Mine is similar to Glenda's, but I make my white sauce with half milk, half chicken stock. Then I add as many different cheeses as I can--always some sharp cheddar, usually a bit of Parmesan (or I cook a Parmesan rind in the white sauce as it thickens), then I add whatever I've got in the cheese drawer--some blue crumbles, a few slices of American, a bit of veggie cheese, some cream cheese, maybbe even a dollop of sour cream. The more different cheeses? The more flavor. My Mac and Cheese is always a little different from the last time, but I always get raves (generally the phrase, "It's the best mac and cheese ever' is heard from my dd). I like to top mine with Panko, a spray of butter-flavored pam and a bit of grated sharp cheddar.

Our favorite comes from The Splended Table. We use Manchego, Gruyere and a bit of Asiago 21st-Century Mac 'n' Cheese Excerpted from The Splendid Table's® How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories and Opinions from Public Radio's Award-Winning Food Show by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift Serves 4, and doubles easily 8 to 10 minutes prep time; 30 minutes oven time You could assemble the dish a day ahead to bake when you walk in the door Never underestimate the healing power of macaroni and cheese at the end of a day from hell. Make this as rich as you'd like by selecting milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream. 3 quarts salted water in a 4-quart pot 1/2 pound (2 cups) imported elbow macaroni or penne pasta 1 large egg 1 cup milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream 1 small garlic clove 3/4 medium onion, coarse chopped 1 generous cup (5 ounces) shredded good-quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese 5 ounces cream cheese, crumbled 2/3 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère, Appenzeller, or Manchego cheese Generous 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes Generous 1/8 teaspoon salt Generous 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper Generous 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika, Hungarian or Spanish 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 12 saltines, coarse crumbled 1. Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop in the macaroni or penne. Boil, stirring often, until the pasta is tender but still with a little firmness. Drain in a colander. 2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a shallow 1-1/2-quart baking dish, and add the cooked macaroni. 3. In a blender or food processor, combine the egg, milk, and garlic. Process for 3 seconds. Add the onion, cheeses, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and paprika, and blend for 10 seconds, or until the onion is cut down to small pieces and the ingredients are blended. Turn the mixture into the dish, folding it into the macaroni. (The casserole could be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours at this point.) 4. To bake, bring the casserole close to room temperature if it has been refrigerated. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the saltine crumbles, and coat them with the butter. Spread them over the top of the casserole. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until thick yet creamy. If the top is not golden brown, slip the casserole under the broiler for a minute. Remove it from the oven, let it stand for 5 minutes, and serve. LYNNE'S TIPS An egg and cream cheese are the secret ingredients here. They give creaminess and body to the dish so you can sidestep the time-consuming white sauce often called for in macaroni and cheese recipes. The Gruyère, Appenzeller, or Manchego cheese gives a nuttiness and another layer of flavor beyond cheddar cheese alone.

So, I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to finding the perfect recipe. I made a really good mac & cheese about 5 years ago but then when, a few years later, I tried to remember what it was, I could remember and so ended up concluding it was probably Martha's Mac & Cheese. But, today I happened upon Saveur's Artisanal Mac & Cheese and now I'm thinking it might have been that one. They both look really good and instead of me making both and deciding which is the better, anyone out there made both and have an opinion? AND, further, I've read lots of stuff that says that the key to great mac & cheese is dried mustard but neither of these have this. Cook's Illustrated uses that — anyone made all three? thanks!

Do you have a mac and cheese recipe that you normally make? I agree that if you have a go to mac and cheese recipe, just substitute the smoked gouda for whatever cheese you normally use,or a mix. I imagine that different cheesemakers smoke their cheese for different times. Depending on how strong or tangy the cheese is, I would mix the gouda with either white cheddar if its milder or Monterey jack if it's very pungent. I personally use American cheese(for the creamy texture) and sharp cheddar in my recipe. Also, check the ingredient list on the mac you had and see if there are other cheeses in there that you can incorporate.