Ambrosia & Cheese

Lots of people my age will remember school lunch: standing in line, those plastic trays with their compartments, fiestadas, chicken sandwiches, and boxes of milk. There were a few of us who mostly brought their lunch to school, and a couple of others (though not many) who went home for lunch.


I can only remember going home for lunch once in my life. I was in elementary school, so our house was a block away from the school; it didn’t take long to get there and back. I’m pretty sure I made the trip with my brother, so I suppose it must have been when he was in kindergarten and I was in second grade. I’m not sure why we went home for lunch that day, or really anything else about it but this: my dad served us macaroni and cheese.


My dad is a master of macaroni and cheese. You don’t have to go to a fancy school in Italy to be able to make it, but only my father is able to make a 33 cent box of noodles and cheese powder taste like ambrosia.


Don’t worry. He has passed the closely guarded secret down to his offspring. But I’m not telling you.
I will, however, share a delicious recipe with you, internet, that includes this delicious macaroni and cheese.

Step 1: Make the macaroni & cheese.

Step 2: Brown some hamburger, seasoning it with garlic salt while doing so (you’ll know there’s enough after you taste the final product; if there isn’t, remind yourself to add more next time).


Step 3: After draining the fat from the meat, combine it with the macaroni and cheese.


Step 4: Enjoy.


Step 5: Deliberate for years about what to call it. “Garlic Hamburger Macaroni & Cheese” is too long, “Hamburger Helper” is incorrect...


Step 6: Hug your daddy.