No secret or fancy ingredients here. Not from a box, no processed cheese food.
2 c elbows (my preference is Barilla, they are twisty elbows)
2 T flour
1/4 c flour
2 c milk (usually 2% as that is what I have on hand for my coffee)
2 c shredded white sharp cheddar (real cheddar, in a block - no fillers or anti-caking agents as in the pre-shredded pack)
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a casserole dish.
Cook elbows as directed on box. Take out a minute or 2 earlier than suggested time. Drain.
While cooking elbows, melt butter in large saucepan (I think mine is 3 qt). When melted, add flour and stir for a few minutes.
Add milk and whisk in. Season with pepper and salt (keep in mind that cheese is already salty, so you shouldn't use too much salt). Some use white pepper to avoid the black specs, but I don't bother. DH does not like a lot of pepper, so lI really only use a half dozen or so grinds.
Continue whisking until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat.
Stir in shredded cheddar, then cooked pasta (this is why I use a fairly large saucepan - that way, only one cheesy, messy pan to clean up).
Pour into prepped casserole. Bake for 30 minutes.
This can easily be scaled up, or down, as needed. If I use 3 c pasta, I bake in a 9 x 11 glass pan. If I use 4 c, I go to a 13 x 9.