The Second Best Macaroni and Cheese

Okay, so the very best is the kind my mom makes with a real, separate white sauce....it's incredible. :) Unfortunately, it's a bit time consuming...not hard really, but it doesn't fit into my 5 minutes of cooking time. This recipe however, does. Quick, easy, and a definite favorite around here. It's one of the very few non-dessert things that Jenny asks for seconds of. :)

Second Best Macaroni and Cheese

1 lb of uncooked macaroni
1lb of grated cheese (cheddar is best, but you could use moz, or jack, etc.)
4 cups of milk
salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped (opt)

Spray your baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray. I use my 13x9, but it would probably fit fine into a medium-large corning ware type dish too. Pour in your uncooked pasta, then mix in your grated cheese, salt and pepper (and onion if you're using it). Pour your milk evenly over the top, then don't stir! Just make sure to press any heaps of pasta out flat so that nothing is to far above the milk--it wont cook and will just stay hard. Don't go crazy though, a bit of crunch is nice. :) At this point I like to sprinkle it with something like Italian seasoning. Not to much, but a little adds a nice flavor. My mom likes paprika. Pop it into the oven at 350* for about 1 hour. Just test the pasta with a fork (I like to taste, it just to be sure the inside is cooked), the cheese should be a nice light to medium brown. I think it's best served warm, but some of my brothers claim that it's just as good cold. They are under 13 though... :) Enjoy!