And don't tell me I'm the only one with a weak spot for the Velveeta version where you squeeze neon-orange goo out of a silver packet onto your shells, best consumed while watching The Magic Schoolbus. Haters may hate - that stuff was (and, by all accounts, still is) delicious. Let me back up: For as long as I can remember, macaroni and cheese was my birthday dinner. My mother made Martha Stewart's version, and I would always sneak some of the butter-drenched croutons before we all sat down to dig in. Over the years, I adapted it to whatever whims and ingredients I had on hand and even started to make baked mac and cheese. A topping of crumbled Cheetos? Yes, I did - and yes, it was just as good as you imagine. I became known for my homemade mac and cheese. If there was milk and pasta and butter and sharp cheddar cheese lying around (and when isn't there?), you better believe I would mac and cheese-ify it. The ability to transform such refrigerator and pantry staples into a knock-your-socks-off dish of cheesy baked pasta is nothing to sniff at. In fact, it's a pretty valuable skill - and one I'm going to teach you today. Here's how to make homemade macaroni and cheese.
