When it comes to baked mac and cheese, I like using a corkscrew-shaped pasta that has a lot of texture, such as cavatappi, gemelli, or campanelle. The most popular types of pasta for traditional stovetop macaroni and cheese are generally elbow macaroni or medium shells. Here's how to make homemade macaroni and cheese. In fact, it's a pretty valuable skill - and one I'm going to teach you today. The ability to transform such refrigerator and pantry staples into a knock-your-socks-off dish of cheesy baked pasta is nothing to sniff at. If there was milk and pasta and butter and sharp cheddar cheese lying around (and when isn't there?), you better believe I would mac and cheese-ify it. I became known for my homemade mac and cheese. A topping of crumbled Cheetos? Yes, I did - and yes, it was just as good as you imagine. Over the years, I adapted it to whatever whims and ingredients I had on hand and even started to make baked mac and cheese. My mother made Martha Stewart's version, and I would always sneak some of the butter-drenched croutons before we all sat down to dig in. Let me back up: For as long as I can remember, macaroni and cheese was my birthday dinner. Haters may hate - that stuff was (and, by all accounts, still is) delicious. And don't tell me I'm the only one with a weak spot for the Velveeta version where you squeeze neon-orange goo out of a silver packet onto your shells, best consumed while watching The Magic Schoolbus. We love Grandma's homemade version that she plunked down on the Thanksgiving table, right next to the green bean casserole. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways: We love you from a box, preferably in SpongeBob or superhero shapes. This story first appeared on Food52, an online community that gives you everything you need for a happier kitchen and home – that means tested recipes, a shop full of beautiful products, a cooking hotline, and everything in between!Īh, macaroni and cheese.

How to get free mac and cheese noodles