This is the boxed mac and cheese made the standard way, but stretched with frozen broccoli and a splash of milk to feed two people with something that feels more like dinner. The shelf does the heavy lifting here; you just need to add what you likely have at home.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 350 calories a serving, 10 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta from the box and cook for 1 minute less than the package says, until not quite tender. While the pasta cooks, measure out 1/4 cup of milk and set it nearby.8 min
2. Scatter 1 cup of frozen broccoli florets into the pot with the pasta during the final minute of cooking, so they cook together. Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander.1 min
3. Return the empty pot to the stove over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and let it melt. Stir in the cheese sauce packet from the box, breaking it up as it warms, then add 1/4 cup of milk and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.2 min
4. Fold the cooked pasta and broccoli back into the cheese sauce off the heat, stirring gently until everything is coated. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Note Swap frozen peas or chopped spinach for the broccoli if you have it. Leftovers keep for three days in a covered container. Serve with a simple green salad or sliced tomatoes on the side to round out the plate.