• 3 cups (750 mL) uncooked elbow macaroni
• 10 oz (284 mL) can undiluted condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 3/4 cups (425 mL) grated old cheddar or 200-g pkg of shredded mix of cheeses

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C). To cook pasta, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Once water boils, add pasta. Boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, scrape contents of can of soup into an 8-cup (2-L) casserole dish. Place dish, uncovered, in preheated oven. Bake just until soup is hot and bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes.
2. 2. Drain cooked pasta well. Remove casserole dish from oven. Stir cheese into hot soup until almost melted. Stir in pasta until coated. Mac 'n' cheese is good at this point, but for a fuller flavour, cover and continue baking, about 20 more minutes.
3. • Make it your own Before baking casserole, stir in frozen green peas or chopped hot peppers. For a crunchy topping, mix crushed croutons with grated cheese or liberally sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs overtop. Then bake, uncovered, until top is golden, from 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

When the temperature dips, warm your heart with good old mac 'n' cheese. We guarantee that this recipe will be one of the easiest and creamiest you've ever made.