Kraft Dinner Casserole

We all have those moments when we gaze into the pantry looking for dinner inspiration. Kraft Dinner Casserole is a great family dinner option that won’t break the bank and is so quick and easy to prepare. Starting with a box of Kraft Dinner, some ham, a can of soup, and grated cheese, this delicious dinner can be on the table in about 30 minutes!

I think every kid in Canada – especially those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s – is more than familiar with the taste and smell of Kraft Dinner. My siblings and I must have had it at least once a week for lunch. We lived close enough to the school to come home for lunch, and Mom would serve it up with chicken nuggets. This Kraft Dinner Casserole would have made a great lunch!

When I was younger, Kraft Dinner was ruined for me by a babysitter who just did not know how to cook. But, later in life, I started to like it again. In fact, it was my ex-wife who taught me how to take a simple box of Kraft Dinner and turn it into this very yummy Kraft Dinner Casserole! I had forgotten all about it until just recently when I was thinking about what to make for dinner.

McKenna was here. Whenever she’s visiting there’s always a box or two of Kraft Dinner in the pantry. And, I had some ham in the fridge from the night before. So, I whipped up the casserole and plated it into these little individual pots. Of course, I left one of them without any ham for John.e!

KRAFT DINNER IS THE SAME AS BOXED MAC & CHEESE

Before we get started, let me just point out that in Canada, we call it Kraft Dinner. We do not call it Macaroni & Cheese or Mac & Cheese. Those two names refer to homemade mac and cheese that is baked in the oven usually with breadcrumbs on top. If it’s to be macaroni in a powdered cheese sauce from a box, it’s Kraft Dinner.

I don’t know of anyone who does not purchase a box of Kraft Dinner once in a while – especially anyone with kids! It was very common in our home when we were growing up. My mom would make it often. She would serve it with hot dogs sometimes. My favourite way to eat it was with a slice of bread that had been smeared liberally with strawberry jam. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

Now, I have to be honest. I’m not a huge fan of boxed Kraft Dinner. McKenna, however, loves it. So, I do buy it for her. This particular recipe was prepared with a box of Kraft Dinner that I stole from her stash in the pantry. If I ever get a craving for Kraft Dinner, I usually make my own. I find that the homemade version has so much more flavour! In fact, you can try it too! I have a Homemade Canadian Kraft Dinner recipe published already.

A BABYSITTER RUINED MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF KRAFT DINNER!

To be perfectly honest, it’s only in the past year or so that I’ve been able to eat macaroni again. I used to love it, but this one time we had a babysitter from hell and the result was a complete dislike of macaroni.

I remember it so well, which is a miracle because my memory is horrible. But, this particular day stands out so well in my mind. It was summer and our parents were going to be taking a shopping day in Barrie with their friends, George and Marilyn. We were living in Stayner at the time, which is a small town in Northern Ontario which is close to Collingwood and Wasaga Beach.

Marilyn had already arranged a babysitter for Matthew and Jonathan, so my brother and I were asked to go to their house. The babysitter’s name was Michelle. Michelle spent the whole afternoon on the couch and talking on the phone. And while she held that telephone receiver in one hand, her other hand held her back-to-back smouldering cigarettes.

THIS STORY GETS WORSE!

She stopped talking long enough to make us Kraft Dinner. I was always very acutely aware of hygiene practices and I vividly remember her not washing her hands. I also remember her smoking the whole time she boiled the macaroni and stirred in the powdered cheese, butter, and milk.

And I also remember her placing bowls of Kraft Dinner in front of us before she headed back to the couch and the phone. I took one taste and spit it back into my bowl. It was salty and the macaroni was still very hard. I questioned her about it and she told me that she liked her Kraft Dinner crunchy. She didn’t offer to fix it or to prepare anything else, so we all sat there waiting for our parents to come home and rescue us.

