The Soup Diva

This is processed comfort food at its most extreme. If that makes you gag, please don’t read any further. If you’re lactose intolerant or need to watch your sodium content, you’re out of luck. If you’re intrigued, proceed cautiously. When we were newlywed and poor(er), we had grilled Spam and Kraft Dinner often and referred to it as “steak and pasta.” This is a slightly elevated one-dish version.

• 12-16 oz short pasta (macaroni, penne, rigatoni, egg noodles, etc)
• 3-4 cups shredded cheese (any type)
• 1 can Spam (we prefer the lower-sodium version)
• 1 1/2-2 cups milk
• Salt and garlic powder to taste

Boil noodles in salted water in Dutch oven to al dente. Drain and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir together noodles, cheese, milk, and garlic powder and allow to heat while dicing Spam. Stir Spam into pasta, cover, and place in oven at 350⁰ for 20 minutes. (Alternatively, you could pour or spoon into baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.)