Each one of us enjoys a particular comfort food and the one food item topping the list is macaroni and cheese.  But…can we turn this old fashioned rather bland meal into a gourmet cuisine?  Here are some easy-to-prepare ways that is sure to please the most finicky eater…

Turn cooked macaroni and cheese into an Italian delight by adding sliced olives, artichoke hearts, diced salami and shredded parmesan.  A glass of wine will compliment this easy to prepare meal.

Create buffalo chicken by tossing shredded chicken and a dash of hot sauce into a bowl of prepared macaroni and cheese.  Sprinkle blue cheese and serve with thinly sliced celery sticks.

Thaw frozen spinach and squeeze dry, adding sliced roasted red pepper and a few “dots” of goat cheese into a prepared dish of macaroni and cheese.

A variation of cheeseburger is created by sautéing ground beef and chopped onion.  Stir in ketchup and dill pickle relish to taste.  Top mixture with macaroni and cheese.

A new Southern dish is prepared with macaroni and cheese, with added black beans, corn and shredded pepper jack cheese.  Include chopped tomato, cilantro and a dash of hot sauce.

Prepare macaroni and cheese and then stir in crispy bacon pieces, sautéed zucchini slices and shredded Swiss cheese with added chives.

A lifeless bowl of macaroni and cheese has been turned into a one meal course that will please anyone’s palate for gourmet food and done without “breaking the bank” or “slaving over a hot stove”.