I am not exactly sure what homestead this recipe comes from……..The homestead where Cheez Whiz was invented?
This recipe, when I saw the photo, was written “Homestead Macaroni – From Kraft TV Specials Pamphlets” with no date given. But looking at the photography, I’d put it in the 60s to 70s. But not past the early 80’s. Especially as the recipe calls for paprika on top. That’s so very 60s-70s era. This recipe screams “Boomer Food” and is made for all those hungry boomer kids. And for their harried mothers who wanted to get to bridge night and be done with all 4 of their kids…..
Cheez Whiz was invented in 1952 by a food scientist at Kraft, and it highly predates the commercial Shells & Cheese box mix that Kraft brought out in 1984. It’s got quite the history and it’s made in Canada I noted. Honestly, I don’t think I had ever had Cheez Whiz. My mom never bought it when we were kids, and by the time I was buying food, it was an “old” brand, and it wasn’t something I was looking for. But again, I am also known for craving jarred queso sauce here and there (and yeah, I get it is gross processed food…I am trying and that is what matters), which isn’t too far off of this. But the name Cheez Whiz always made me think of the plastic-fueled 1960’s, a world where brand names mattered a lot. And food science ruled the day.
It’s a pretty simple recipe:
Cook pasta, drain and toss with bacon and Cheez Whiz. Add in bacon.
And if you are extra lazy, just buy pre-cooked and crumbled bacon. A Tablespoon equals a strip. It’s often sold with salad dressings.
Where to find Cheez Whiz? By the Velveeta. It depends on the store where. A lot of grocery stores put it with grated and block cheese, as that is where one might think to look. Other stores put it near the pasta and sauces aisle. This is shelf-stable till open. The jar is 15 ounces now, so I scooped out about a cup of it. Yeah, I could have weighed it but I didn’t feel like going that far.
The hardest thing to find? 7-ounce boxes of pasta. That isn’t something you see much of these days. I, however, came across some at the local Grocery Outlet. Creamette still makes those 7-ounce small boxes in some shapes.
What might be the most disturbing part of the recipe is it claims to serve up to 6 people. That’d be just over 1 ounce of pasta. Just how little did people eat back then? A serving of pasta is 2 ounces. Let’s put it this way: A box of Velveeta Shells & Cheese serves 3 people, and it makes about the same amount of product as this recipe does.
Was it worth it? Well…..that depends on who you ask. My youngest was delighted to get “crappy food” as they don’t get it often. Price wise and taste? The box of Velveeta Shells would have been far, far cheaper. And tasted pretty similar.
Still, I have fun making old vintage recipes, even if they are not always “healthy.” It’s not something we do often, and that is what matters.
Homesteader Macaroni Recipe
Ingredients:
- 7-ounces macaroni
- 1 cup Cheez Whiz
- 6 Tbsp precooked and crumbled bacon
- Paprika
Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil (around 8 cups water). Add in pasta, cook for time on package. Drain.
Add ¼ cup crumbled bacon, and the Cheeze Whiz to the hot pot, stir well.
Add in the pasta and stir till mixed.
Serve with the remaining bacon sprinkled on top, with a pinch of paprika.
Realistically serves 2-3 (2 adults or 3 kids).
~Sarah