John Kipper, Staff Writer

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1½ cups water

8 oz of pasta

4 oz of shredded American cheese

4 oz sharp cheddar

½ tsp Dijon mustard (any mustard works)

Salt/pepper/cayenne pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Bring milk and water to simmer. Add pasta.
2. Cook on medium-low heat until the pasta is almost done. If you eat a noodle, it shouldn’t crunch, but should still be firm.
3. Put the stove on low heat and stir in the American cheese and mustard. If you want to spice it up, feel free to use Gouda, Gruyere, Havarti, Muenster, mozzarella or any other cheese that melts well. For my ballers on a budget (and everyone), American cheese works just fine and helps you serve a thick, melty sauce. You can’t even taste it in the end product.
4. Once the American cheese has melted, stir in the cheddar. The cheddar serves to deepen the flavor. The sharper the cheddar, the stronger the flavor of the sauce will be. If you have Parmesan or any bougie cheese, feel free to substitute it or add it along with the cheddar.
5. Taste as you go and add salt/pepper/cayenne pepper as needed. If anyone wants to complain about it being too spicy, tell them to go make their own mac and cheese.
6. Serve in bowls, or eat it straight from the pot if you’re not feeling like sharing.

This recipe is super easy to make and a huge upgrade from Kraft. It makes a great side dish to any dinner, or can work as its own standalone meal. Just be patient and don’t turn the heat to high to try and save cooking time, as you will risk burning the milk. You can also add broccoli or chicken into it if you want to eat something besides carbs and cheese, but nobody’s going to judge you if you don’t.