Green Chile Mac & Cheese by Farm to Summit

A favorite!

I’ve introduced 2 other backpackers to this meal, to rave reviews. I bought some dehydrated pulled pork and added it before rehydrating and it took it to the next level.

What Mac n cheese on trail is meant to be

This ain’t a box of Kraft friends. Perfect pasta size and texture, a flavorful kick of spice that isn’t overwhelming. This was a good dinner for me with about 1/3 leftover for a friend. I’m a 5’3” 140 lb woman who doesn’t have a huge appetite when backpacking but definitely look to dinner for my biggest meal. Don’t sleep on this Mac, and make sure to find yourself a long-handled spoon to keep your hands clean.

Tricky to get right, but now I get it

The first time I tried this, I wasn't impressed. It felt very watered down. However, the 2nd time I figured out the secret. I love mac & cheese at home, and I can see what happened. Drain all the water out (watch out that you don't release some of the noodles back into the wild) before adding in the cheese packet. Start mixing. What you want is the cheese on all of the noodles, even if it's still in the powder form. Stay with me, I promise you'll like it. After about 15 seconds of mixing, If it's not creamy, add a small bit of water, and I mean a small bit. Repeat this (mix for 15s, add a little more) until you get it to the consistency you like. I was able to get it to a creamy sauce with a couple of squirts from my water bottle and I was very happy for the 2nd go around with this meal.