Mac and Cheese Dog Casserole - This is the recipe that started it all. It is a Rachael Ray recipe and it holds true to the "30-minute meal" gimmick. I have made this recipe countless times and it remains to be one of our favorite meals. I have experimented with a variety of different hot dog brands and Hebrew National is probably my favorite, but a couple nights ago we tried turkey dogs and they were tasty. If you wanted to go vegan, tofu dogs might work (though I haven't tried that yet). My macaroni preference is the Barilla Plus brand, to be a little healthier. I don't skimp on anything else. Oh, and I use chicken broth instead of the beer.
Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower - This recipe is from the Real Simple Magazine (February 2009 issue). It was delicious and my family loved it. Requires a bit more time because of the cauliflower, but definitely worth it.
Spicy Mac & Cheese - This recipe is from Pioneer Woman. As with pretty much every recipe I have tried if hers, it was good. I didn't know how spicy it would be, and I wanted to make sure my kids would eat it, so I did not add the jalapeno pepper and I used regular Monterrey Jack cheese.
Dutch Macaroni - This recipe is from Kayotic Kitchen. I don't think this link will take you directly to the recipe so just type "macaroni" in the search area and it will come right up. I haven't actually tried this one yet, but very soon. I'll let you know.
My one and only tip: If the recipe you are using calls for cheddar cheese, use Sharp Cheddar -- you get more from the taste without having to add more cheese, if that makes sense.
