Back in the 60’s when I was a kid, the school lunches were made from scratch by old ladies in a huge kitchen.
They had a mac and cheese recipe that was fantastically delicious!
I have never had any mac and cheese since then that compares with it!.....................
That’s a great memory. What part of the country? I wonder if it was regional recipe.
I thought I made the best mac and cheese for decades until I saw, and tried, the recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. Hands down, the best and I’ll probably never make it another way again. (I’ll go find it if you want)
And it lends itself to endless variations.
Boil yer elbows in water and milk til al dente.
IIRC, it’s 1 pound of pasta, 2-3 cups of milk, 2-4 cups water.
Don’t drain it.
ADD 1/2 pound American cheese on heat
Off heat, add dried mustard, salt and pepper, whatever spices.
ADD another 1/2 - 1 pound whatever cheese you want.
Add in whatever else you like, bacon, broccoli, etc.
Season to taste.
If you want crumb topping, I have found buttered and pan-browned Ritz crackers are incomparable.
It’s also amazing with diced pepperoni and broccoli added, with mozzarella being one of the cheeses.
Cheers!
real bacon bits stirred in and crispy onion topping (frenchs) is the best.