This macaroni and cheese doesn’t require any special ingredients, because it’s intended to be a very simple, quick-fix meal, although you could toss some broccoli or peas in with the pasta while it cooks. You know, the kind of quick-fix meal that a certain company that starts with the letter K likes to sell us based on the convenience factor. No more, my friend, no more.
In a large pot (I use a 3-quart Dutch Oven), cook the noodles according to the package. Once cooked, drain the water from the noodles, and rinse the noodles under cold water to keep them from clumping together.
Return the empty pot to the stove-top. Over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour one tablespoon at a time to the butter, whisking the flour into the butter each time a new tablespoon of flour is added. Once combined, the butter and flour should appear creamy and bubbly. Whisk the milk into the butter/flour. Let the mixture rest, over the medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, whisking every few minutes, until the mixture is thick. Whisk in the cheese, salt, and pepper. The cheese sauce should be thick and creamy.
Add the cooked noodles to the cheese sauce. Gently stir the macaroni and cheese until the cheese and noodles are well combined.