I grew up eating the best macaroni and cheese ever made. Maybe if you put it up against something full of fancy cheeses and truffle oil, it wouldn’t win, but it was – and still is – my favorite macaroni and cheese.

And this life-changing cheesy pasta is made by my mom’s best friend, Jill, who I’ve known all my life. She’s also the same Jill that makes the molasses cookies, and my family has spent almost as much time in their house as our own.

Anytime I see a macaroni and cheese recipe, I think to myself “does this sound like it would be as good as Jill’s”? Any most of the time, the answer is no. So I never try them. Because, if it doesn’t have a shot at being at least as good (if not better – which would be hard to do), it’s not worth the time to me.

I honestly don’t know what it is that makes hers so perfect. It might be the crispy, baked topping or maybe her pasta is always cooked perfectly or it may be a combo of all of that and the good memories I have of eating it when I was a kid.

I mean, you can’t really beat an afternoon of macaroni and cheese, fort building, and Cinderella watching (only the Rogers and Hammerstein 1965 version, please and thank you!).

All I know is that when I was making and updating this recipe a few weeks ago, I thought, for just a second, that I was back in their kitchen, scooping out a second helping of Jill’s macaroni and cheese. And all I wanted was to be back there, with my bad bangs and crimped hair, playing with my friends, and eating my favorite food in the whole world.

Jill’s will always be the best, but this one is pretty darn close. Now all I need is a day to have a few helpings of this and watch Cinderella.

Whole Wheat Mac and Cheese
Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried whole wheat macaroni noodles (or regular is fine, too)
• 8 ounces (2 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups evaporated fat free milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons Dixie Crystals Light Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Paprika, for top

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni in large amount of boiling, salted water until tender but not mushy. Drain.
2. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar, dry mustard, and some black pepper.
3. Stir the cheese and milk into the hot pasta and mix together. When thoroughly combined, add the egg mixture to the pasta.
4. Pour into a casserole sprayed with vegetable spray. Press down to smooth the top. Sprinkle with more black pepper and paprika.
5. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

I have an ongoing partnership with Dixie Crystals. All recipes and opinions are my own, as always.

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