forgot that Pasta Roni products require slightly different preparation than normal mac and cheese meals, and therefore I had to start over after I accidentally boiled way too much water. After that, though, preparation was pretty uneventful.

Note: Actual pictures are coming soon, I just have to upload them from my sister's camera.

Ratings

Flavor: 3/5. The flavor was just kind of weird. It didn't really taste like cheese, per se; it was more of an awkward creamy sauce with a lot of salt in it. My sister sampled my leftovers and commented that they were "gross."

Consistency: 5/5. This sauce was creamy and thick, a rare feat for a boxed macaroni and cheese product.

Pasta Shape: 4/5. I've stated my love of shells many times before. My only objection is that thick sauces such as this one tend to clump unevenly inside the shell. Which can be really delicious, or moderately annoying, depending on your preference. Most people probably wouldn't notice at all.

Overall: 3.5/5. Not a terrible option, but definitely not the best I've ever had (or even close to it). It's a lot of effort to put in, relatively speaking, when there are plenty of easier and more delicious options out there.

Nutrition Information: Serving Size 1/3 box, prepared; 290 Calories, 110 Calories from Fat; 12g Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 1.5g Trans Fat; 5mg Cholesterol; 730mg Sodium; 38g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 6g Sugars; 9g Protein.

Pasta Roni Four Cheese Corkscrew Pasta

This mac and cheese is a little different that most others in that it doesn't attempt to call itself a mac and cheese, per se. Rather, it's marketed as a pasta dish that just happens to have a four-cheese sauce included. The Pasta Roni company (fun fact: it was founded by a guy named Domenico DeDomenico. Seriously.) invites us to "Join the Trolley on a taste adventure around the world. From the zesty to the savory to every delicious corner of the Earth, Pasta Roni takes you on an exciting flavor journey." Basically, it's boxed mac and cheese that they want grown-ups to eat without being embarrassed.

The preparation for this one is a little more involved than your typical Kraft dinner. You're told to boil water, milk, and butter before adding the pasta and "Special Seasonings" (read: orange cheese sauce in a packet). I won't lie, I have never boiled anything besides water and it freaked me out when the mixture started to boil over a little. Thankfully, my roommate, Katie, (who, by the way, is a vegan) was able to rescue me. At least if this mac and cheese sucks I can say it taught me something about cooking.

All the ingredients sitting in the pot. It looks like corn chowder!

Boiling milk, water, and pasta together...weird.

Waiting for it to cool!

Awesome.

Ratings

Flavor: 4/5. There was definitely a decent flavor, and it stood out from other macaroni products. However, the sauce actually tasted better when I sampled it halfway through cooking than it did in the finished product. I felt like the flavor all boiled away (can that happen?). I think I may try making this again, but preparing it in a manner more similar to Kraft or Annie's (i.e. boil the pasta first, then add cheese/milk/butter).

Consistency: 3/5. The sauce looked extremely thin and runny at first; Katie even commented that it didn't look very creamy. "That's what she said" jokes aside, the box did say to allow the sauce to thicken for three to five minutes. I gave it a shot and the consistency did, in fact, improve. It still wasn't as perfect as it could have been, but no major complaints here.

Pasta Shape: 3/5. Don't get me wrong, I like fusilli, but I didn't love it with this sauce. I prefer it with something with a stronger flavor or something thicker.

Overall: 3.5/5. Though this was not my favorite mac and cheese ever, it was decent, and, as I mentioned above, I will probably try it again with an alternate preparation. As I've mentioned before, I'm a purist and don't believe in adding other things to mac and cheese. However, those who enjoy mixing in vegetables, tuna, or meat may want to try that with this kind. I would recommend giving this one a shot, because I could see some people really enjoying it.

Nutrition Information: Serving Size 2.5 oz (about 1 cup prepared). 370 Calories, 140 Calories from Fat; 16g Fat, 5g Saturated Fat; 10mg Cholesterol; 890mg Sodium; 49g Carbohydrates; 2g Fiber; 11g Protein.