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XOXO, GOUDA GIRL
I'M always happy for an opportunity to eat mac 'n cheese.
So when I discovered Blake Lively's tips for upgrading boxed mac, it was pretty much inevitable that I'd test it out.
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Blake, 35, shared her tips on Instagram in late 2022, but they've earned more attention this year with new coverage on AllRecipes, Mashed, and BuzzFeed.
Now someone might say, do I really trust a recipe by a perfectly-svelte actress — and one who seemed to instantly snap back after the births of her three children to boot?
The Sun certainly wasn't impressed with Olivia Wilde's infamous salad dressing.
But Blake's known to be skilled in the kitchen, with her husband Ryan Reynolds telling GQ she's "very good at cooking."
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Even Martha Stewart said Blake is "fun to cook with because she’s like a Christina Tosi-type of cook."
So, yes, I think her mac and cheese is worth a shot.
Two things about her recipe called to me: She adds plenty of extra cheese, and it's not much more work than the standard lazy directions for Kraft or Velveeta.
Blake, however, started with Gal Gadot's Goodles mac and cheese in the flavor Twist My Parm.
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"This is not an ad," she said. "I'm mac and cheese passionate. This is so damn good."
Her recipe additions, though, could work with any brand.
"My secret," she said, "is that I ignore all box recipes.
"Instead, add a heavy splash of whole milk. Mix in cheese powder. [One third] block of cream cheese.
"Add two big handfuls of fresh grated sharp cheddar and/or a hard goat cheese or gouda. I like to mix all three."
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OK, Blake, you have my attention.
I followed her directions almost exactly, though I bought pre-shredded cheddar because I refuse to believe the extra work involved in doing it myself would change the taste.
I also stuck to just cheddar and gouda — no goat — since she offered the mix-and-match option.
Stirring was a bit tough because of the block of cream cheese, which I probably could have left out to soften first.
But the final taste? Chef's kiss.
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It's much, much, much creamier than the standard boxed mix recipe.
In fact, I was glad I left out the goat cheese because that might have been a bit too creamy.
There's also enough extra cheese that you could add grilled chicken to make it a bit heartier if you were so inclined.
I think the best part, though, was that the leftovers were in much better shape than they usually are.
Because of the additional shredded cheese — and, I suspect, the cream cheese — my refrigerated leftovers were still super creamy, cheesy, and moist when I microwaved them the next day.
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The extra ingredients also make it a bit heavier, so while I'm sure it's possible to eat the whole box in one sitting, my stomach would not have thanked me for it.
My final verdict is I definitely liked it, but I'm not sure I'd make it again unless I already happened to have all the ingredients in my fridge.
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