Chili-Cheese Mac

This recipe was absolutely delicious and very simple. The kids loved it and it reheated well for lunch the next day. I served it with a tossed green salad for a simple, complete meal. I know this recipe is lightened up, but I'm not a fan of fat free products. I used regular beef broth, 2% milk, regular cream cheese and regular sharp cheddar.

I cut the chili powder in half and the water by 1/4 cup.  It does taste better as a leftover...flavors have had a chance to blend. 

Save your time and money and buy a box of Hamburger Helper - b/c that's exactly what this tastes like.

I thought this was very good--creamy, hearty, great comfort food. I made it with ground chicken and it worked fine. I did need to season it with a little salt and pepper. I've been eating it for a few days for lunch and dinner and it holds up well--I agree it's even better leftover. I took some over to my in-laws for their dinner and they thought it was delicious.

Delicious! I made it with the ingredients as stated other than adding a pinch of sea salt before I threw the noodles in and using a 14.5 oz can of tomatoes with chilies instead of a 10 oz can - I couldn't find that size. I cooked covered for 7 minutes and uncovered for 3 to evaporate some of the additional liquid. The flavor was fine - one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with chilies has enough kick for the flavor profile. Hubby had 2 helpings, need I say more?

Pretty delicious, though it also clearly doesn't taste like the full-fat version, which is why I'd avoid serving it to company (**I** like lower-fat versions and am used to them, but my guests may not be). Also, I don't know why, but I didn't enjoy it very much fresh-made... I think it gets better if you let it sit a bit. I froze some for later meals and it really hits the spot when you need something substantial that tastes like comfort food. It DOES freeze beautifully. Would definitely make a big batch to freeze for lunches or quick no-fuss dinners in the future.

I thought this recipe turned out very well and my family enjoyed it - including my 2 year old! I did not have a problem with the liquid, though the can of beef stock I used wasn't quite 2 cups and I used slightly more beef since I couldn't find a 3/4 lb package. The taste was not bland, as others described it, but I did use a "chili" version of Rotel so that may have helped with the spiciness. Overall, this was a good recipe that was quick and easy and I will definitely make it again.

This recipe is similar to hamburger helper, but not disgusting. I left in the water, and had my doubts at first. Glad I did because when it is reheated it wasn't sticky, but plenty moist. Super easy. Even the baby liked it.

This was so easy to make and tasty- our family of 4 devoured the entire thing. I would probably leave out the water next time- I just cooked the dish longer to reduce the liquid. Also would use a super-sharp cheddar next time to give it more flavor. I ended up adding more cheese than what was called for.

This is a good, quick weeknight meal. I also took the advice of earlier reviews, left out the water & kicked up the spice. Served with a garden salad.

This was great! Very easy to make, well liked by the family. I did use the suggestions here in the review section to add more of the seasoning and cut out the water. I did that and it turned out really well. Definitely will make again!

My family of 3 ate the entire recipe in one sitting, so that says something! Next time, I will add another can of Rotel, drained or some drained salsa. I flet like I needed a little more acid to cut the chalkiness of the cream cheese in the sauce. My husband and I also added Texas Pete to kick up the heat a bit. Very kid friendly!

I didn't have a problem with using the water, the consistency came out fine for me, but I did let it get to a rapid boil first and cooked the macaroni for an extra minute or two. Used a 14.5oz can of tomatoes and a shredded Mexican cheese blend. When all was said and done I found it kind of bland, like Hamburger Helper without all the salt, so I added more of all the spices. Next time I will double the spice from the get-go and use diced tomatoes w/ jalapenos.That said, this recipe was so easy and quick that it is totally worth the extra effort to get the spice just right for your tastes. No prep, no fuss, no muss.

Thank you, Nan1016, for your comment about leaving out the water. I used at 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with chilies and left out the water. It was cooked to the perfect consistency, in my opinion. Thanks for a fun, fast, kid-friendly recipe.

This was tasty but had too much liquid. I had to add flour to thicken the sauce, next time I make it I would leave out the water and just add it as needed.