I don't have a real recipe, but I highly suggest using Vermont white cheddar for the cheese. I like Cabot best, but the Cracker Barrel VT white cheddar is good, and more readily available. I haven't made it for a while, and I'm sure a better cook will give you better advice, but I think I used about a cup of milk, couple tablespoons of cornstarch, about 3/4 of the cheese (the CB), add a little S&P, cooked it till it thickens (I cheat and use the microwave) add with cooked macaroni (about 1 1/2 or 1 3/4 cups uncooked) crumble some saltines over the top, sprinkle a little thyme, and bake it till it browns a little, about 25 min or so.

Again, on the details, someone else may have better advice, but white cheddar makes it for me.

I suppose I could be biased, I am from VT, and growing up, I didn't know there was such a thing as orange cheddar, until I was 17 or 18. My mother only bought white cheddar. I worked at a restaurant, and was making a grilled bacon & cheddar sandwich, our special that day. When the cook handed me orange cheese, I said "this isn't cheddar, cheddar is white". Yeah, she looked at me like I was a loon...

Here's a Cooking Forumn favorite posted originally by Kframe. It's very addicting....

Special Mac 'n Cheese --- Michael (kframe)

If you don't like cayenne pepper, you can certainly either cut back on it or omit it, but I like the bite it gives this recipe.

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, smashed or diced fine
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg, light beaten
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
6 to 8 strips of bacon, fried crisp, drained, and crumbled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter and let it foam out.

Add the onion and garlic with a pinch of kosher salt and lightly saute until they start to turn caramel colored and soft.

Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, and paprika.

Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese and the bacon.

Season with salt and pepper.

Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Nancy

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) Barilla Pipette
3 tablespoons butter -- divided plus extra for greasing pan
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups cream
1/2 onion -- minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 1/4 cups grated gruyere cheese, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup seasoned croutons

Bring 6 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to rolling boil in medium saucepan. Add pasta and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and put in large bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in cream. Stir in onion, bay leaf and paprika. Simmer gently, stirring often, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf. Stir in pasta. Pour half of mixture into greased, deep 1 1/2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with half of remaining cheese. Top with remaining pasta and remaining cheese. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add croutons and toss to coat. Sprinkle buttered croutons over top of pasta. Bake at 350: F. until croutons are lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Also good in individual ramekins.

I got this recipe from either the Safeway or Giant brand pasta upon recommendation from my Italian MIL. It's basic, but really good.

1 box of macaroni, boiled
1 stick of butter or margarine
1/2 diced medium onion
4 cups room temperature milk
1-2 tbsp of flour
4 cups shredded cheese (your choice, but I generally use an extra sharp cheddar)
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Paprika for garnish

Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the onion. Saute the onion till soft. Add the flour and mix in with the onion. Then add the milk and stir constantly over med-low heat until the mixture thickens. Then add your cheese, stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat, toss with macaroni, and put everything into an ovenproof pan or pot. I generally try to use my Calphalon sauce pot to cook the mixture, then add the macaroni to that so I don't have too many dishes to clean. Sprinkle a little chopped fresh parsley and paprika, bake at 350' for about 40-45 minutes until bubbly and a little crispy on top.

We have tried many variations of this recipe. One of my favorites is adding some Old Bay seasoning and small cooked shrimp. Sometimes I use a mixture of whatever cheeses I have laying around, including bleu, gruyere, swiss, etc. I've tried breadcrumbs on top but don't really care for that version.

Nancy

Easiest Macaroni and Cheese from The WhiteHouse Family Cookbook (Ronald Reagan's favorite)

1/2 lb. macaroni
1 T. butter
1 egg, beaten
3 C. grated sharp cheddar
1 C warm milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 pinch paprika

Preheat oven 350. Butter 2 qt casserole. Cook macaroni 10 min. Drain. Put in mixing bowl. Stir in butter and beaten egg. Add 2 1/2 C cheddar cheese. Combine milk, salt, mustard, worcestershire sauce. Spoon mac and cheese into prepared casserole. Pour milk mixture over. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and paprika. Bake middle shelf 35 - 40 min or until firm and top is crusty.

I don't have my recipe handy but it is far more basic than anything here. I just want to say that I agree with Greenbean on the Vermont white cheddar. I like mac and cheese where the cheese has a bit of a nip to it.

Just want to say that Cabot also makes a yellow chedder....and the only difference between white chedder and yellow chedder is food coloring.
Ususlly wing my mac and cheese...I toss cooked pasta of some sort with butter, a little flour, add some cheese of some sort, a little fine grated onion...and if I remember I add some Dijon mustard with the with the butter, if I think of it....add milk or cream....whatever is there.
When I was growing up, there was no blue box and macaroni and cheese was always a baked dish.
Linda c

I confess...I'm a mac and cheese addict. I will share my favorite among many recipes. **thanks for the Vermont cheese tip, I buy Cabot but haven't thought to use it in this recipe.

