Mac and...cheese?

Macaroni necklace found here.

I made a tragic mistake while making last night's dinner.  I allowed my oldest daughter to see the american cheese that went into the macaroni.

My oldest is what I like to call a "cheese elitist".  If it's not real, she's not eating it!  To be fair, she came by this honestly, I too am a cheese elitist.  I will OCCASIONALLY include fake cheese like Mini Moos or american slices if a recipe calls for it, but I much prefer real cheese.

In fact, I am a fancy-schmancy cheese addict.  (That is, addicted to fancy cheeses, I myself am neither fancy nor schmancy.)  I love that Central Market frequently has a "little bites" basket of various expensive cheeses cut into $1 or $2 chunks, so you can come home with a fabulous sampling without breaking the bank.

But I digress...frequently...have you noticed?

Here is the fabulous dinner I made:

Macaroni and cheese bites, made in mini-muffin pans!  So cute, so tasty, and so hard to stop eating...if you are me.  However, if you are my kids, here is how you react:

#4: *nibble* "Bleah!  Yech! Pleh!"
#3: "Ew yuck!  I'm not eating that."
#2: "Nom nom NOM!!!  More please!"  (In fact, she ate 4 more for lunch today!)
#1:  "I refuse to try it on the grounds that it contains american cheese."  (Okay, she didn't actually say that, and I think she did lick a noodle, but the expression of disgust on her face spoke volumes.)

For those who are NOT cheese snobs, here is the link to the recipe:  Three Cheese Mini-Macs.

I have resolved to attempt this recipe again, withOUT american cheese...if for no other reason than because my husband thinks they will make awesome Halloween party snacks...because they kind of look like brains.  Sigh.  Not really selling it here, am I?

The official tally: