This shelf holds one thing, so tonight is mac and cheese made with American singles, which melt into a silky sauce without breaking. The cheese product's phosphates and citrates do the work for you, binding with the pasta water to make a sauce that coats without curdling or separating. Dinner is on the table in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 630 calories a serving, 27 g protein, 82 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 4 slices american singles pasteurized process cheese product (Horizon Organic), 6 ounces pasta, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 cup milk.

1. Bring 1 quart water to a boil in a large pot with 1 teaspoon salt and add 6 ounces pasta. Cook until just tender, about 8 minutes, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.8 min
2. While the pasta cooks, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until it smells like toast.1 min
3. Pour in 1 cup milk slowly, whisking to smooth out lumps, then cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 4 minutes. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.4 min
4. Remove from heat and tear 4 american singles into the pot, stirring until they dissolve completely into a smooth sauce. Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper and taste.
5. Toss the drained pasta with the cheese sauce, adding reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time if the sauce is too thick. Divide between two bowls.

Cook mode

Note Swap american singles for 4 ounces sharp cheddar if you have it, whisking it in off heat so it doesn't separate. Leftovers keep three days refrigerated and reheat gently with a splash of milk on low heat. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to stretch it.