Campfire Mac & Cheese
When I think of camping, I think of comfort food. For me, camping is not the time for restriction (just my personal opinion folks)! It's a time to make something convenient and enjoy the foods we love around the campfire with family and friends. Years ago my husband helped out some friends with a few things around their house. As a token of appreciation, they gave us a dutch oven that they themselves had enjoyed many times on family camping trips. Needing an easy side dish for an upcoming trip, I decided to try my first go at the Dutch oven and made "Campfire Mac & Cheese." It's been a hit ever since and requested many times by family and friends when planning our camping meals. Sit back...get the hot coals going around the campfire and enjoy this creamy, smoky mac & cheese in all its comfort food glory. Then hit the gym when you get home;)
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp. salted butter
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 1 jar (15 oz.) alfredo sauce
- 1 ¼ c. freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ¼ c. freshly shredded Monterey jack cheese
- ¾ c. freshly shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp. salt
- ⅛ tsp. fresh cracked pepper
- ⅛ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 c. whole milk
Instructions
- To save time, cook pasta ahead of time. Make sure you salt the water, about 1 tbsp. to a large pot of water. Cook one minute under 'al dente.' With the brand I used this was 7 minutes. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
- Generously grease a cast iron pot/dutch oven with 3 tbsp. of salted butter.
- Mix alfredo sauce, salt and pepper with cooked pasta and add to pot/dutch oven. Top with milk and shredded cheeses. Cut remaining 2 tbsp. of salted butter into pieces and dab on top. Cover and place on hot coals for about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
- Once cheeses are melted and mixture is bubbly around the edges, remove from fire and enjoy!
Notes
- It is very important to buy a block of each type of cheese and shred it yourself. The pre-shredded kind does not melt as well because of the anti-caking agents that are added.
