The ultimate comfort food! Elbow macaroni or cavatappi cradled in a creamy sauce with bites of sharp cheddar and subtle spices to tantalize the tongue. This easy and delicious recipe has been a family favorite since 1995. Plus, a glimpse of memorable restaurant mac 'n cheese creations. 
First a bit of context, I love macaroni and cheese so much that I was once kicked out of an "all-you-can-eat" buffet restaurant called Sir George's Smorgasbord House. I was 5 years old, shorter than the counter top as I had to stretch up over my head to get the small plate with the tiny scoop of mac and cheese. They said I went back too many times and asked us to leave, even though none of us ate any seafood, prime rib or other expensive items. My dad was so mad that we never went back.
Shortcut to the printable Love2Chow recipe.
I've enjoyed my share of the Kraft variety with the powdered cheeses and the thin, mildly curved noodles. While several men that I know all seemed to share a penchant for making a meal of boxed mac and cheese with cut up hot dogs, I was much more likely to add spinach and mushrooms to ramen noodles. I also didn't really care for the Velveeta version, with its shiny, gluey processed texture. Even the addition of burnt ends from smoked brisket doesn't fix the apparently cheese food-dominant sauce served by one area restaurant. But I found myself liking the Boston Chicken/Boston Market rotini mac and cheese side despite its slightly gluey texture -- it must have been the addition of blue cheese into the Cheddar and American cheese mix.

Over the years, a handful of transcendental mac and cheese experiences at restaurants across the country have made their impression.

Urban Solace: Duckaroni

Skillet of Duckaroni - Urban Solace, San Diego, CA by Chef Matt Gordon. This is a divine rendition of Mac 'n Cheese featuring duck confit, Maytag blue cheese, arugula, scallions and roasted garlic. It is cooked and served in a small cast iron skillet with the cheese bubbling and the protruding edges of duck and biscuit crumb topping browned to crispy perfection. Some peppery arugula and the subtle bite of green onions add refreshing contrasts in color and flavor. I had the good fortune of sampling this amazing appetizer during two separate visits to San Diego. Unfortunately, while writing this post, I discovered that Urban Solace closed this past March, after 12 years of deliciousness. Fortunately, the recipe for Matt's cheese & chive biscuits, which form the crumbly topping, can be found online. I guess I'll have to get a cast iron skillet and figure out how to recreate duckaroni!

Urban Solace: Cheddar-Chive biscuits with Orange-Honey Butter & Smoked Tomato Jam

Brisket Mac & Cheese - Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room, 139 7th St., Pittsburgh, PA. 412-281-5700. Open 7 days a week for lunch, dinner and late night snacking. No reservations. Although I adore the creative, wood-fired pizzas, the salads, and the house-cured bacon candy, it is the brisket mac & cheese that I end up thinking about. This comes in a hearty ceramic bowl featuring fresh cavatappi spirals in a white cheddar sauce, punctuated by wood-smoked beef brisket, caramelized onions, and a perfectly balanced deep red, tart-sweet barbecue sauce. This is an ideal dish, paired with one of the half salads for a winter evening watching a show in the Cultural District.