Since mac and cheese has always been one of the five foods my daughter will eat, I have several recipes. Here's the latest one I've made that we really like:
Macaroni and Cheese (with smoked cheese)
Smoked gouda is particularly good for this dish, but smoked cheddar also yields delicious results. For good old all-American macaroni and cheese, use elbow-shaped noodles and substitute a mild cheddar for the smoked cheese.
Makes 8 main-course servings
4 cups low-fat milk
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter
1 medium, onion, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ pound smoked cheese, shredded
1 cup coarse dry bread crumbs
1 pound dried pasta
Recommended pasta: elbows, penne, or other tubes
Put several quarts of water on to boil for the pasta. Preheat oven to 375° F about 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the casserole. Warm the milk in a saucepan over very low heat. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over low heat in a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet. Add the onion and stir and sauté 3-4 minutes, until it begins to get limp. Add the flour and mustard and stir another minute or two, then stir in the warmed milk and cayenne. Turn the heat up to medium and cook 5-7 minutes. Add the smoked cheese and cook 3 minutes longer. The sauce will thicken slightly, but do not expect a really heavy sauce consistency. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until almost tender. You want the noodles to be still somewhat firm because they will finish cooking in the oven. Drain thoroughly. Rub a 3-quart baking dish with the remaining 1 teaspoon butter. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the cheese sauce, then transfer to the baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs with the Parmesan and distribute this mixture evenly over the top of the casserole. Cover and bake 30 minutes, then remove cover and cook 5-10 minutes longer, until topping is crisp.
Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.