It took me years to enjoy macaroni again. I would eat it, but I could never get used to the texture. In contrast to Michelle’s crunchy macaroni, I found “cooked” macaroni to be slimy on the inside. Eventually, I learned to cook macaroni myself and could eat it again.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Kraft Dinner – If you’re in the United States, you will be using Mac & Cheese from a box – the kind with the packet of orange cheese powder. Please be sure to undercook the pasta just slightly because this casserole will get baked too.
• Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, do not use the full amount of salt listed below. Cut it back to half that amount. In the end, you can taste and re-season if needed.
• Cream – Use 35% cream to get the creamy cheese sauce. Milk will work too if you don’t have cream, but it won’t be as rich.
• Mushroom Soup – Use the canned cream of mushroom soup for this.
• Ham – I like to use a thick-cut ham steak that has been pan-fried, cooled, and then diced.
• Ground Black Pepper
• Cheddar Cheese – An old sharp cheddar or mozzarella are great choices for this recipe.
• Parsley – For freshness and garnish.

HOW TO MAKE KRAFT DINNER CASSEROLE

This is super easy! Let me tell you how to make it. Start by cooking the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Remember to undercook the pasta just slightly so that it’s not overcooked. It will cook a bit more when you bake it in the oven. Mix the Kraft Dinner according to the package instructions. In most cases, that will be with the powdered cheese packet, some butter, and milk. I like to use cream instead of milk when making Kraft Dinner, because it makes the cheese sauce richer.

Next, add the canned cream of mushroom soup. Stir it into the macaroni and cheese mixture until well combined. Next, add in the diced ham and stir that through as well. Transfer the mixture to a 9×9 inch baking pan or individual ramekins like I’m using. Be sure to grease the pan or ramekins first with non-stick cooking spray.

Top the mixture with the grated cheddar cheese and pop it into a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove the casserole from the oven and plate. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

OTTAWA VALLEY MEATS

The ham used in the Kraft Dinner Casserole you see in the photographs is from Ottawa Valley Meats. I used two boneless ham steaks, which are about a pound in total. It won’t matter too much if you use more or less ham. Ham steaks are not always available, but you could opt for a smoked Virginia ham. Cut about a pound off that and dice it. I used one of their Virginia hams in this Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham recipe for Easter. It was delicious!

You can find a complete list at Ottawa Valley Meats. If you are in Ontario, be sure to take a look at the website. Ottawa Valley Meats offers seafood, beef, poultry, pork, etc. And, they deliver right to your door! The product comes in a freezer-refrigerated truck, which means the box doesn’t need to be stuffed with ice packs or dry ice. And, the food doesn’t need to be packaged into those silver cooler bags. Do you know what that means for me? Less waste! Give them a try – you won’t be disappointed!

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP

There was a time when I would not eat anything with mushrooms in it. I’ve since learned to like the taste of mushrooms. So, if that’s you, you can easily substitute the canned cream of mushroom soup with canned cream of chicken. The soup is used straight from the can, folks! Just like that green bean casserole that everyone loves, the cream of mushroom soup will keep this casserole tasty and moist!

MAKE IT A COMPLETE MEAL!

Okay, yes, I know that pasta and ham and cheese are already a meal. But sometimes you might need to make things stretch a little further. In that case, you can serve Kraft Dinner Casserole with a few other things to make the meal heartier and stretch the casserole to serve more people.

The easiest and cheapest option is to serve the casserole with bread. I love warmed dinner rolls with butter, and they taste so good with this casserole. Most grocery stores have dinner rolls in the bakery section, but they are never as good as homemade. I have a great Jumbo Dinner Rolls recipe – they are so easy to make too! Another great option is a side salad. Just a simple green salad consisting of mixed greens, maybe some diced cucumber and some sliced tomatoes dressed with an olive oil-based dressing would make a lovely side!

Some veggies are always a great side to any dish. In this case, I would consider sauteeing some asparagus in butter with lemon, or roasting some broccoli with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Green beans would be a great option too! We all know how well green beans pair with mushroom soup already, so why not add some as a side?