I went through all 18 pages. Y'all are too schmancy for my simpleton palate, especially Sam... goddamn, woman! I usually get new recipe ideas from Pinterest. I love Pinterest. If I keep a recipe, it's typically a comfort food, like mac & cheese, which there are none of in this thread. So, since I have a recipe for mac & cheese, I thought I'd share. I didn't get this from Pinterest though.
Keep in mind, I make this for the family Thanksgiving every year, and 40-50 people show up, so if you want to make this for 2, you'll have much leftovers unless you cut the ingredients in half. I'm not really sure it works like that either.
What you'll need:
1 stick o' butter
1 pound o' pasta
1 clove o' garlic, minced
1 tsp o' dry mustard
1 tsp o' cayenne pepper
6 tbsp o' all purpose flour (needs to be all purpose)
3 & 1/2 cups o' whole milk (needs to be whole)
1 & 3/4 cups o' chicken broth (or vegetable broth for those people... yuck)
1 pound o' colby cheese
1/2 pound o' extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup or so o' bread crumbs
salt & pepper
Directions:
Shred the cheese first because it takes the longest. Boil about a gallon of water with a tbsp of salt in a big enough pot, add the pasta & cook until firm, but not done - I believe it's called al dente. Drain and leave in the colander for now.
Wipe the pot dry, then add 6 tbsp of the butter (keep 2 for later) and melt over medium heat. Add the garlic, mustard & cayenne and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook for about another minute. Slowly stir in the milk and broth, bring it to a simmer. Cook for another 6 minutes(ish), whisking often until the sauce starts to thicken.
Take the pot off the heat. Whisk in the cheese a bit at a time until it's all melted. Add the pasta, breaking up any clumps, and salt & pepper to taste. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and combine with the bread crumbs. Pour the pasta in a 9x13 baking dish, top with the bredcrumbs, and bake in a preheated 400° oven for about a half hour. Let cool enough to not burn your mouth. Eat.
You can use any medium sized pasta... I like penne, fusilli or cavatappi. And you can experiment with cheeses too... pepperjack adds a kick, for instance. Some cheeses melt better than others too.