Patti LaBelle's Over the Rainbow Mac-n-cheese
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
1/2 cup butter PLUS 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups half & half
1 cup Velveeta, cut into small cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon Penseys 4S salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2 quart casserole.
3. Cook pasta, add the oil then the elbow macaroni and cook until macaroni is just tender (about 7 minutes). Drain well and return to the pot.
4. In a small saucepan, melt the first measure of butter (1/2 cup butter PLUS 1 tablespoon. Stir into the macaroni.
5. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar cheese and the Monterey Jack cheese.
6. To the macaroni, add the half & half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheeses, the cubed Velveeta and the eggs. SAVE ½ cup for topping
7. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole.
8. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and dot with the remaining butter. Melt the butter in a sauté pan and toss the panko to coat. Top the macaroni with panko.
9. Bake until it is bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Some real good ones already posted. Here are a few others. All of these are Barefoot Contessa recipes. I have personally made the first one and we really enjoyed it. I imagine the other two would be equally as good.

Mac and Cheese
Servings: 6 to 8

Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S GROWN-UP MAC & CHEESE
Serves 6

12 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound small pasta, such as cavatappi or macaroni
1 quart whole milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
6 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Place bacon in one layer on a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crisp. Crumble until coarse and set aside. Reduce the oven to 375°. Adjust the baking racks to accommodate 2 sheet pans.

2. Meanwhile, drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, usually 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

3. Heat the milk in a saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and whisk in the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Whisk in the hot milk to form a thick and creamy white sauce and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes more. Off the heat, add the Gruyère, cheddar, Roquefort, one tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

4. Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta and bacon, and stir until thoroughly combined. Place 6 individual gratin dishes on 2 sheet pans and spoon the pasta into them. (You can also use one 3-quart baking dish.)

5. Cube the bread, place it in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, and process until you have coarse crumbs. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and add to the crumbs with chopped basil. Pulse the machine just to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the pasta and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the bread crumbs are golden, about 35 to 40 minutes.

LOBSTER MAC & CHEESE
Serves 6 to 8

Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 pounds cooked lobster meat
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but dont boil it. In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyère, cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and lobster and stir well. Place the mixture in 6 to 8 individual gratin dishes.

4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh breadcrumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

I always use a little Gorgonzola or whatever bleu cheese I have on hand in my mac and cheese.

I tried the Alton Brown recipe for Baked Macaroni & Cheese from the Food Network site for the first time last week. A few of the folks who reviewed it suggested leaving out the bay leaves, so I did.

It was similar to some of the recipes above, and simple to make. The addition of onions and dry mustard gave it a more "grown up" taste than what I used to make for the kids.

I'm also a fan of Vermont sharp in mac & cheese.

Wow, those are complicated recipes. I boil half a pound of elbows, make two cups of white sauce seasoned with salt, black pepper and a bit of cayenne, grate some good cheddar into the white sauce, mix the pasta and white sauce in a shallow baking dish, grate some more cheddar on the top and put it in a 350º to 375º oven (depending on what else I'm baking) for half an hour or so. The amount of cheddar depends more on what's left of our weekly food budget than anything else.

Me too, velodoug! I like to add some monterey jack for a little creaminess to mine, but it's just a basic white sauce with cheese.

Velodoug, that's about the same as mine that I posted above, but I totally forgot to add the salt and pepper in my recipe! LOL!
Nancy

Wow, I had no idea Mac and Cheese was so popular! Ive never had Gruyère: isnt it a lot like Swiss? Thats the one cheese she doesnt like. But a white cheddar, or a mix of cheeses, sounds really good.

Im going to surprise her with this later this week. Shes working on college applications, she deserves a reward. (They are a lot harder than they used to be. One place is asking for 5 essays! All the others ask for at least 2) It takes a lot of cheese to recover from that.

I've made KFrame's recipe a few times and my husband just raves about it. I just have to say, "I'm making that special macaroni cheese for dinner tonight and he gets all "Oh boy!" "Is it ready yet??"

I actually think processed cheese (yes, Velveeta) does work better sometimes. The white sauce + shredded cheese variations are great right out of the oven -- but by the next day they separate and are pretty unappetizing. They also don't keep well to make ahead.

The processed cheese keeps its creaminess better.

This recipe includes a couple of eggs, which help keep the sauce from separating:

OVER THE RAINBOW MACARONI AND CHEESE
(Recipe created by Patti LaBelle)

Patti LaBelle says that the sure sign of a good cook is if their macaroni and cheese will make you cry! According to Oprah, Patti's version just might bring tears to your eyes.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta , cut into small cubes
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.

Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.