Cook's Illustrated Classic Macaroni and Cheese

I skipped the bread-crumb topping, and this was still to-die- for delicious. Cook's Illustrated says it's critical to cook the pasta until it is tender--just past the al dente stage. For this recipe, overcooking the pasta is better than undercooking because undercooked pasta will release starch into the sauce and make it gritty. Whole, low-fat, and skim milk all work in this recipe (I used evaporated milk and loved it--some was low fat evaporated). You can halve this recipe and broil in an 8-inch square, heatproof baking dish. If desired, serve with celery salt or hot sauce. Recipe courtesy of Entertaining by Cook's Illustrated, February 2011.