10 Easy Stir-in Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese Variations

Did somebody say cheese? Last week we brought you the results of our macaroni and cheese taste test. No surprises, Kraft was the clear winner.

But what do you do with an office full of half empty boxes of mac and cheese, a spare Friday afternoon, and some frozen peas begging to be stirred in?

Let's just say that my wife came home the other day to an entire fridge-ful of mac & cheese flavor variations. When she came at me with a you're in big trouble mister, all I could say in my defense was, did I do that?

It all started innocently enough back at the office. We started by stirring in frozen peas. When Max suggested doing a hamburger and pizza variation, I gave him a thumbs up and a you got it dude!, But, have mercy, we don't stop there. That's when we grabbed the ham. And the sausage. And the chickpeas. And the spinach. And the chicken. And the buffalo sauce. And a few dozen other ingredients and get concocting. Oh Mylanta!

Here are 10 of our favorite stovetop mac & cheese stir-in combinations, each one just minutes away, and each one a perfectly balanced meal on its own designed for optimal athletic performance and and the stimulation of hair follicles in the pectoral region. I see that look of doubt in your eyes, so cut it out.

Perhaps they're just junky, tasty midnight snacks.

Here's what we got. And let us know what your favorite combos are. We'd love to hear!

Click through the slideshow, or jump straight to an individual slide from the list below:

• Pizza Mac
• Spamac & Cheese
• Peas and Ham
• Green Chile Mac
• Buffalo Chicken Mac
• Bacon and Pimentos
• Burger Mac
• Spinach and Chickpea
• Black Bean Chipotle
• Nutella and Chocolate