Mac and cheese: This one hits all the cheesy, creamy, breadcrumby pleasure points

By Leslie Brenner

Here’s a mac and cheese that’s so good we couldn’t take the time to style it before diving in. Yep, it’s that creamy and cheesy and satisfying.

I developed the recipe six years ago, when I was restaurant critic for The Dallas Morning News, and the city had developed such a deep and persistent craving for mac and cheese that chefs were afraid not to offer it on their menus. Hey — I told readers. You can make this at home!

I’m craving it today, so I thought you might be needing a mac infusion as well. It’s a crusty, cheesy antidote to anything that feels unsettling in the world.

Based on supermarket macaroni (fancy imported bronze-die-cut pasta need not apply!), it’s simple to put together, and if you heat the oven while you boil the mac, you can have it on the table in less than an hour (including time to grate the cheese). You’ll be surprised at how heart-warmingly satisfying it is — perfect on a meatless Monday night (or anytime!), by itself or with a simple green salad. Highly recommend.