2 c. cold milk (whole or low fat, don’t use skim) or half-and-half (or even cream) for really decadent mac-n-cheese, or a mix

2 T. cornstarch

4 T. butter

3-4 c. cheese (cheddar, swiss, colby, mixture) - Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar is EXCELLENT

16 oz. pasta, cooked and drained (I usually cook it until not quite done, if I am going to bake the mac)

salt, pepper, paprika, to taste

Mix cornstarch and cold milk. Add butter and cook over medium heat with frequent stirring until boiling. Continue boiling 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and add cheese and mix well. Mix in pasta (and add-ins, if using). You can stop here, but I like it baked to golden brown.

If baking, spread into buttered casserole dish, top with additional cheese (slices of swiss work well) and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Scale up or down, as necessary. Use different meat and veggie add-ins to make a main dish casserole. I like to use onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and bacon bits for loaded mac and cheese.

*Add-ins (add one or more):

1-2 lb. of browned ground meat for cheeseburger mac

1-2 heads of lightly steamed broccoli for broccoli mac

1 onion (diced, small) & 10 oz. sliced mushrooms, sauteed

2-3 bell peppers, diced (large) and sauteed

12-16 oz. diced ham

1 sm. pkg. bacon bits or 4-6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled

panko or crispy jalapeno or onion strings for crunchy topping