p(left caption). Clockwise from top: Tasty Mixed Up Mac and Cheese; Pasta Florentine; Macaroni, Ham and Cheddar; Pasta Shrimp Parmesan

Chef Andrew Schloss has created a recipe system that enables you to create four meals in the time it usually takes to make one. This is the second installment in the “One Recipe, Four Ways” series, revolving around the classic Mac ‘n’ Cheese.

With a few simple additions, you can transform kid favorite Macaroni & Cheese into Pasta Florentine …or Macaroni Ham and Cheddar …or Pasta Shrimp Parmesan.

The process is easy, Schloss says. You start by preparing a basic kid-friendly recipe, like mac and cheese or BBQ chicken (enough to feed the whole family). Then, while the food is cooking, you whip up small amounts of simple stir-ins or add-ons from easy-to-use ingredients, like canned foods. In the time it takes to prepare an everyday dinner, you can transform a portion of the mild-mannered, basic recipe into something with extra excitement, which is ideal for those who want a flavor boost or more interesting ingredients.

One Recipe, Four Ways is divided into a base kid-friendly recipe that serves 8 (enough for the whole family plus some leftovers), and 3 add-on recipes (that yield 2 servings each) for those who crave something with a little more pizzazz.

Little vegaphobes won’t know that this Tasty Mixed-Up Mac and Cheese dish harbors a can of carrots, Schloss says. That’s because the carrots have been puréed so that they disappear into yellow Cheddar camouflage, he explains. The casserole has three recipe variations for adventurous eaters – Pasta Florentine adds some garlic, spinach and Parmesan cheese; there’s a hint of spicy brown mustard in the Ham and Cheese variation; and Shrimp Parmesan is enhanced with a can of baby shrimp and the scent of extra-virgin olive oil. The already-cooked, nutrient-rich canned ingredients help you go from the pantry to the dinner table with four unique dishes in no time at all.

Check out the Tex-Mex version of One Recipe, Four Ways.