this wasn't in the plan |but life is still pretty good

Every weekend, I post a tried and true recipe (for my family at least) that has ten or less ingredients. Follow this link for more under 10 recipes

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart, what I've posted reflects a few changes (mainly with the cheese and I omit the crumb topping). You can find the original recipe here.

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Macaroni and Cheese
3 tbsp butter or margarine
3 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. elbow macaroni (1 3/4 cups)

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 1.5 quart casserole dish with cooking spray (or use butter)*. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt 3 tbsp butter in a high sided skillet over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep the mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 8-12 minutes. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, peppers, and cheese. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook macaroni until the outside is cooked and inside is underdone (2-3 minutes). Drain, and add macaroni to cheese sauce. Pour into prepared dish and bake about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

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To save on cooking dishes (because this uses a lot!) I use a oven safe skillet to make the cheese sauce and then just put it straight into the oven. You can completely cook the macaroni and serve it without cooking it in the oven, but I think it tastes a lot better baked.

If you can find white cheddar, it would work great in this recipe because white cheese melts much nicer. If you serve it to your kids, they may be skeptical of white macaroni and cheese, though!
photo from marthastewart.com