The addition of flat leaf parsley could also take this dish to the next level. If you miss the good old neon orange coloring, try adding some turmeric and/or paprika or use an American cheddar cheese. I also added baby spinach during this step (before adding the noodles) to move the dish further into 'adult' territory. I would also recommend adding the cheese to the sauce BEFORE adding the noodles, as again, this will make it easier to incorporate the cheese into the sauce. This will make it easier to incorporate into the sauce and won't leave a layer of cheese goo in the bottom of the pan. If the cheese you're using isn't finely grated, I highly suggest pulsing it in a food processor, or mincing it by hand (easy to do if it's already 'shredded'). You can make this with any cheese you have on hand, although an aged cheese is going to give you more depth of flavor. I'm pretty loyal to the recipe, but I've also used half and half a few times (mostly due to not having whole milk in my fridge lol) and it worked out just the same, giving the sauce a richer flavor. I'll probably make this until the end of time. I've made this so many times, I can't even eat boxed Mac and cheese anymore because my taste buds flat out reject it! Annie's who? Kraft what? Store-bought parmigiano, what other way is there to get it?
The next recipe will tell you to ditch microwave popcorn and actually pop your own popcorn at home with instructions on how to apply salt and butter. Recipe? I hate to be a snob, but this concoction had no depth of flavor and is unworthy of publication by Bon Appetit.