In a medium-sized pot, bring water to boil for the pasta shells. Cook the pasta until it is almost done, but still a little hard. Drain the pasta. Put it in a large bowl, then drizzle it with a little bit of ghee or vegetable oil. Set it aside.
In the same pot, melt the butter. Then add in the milk, heat it until the milk and butter are pretty much mixed together, about 2 - 3 minutes.
Mix in the American cheese, stir and cook until it is completely melted. Next, add in the spices - cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, ground paprika, and salt. Mix everything together, then add 4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese into the cheese sauce. Mix and cook until all the cheddar cheese is completely melted.
Next, add the cooked pasta shells to the cheese sauce, stir to combine. Pour the mac and cheese into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Cover the top with the remaining 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake for 25 - 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Serve with baked or roasted chicken or beef with veggies, or with your favorite holiday dinner! Enjoy!
Notes
Mac and cheese lasts for several days in the refrigerator and several weeks in the freezer.
All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.