Words cannot describe how much I love the show “Schitt’s Creek,” and I honestly feel the same way about macaroni and cheese.

When I came up with the concept for Veg Out, I knew I had to write about both, and it didn’t take long for me to pair them together given the infamous “fold in the cheese” scene between Moira and David in the show.

This gluten-free recipe is very, very basic, in part because that’s the mac and cheese I grew up with and love the most, and also because I anticipate some variations like hotdish, casseroles and pasta bakes coming up on the blog given it is focused on comfort food.

Ingredients
1 12-ounce box gluten-free macaroni
12 ounces shredded cheese (I used thick-cut cheddar and a thick-cut Mexican blend for this variation.)

Note that you can have whatever amount you want (this makes 6 servings), but the key is the 1:1 ratio of pasta to cheese.

Instructions
Boil water and cook the pasta according to the pasta box’s directions. While macaroni noodles are the traditional choice for this, you can also use other noodle shapes like shells, penne or fusilli.

Fold in the cheese.

Eat with your favorite herbs, spices and/or hot sauce! That’s it.

If you want to mix it up and add more ingredients, these are two of my favorite ways to do so:
1) Add soy chorizo and broccoli. (Not low FODMAP.)
2) Add low FODMAP meatless grounds, chives and red pepper flakes. (The original and this variation are both low FODMAP.)

The Easy Route
I feel like this is very, very simple already, but you can always order mac and cheese for delivery or buy a frozen one to heat up in the microwave.

The Pairing
I was introduced to “Schitt’s Creek” by my fiancé’s sister during Christmas vacation in 2016, and I’ve been obsessed ever since.

The show begins showing the Rose family as the wealthy owners of a video store empire with their lives turned upside down when the authorities come knocking thanks to a two-timing accountant and all their money is gone.

Johnny (Eugene Levy) is the patriarch, a businessman who is trying to keep his family together and safe. Moira (Catherine O’Hara) is his wife, an actress best known for her role on a soap opera a couple decades ago.

David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) are their two children. Even though they’re in their thirties, due to their privileged upbringing, they have no idea how to get by in the real world.

The Roses are informed that all they have left to their name is a small town called Schitt’s Creek that Johnny bought David as a joke years ago.

They arrive there and start to scheme about how they can find their way out, providing the premise for most of the episodes, especially in the earlier seasons.

If you’re familiar with Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, you know they are comedy icons who have had big successes prior to the show, both together and apart.

The breakouts of this show, though, are Levy’s kids and their contemporaries. In addition to starring in the show, Dan Levy created “Schitt’s Creek,” working as a producer, writer and director. His sister, Sarah Levy, is memorable as Twyla, the sweet waitress at the local dining establishment who becomes a regular part of their lives, most notably as a good friend to Alexis.

Speaking of Alexis, Murphy is perfect in this role, and every time I see her, the song “A Little Bit Alexis” is playing in my head.

For me, the fifth member of the Rose family is Stevie (Emily Hampshire). She’s the front desk attendant/manager/housekeeper at the motel where the Roses are living, and she immediately forms a strong bond with both David and Johnny.

Season five (a.k.a. the “Cabaret” season) is my favorite in large part due to the focus on Stevie’s character development.

The other town residents who are part of this funny ensemble all are great as well, and they will make you want to keep watching long after you get the “Are You Still Watching?” prompt.

Honestly, what kept me watching the most, though, was the bisexual/pansexual representation in the show. Hearing David describe his sexuality as “I’m into the wine, not the label” just clicked for me.

Then the show allowed him to carry out his life as that being part of his identity and not this all-encompassing part that had to be focused on in every episode. Many shows will have an LGBTQIA+ character and then that’s the main or only thing you know about them. And usually, there is a heavy focus on trauma rather than joy.

Don’t get me wrong, that’s still a very important part of David’s identity, but we also get to see his wonderful, deep friendship with Stevie blossom, his ups and downs with Rose Apothecary and all the hijinks he gets into with the rest of the Rose clan.

Speaking of those hijinks, back to the “fold in the cheese” scene. In episode two of season two, titled “Family Dinner,” Moira and David find themselves making enchiladas. While David freely admits he doesn’t really know how to cook, Moira stubbornly insists she made the enchiladas for them before and that it’s a family recipe.

They are making the sauce (David’s stirring while Moira reads instructions), and Moira reads aloud: “Next step is to fold in the cheese.”
David: “What does that mean? What does ‘fold in the cheese’ mean?”
Moira: “You fold it in.”
David: “I understand that, but how, how do you fold it? Do you fold it in half like a piece of paper and drop it in the pot, or what do you do?”
Moira: “David, I cannot show you everything.”
David: “OK, well, can you show me one thing?”
Moira: “You just… here’s what you do. You just fold it in.”
David: “OK, I don’t know how to fold broken cheese like that.”

They continue at this bickering and wind up producing a Rose family meal that it would be a generous compliment to call edible. This is why they’re hanging out with Twyla at the diner so often.

Hopefully your macaroni and cheese will turn out much better than their enchiladas.

If you decide to make Fold in the Mac & Cheese and/or watch “Schitt’s Creek,” let us know! Tag us in your Instagram posts & stories, tweets or TikTok videos: @veg_out_recipes