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Ever look at your meal plan for the week and think to yourself that there is NO WAY you want to fix what you had planned for dinner? Even with the greatest of intentions, your pre-planned meal isn’t making the cut. At least not on this night.

Only yesterday I had planned to try out a new rib recipe I found on Pinterest. When morning came around and I was ready to put the ribs in the crockpot, I just couldn’t do it.

My family has been sick this week (myself included) and the thought of bbq ribs for dinner no longer sounded appealing. I had no idea what dinner was going to be, I just knew it wasn’t going to be ribs.

When I find myself in a bind (and in a hurry), I have a meal that I know everyone will love. It’s quick, delicious and I almost always have the ingredients on hand.

This homemade macaroni and cheese recipe is a family favorite and it only requires four simple ingredients: macaroni, milk, cheese, and butter.

The begin, boil 6 cups of water. Add two cups of elbow macaroni and a pat of butter to keep the macaroni from sticking together. Boil for about 10 minutes or until it reaches your desired tenderness. Drain excess water. Add in 1/2 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of butter, and 1 – 1 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (based on your personal taste). Stir until the cheese is melted and serve immediately.

This recipe can be easily doubled if you choose to make it the main course or are feeding more than four people. I almost always use sharp cheddar but Colby is also a tasty option. Colby cheese is stringy when it melts and it is so yummy!

Reasons I Love this Recipe

This recipe is great for so many reasons. For one, the ingredients are so simple that you probably already have what you need to make it. No macaroni? No problem! You can use penne, rotini, or even bow tie pasta. No cheddar cheese? Try Colby jack or American. I like to mix it up and try new combinations.

I also like this recipe because it’s made with real ingredients. I know exactly what I’m feeding my family and I feel good about that.

Since we are often in a hurry to get dinner on the table, I like that I can make this recipe in 15 minutes. I use the time while the macaroni is cooking to fix water bottles, tidy-up the kitchen, or look through school papers.

And finally, it’s great as either a side dish or the main course. For a really fast meal, I like to serve this dish with smoked sausage and a vegetable. It also goes well (ironically) with bbq ribs or chicken.

Most often simple is best. Not only in life, but with our cooking. This recipe is both simple and comforting. I hope you and your family enjoy this macaroni and cheese as much as we do.

What is your favorite go-to recipe? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by!