Today: Macaroni and cheese expert Catherine Lamb is showing you how to make this American classic — and a top contender for the ultimate comfort food — with whatever kitchen staples you've got.

To make mac and cheese like you're eating with Dolly and Rachel Parton, boil elbow macaroni in a pot of salted water for 2–3 minutes less than the package instructions.

Pasta simmers directly in half-and-half, then a splash of boiling water with a lot of cheese ensures an ultra-smooth sauce.

In our column Fake It or Make It we test a homemade dish against its prepackaged counterpart to find out what's really worth cooking from scratch. If Proust had been an American, I'm confident ...

If your household includes children, you likely lost count long ago of the number of bowls of macaroni and cheese you’ve made, ordered at restaurants, microwaved or poured out of a box. As if by ...

If your household includes children, you likely lost count long ago of the number of bowls of macaroni and cheese you’ve made, ordered at restaurants, microwaved or poured out of a box. As if by ...

If your household includes children, you likely lost count long ago of the number of bowls of macaroni and cheese you’ve made, ordered at restaurants, microwaved or poured out of a box.

Tony from the Tilt'n Diner shows how to prepare mac and cheese with a special scratch cheese sauce.

So, without further waxing poetic on how macaroni and cheese is the perfect meal, here's how to make it: Check out the slideshow above to learn how to make macaroni and cheese without a recipe.