Baked mac and cheese, restaurant style and lower calorie

Add macaroni to a pot, cover with just enough water to submerge it and add a small pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and set a timer for about a minute less than the package says, stirring occasionally.

For the sauce base, combine mustard, heavy cream, evaporated milk, melted butter and cornstarch. These are the emulsifiers the cheeses melt into.

Shred at least two parts melting cheese to two parts flavoring cheese and add to the sauce base.

When the pasta is cooked and the water has evaporated, turn the heat to low, pour in the cheese mixture and stir until melted and cohesive.

Pour into a cast iron pan. Mix panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, smoked paprika, garlic pepper and 20 cranks of black pepper and sprinkle evenly over the top.

Bake at 450 about 10 minutes to toast the topping.

Variation: two ingredient mac and cheese, boil chickpea pasta in water so it makes a slurry, then mix in shredded cheese.

Variation, lower calorie: use chickpea shells instead of elbow macaroni, low-fat evaporated milk alone instead of butter, cream and evaporated milk, pork panko instead of panko, and low moisture mozzarella instead of gouda.

Variation, lower calorie: boil the chickpea pasta in just enough water with a pinch of salt over high heat, stirring occasionally to stop the starches gelling and sticking.

Variation, lower calorie: stir spicy brown mustard and evaporated milk together, add all the shredded cheeses, then pour into the pasta once the pasta water has mostly evaporated. Pour off any excess to control the sauce consistency.

Adjust to taste with more evaporated milk for creaminess, more cheese for stretch, more salt, garlic powder or mustard.

Variation, lower calorie: top with pork panko crumbs, smoked paprika, garlic powder and about 20 cranks of black pepper, then bake in a cast iron pan at 450 about 10 minutes.