A Dinner for Royals: CHEETOS® Mac ’n Cheese FLAMIN’ HOT® Cup

I’m not entirely sure what my fascination with Cheetos is, but whenever Frito-Lay comes up with a new way of milking the brand, I’m always there for it. And, as with the “Flamin’ Hot Quesadilla,” my impression of their mac ‘n cheese was tepid, yet I walked away with my own recipe for the spectacle.

The microwavable cup is what you’d expect, all set to be covered in a “flamin’ hot” cheese dusting. Some may call it bizarre—and rightly so—but I’m surprised Frito-Lay hasn’t come up with this sooner. It’s a final frontier that makes sense within its own bizarre logic

Open the cup, pour water over it, microwave, stir in “cheese,” and consume. Not entirely how the inventors of pasta envisioned it, I’m sure, but hey—the modern convenience of microwaves, right?

While not good by most definitions, the mac ‘n cheese commits the greatest of cardinal sins: It’s not hot, flamin’ or otherwise, and doesn’t even have much of a cheese flavor. Giving the CHEETOS® Mac ’n Cheese FLAMIN’ HOT® Cup—as is its full given name—a try for novelty’s sake is worthwhile but for sustenance? You might want to give it a miss.

Now, if you do want your own sophisticated solution, you can whip something together almost as quickly as the microwaved cup. Boil some macaroni, set aside, grind Cheetos down to dust in a blender, and add it to the pot with a couple of tablespoons of butter and milk to taste. Toss pasta in it, et voilà! Your own homemade Cheetos mac ‘n cheese.

The Chaser: “Smooth creamy easy to drink Nitro Vanilla Pepsi”

I was curious enough to give this Pepsi with the highest number of adjectives I could find a go. And while the vanilla might be one step too far, I’ll admit to being impressed with the nitro part. The Pepsi was surprisingly smooth.

Granted, I don’t see a scenario where I’d run to grab a Pepsi, but should it ever occur, the nitro variety would be my choice.