Macaroni and Cheese please

A favorite here in our house is Mac n Cheese. Our stand by used to be Kraft brand as it was fast and easy compared to how I had first learned how to make it. Then after searching and testing and experimenting I have found a recipe that is sooo much better, more versatile and just as fast to make.

The biggest trick is boiling the pasta in a mix of milk and water. Yes, water AND milk. This really enhances the flavor and the creaminess of the dish.

Now recipe then I'll talk more:

1 1/2 cups Milk
1 cup Water
1 tsp salt
8 oz Dry noodles (I use elbow shaped but you can use almost any shape you want)
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar is best but feel free to mix and match and try different things)
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup water on the side ( just in case)

Now comes the complex part.

Put the milk and 1 cup of water in a pan
Add the salt
Bring to a simmer
Add the pasta
Simmer for about 20 minutes until tender
     This is where it gets complicated! The pasta will absorb the water and milk, you do not want to let it get DRY!! This is where that cup of water on the side comes in. You want your pasta to be tender so as the water is absorbed give it a test now and then. If the liquid is almost gone and your pasta is too firm add a BIT ( no more than 1/4 c at a time) of that extra water to it. When your pasta is tender there should still be a bit of liquid in the pan too.
Add the butter and shredded cheese, stir well!

Viola! you're done.

Now... here are some things you can do to 'punch it up' a bit.

First a few cranks of fresh ground pepper when you add the cheese are always a good idea.

Second you can add a tsp of mustard to give it some zip. Yellow, Dijon or in my case Mittelscharf. Just a bit really adds another dimension of flavor.

Third, don't be afraid to add things in. Roasted red peppers, sure! Peas! Ground beef! Ham! Really the options are limitless.