A box dinner gets textured toppings and fresh vegetables for depth. The cheddar and Monterey Jack are already there, so you layer crunch and brightness on top. This shelf makes the main course; pile your plate and eat.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 8 at the stove.

About 410 calories a serving, 14 g protein, 72 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Make the box mac and cheese according to the package directions, cooking the pasta until just tender. While it cooks, tear 2 slices of bread into small pieces and pulse them in a food processor or crush them by hand into coarse crumbs. You should have about 1 cup loosely packed.
2. Warm 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and pepper until it looks like wet sand, about 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup of the cooked pasta cooking water, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.2 min
3. Stir the cooked macaroni and the cheese sauce from the box into the skillet along with 1 cup frozen peas or broccoli. Heat through over medium heat, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and the pasta is hot, about 4 minutes.4 min
4. Toast the breadcrumbs in a separate dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until they are golden brown and smell toasty, about 2 minutes. Divide the mac and cheese between two bowls and scatter the warm breadcrumbs over the top.2 min

Note Swap the frozen vegetables for diced fresh tomato or a handful of spinach stirred in at the end. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for three days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a green salad or pickled vegetables on the side.