Even though we’re only one week into second semester, if you’re like me, you’re already sick of Easy Mac. Don’t worry, there’s no need to give up the delicious combination of smooth melted cheese and elbow pasta—my mom is coming to the rescue!

Mom’s recipe is super easy—which I know from years of firsthand experience—and dorm-friendly. I might be a little biased, but this is the best baked mac and cheese I’ve ever had, with a perfect balance of crunchy breadcrumbs and gooey cheddar cheese. So get ready to eat the entire five to seven servings by yourself, but beware of the possible side effect of pissing off your friends who didn’t get to try any. On that note, I have to go obtain some mac and cheese so that I can stop drooling on my keyboard. Enjoy!

Ingredients

8 oz. macaroni pasta
2 tbsp. butter (for cheese sauce)
1 tbsp. butter(for breadcrumb topping)
3 tbsp. all-purpose bleached flour
2 cups skim milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. powdered mustard seeds
1 tsp. crushed black pepper
3/4 cup of italian bread crumbs
8-10 oz. shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (based on preference)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Boil macaroni for 8-10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, melt 2 tbsp. of butter.
4. Add flour, milk, salt, black pepper, and powdered mustard seeds, and stir until thick.
5. Once thickened, add shredded cheese. Stir until melted.
6. In a separate bowl, melt 1 tbsp. of butter.
7. Add breadcrumbs to melted butter and mix.
8. When pasta is cooked, mix in cheese sauce.
9. Pour cheesy macaroni evenly into a 2-quart baking dish.
10. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly on top of macaroni.
11.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until breadcrumbs are a golden-brown.
Sprinkle on some wonderful motherly love and dig in!