Recipe: Revolutionary Mac and Cheese

My sister sent me the link to this recipe.  It comes from the blog Macaroni and Cheesecake.

What's so revolutionary about this recipe?  It's homemade mac and cheese...all made in one pot?  Is that possible????  OK, maybe for some people.

Somehow, I missed the notes section (wherein it mentions the use of shell past works better than elbow pasta) when I printed this recipe.   I made a total mess of it.  Tragically also doubling it so I had double the mess. 

We always use whole wheat pastas..and I used whole wheat elbow mac for this.  OMG...I screwed the pooch.  It kept absorbing and absorbing and absorbing milk... I made glue basically...raw tasting glue.  The noodles tasted perfectly craptastic.

I think I should try it at least one more time with regular (not ww), SHELLS.  Because I am totally in love with the idea of a one pot mac that has very few ingredients in it.  I'm sad...but willing to go back to the drawing board.

Here is the recipe.  Let me know if you try it and how it worked for you.  Check out the other recipes to be found on Macaroni and Cheesecake too!  I did you the favor I didn't do for myself, I included the "notes" section.  READ IT.  So I'll wait until the awful memory fades, try again and I think next time, will use regular shell pasta (not WW), SHARP cheese for more pop in the flavor, and ditch the mustard and/or nutmeg idea.

Revolutionary Mac & Cheese
Source: Cate’s World Kitchen  adapted from White on Rice
 
Ingredients:
2 cups dried pasta
2 1/2 cups skim milk**
1 cup loosely packed cheddar cheese, shredded by hand
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dijon mustard, can omit and substitute nutmeg instead (for either, start with a little and add more to taste)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:
In a small saucepan, add pasta and milk.  Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until pasta is soft, stirring frequently and ensuring milk does not boil.
Turn heat off, add cheese & salt & and stir to combine.  Stir in the mustard or nutmeg & cayenne a little at a time, to taste. Cover and let stand for a couple of minutes, then stir again and serve. If not creamy enough, add milk a little at a time, and gently stir.
If you would like to bake it at this point, place in a baking dish and top with a generous sprinkling of cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 10 minutes until cheese has melted.
As a side dish this makes enough for 4 people with no leftovers (can easily be doubled).

Notes:
*This recipe is a bit tricky and depends greatly on the kind of cheese and noodles you use.  I have found that the shells work better than the elbow macaroni as they don’t absorb as much of the milk.  It also depends greatly on the heat of your stove.
*Hand shredding the cheese instead of using pre-shredded bagged cheese works better in this recipe as it melts easier and helps some with the graininess.  Also, this recipe is best eaten right away and not as good when reheated.
*Also, I’ve found that mac & cheese can depend greatly on your personal preference. Some like creamy, some like baked, others like cheesy. I love thinner, cheesier mac & cheese that is more like the blue box.  For that reason, this recipe is my new favorite and go-to mac & cheese recipe. For those that love a thicker, heartier mac & cheese, then this one is the one for you.
*Several commenters below have loved adding broccoli, diced tomatoes or jalapeno to give the mac & cheese a little more zing and amped up flavor. Also to help with the creaminess several have added in a bit of cream cheese or yogurt.
**Edited 6.13.12: I remade this recipe and found that by starting with 2 1/2 cups milk, the mac & cheese was a better consistency and didn’t get so thick.