The "Mac & Cheese Ala Carol " Story

It was an ordinary day.  Watching my wife make one of my favorite meals.  She has been making it since our three children have been able to eat whole food.  That goes back over 40 years.  The dish is mac and cheese with spam.  Now before you turn up your nose, you have to see exactly how it is made.  She found a similar recipe in a Campbell's Soup Recipe Book years ago.  The recipe really was called Mac & Cheese with Ham, but being that I was a teacher and Carol was a stay-at-home mom, every penny counted, thus the mac and cheese with spam.  Follow along with my photos and Carol's instructions and you too can enjoy one tasty, inexpensive meal.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Cut a 12 oz. can of Spam into small pieces and place in a frying pan.

Frying pan with two tablespoons of butter and Spam on medium-low heat.

Cut medium onion into small pieces and place in pan with Spam and butter.

Add a can of Cream of Mushroom soup.

Add one soup can of milk to the mixture in the pan. 

Heat on medium-low until mixture bubbles.

Fill a sauce pan with water and place a cup and a half of macaroni in it and cook according to box directions.

While the macaroni is cooking, add 8 oz. of Extra-sharp cheddar cheese to the spam mixture and stir in until it softens.

Spray a 2 1/2 quart dish.

When macaroni is ready, pour it into the frying pan mixture and stir.

Place the mixture into the dish and place in oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until it bubbles.

Now...for the ala Carol part of the recipe.  While the dish is in the oven, prepare two 15 oz. cans of stewed tomatoes.  Here Carol is breaking the tomatoes into smaller pieces.  Heat on medium-low to a low boil.

Add 1 cup sugar to the tomatoes and stir.

Prepare a thick mixture of water and 1/4 cup Wondra flour plus a pinch of salt.  Stir that mixture into the tomatoes.

Toast 2 pieces of bread, cut into pieces and add to the mixture.

Stir mixture as it heats.

Remove Mac & Cheese with Spam from oven and prepare for serving.  

This is my evening meal.  One of my favorite comfort foods, mac & cheese with Spam with stewed tomatoes on top.  Naturally have to have a big serving of applesauce to go with it.  Dish is known as Mac & Cheese Ala Carol.  Delicious!!