Momma Pauline's Baked Mac and Cheese

Phinatic1972's Note:

My mom used to make this all the time for us growing up. The simplicity of the recipe compared to the end product results in pure comfort food. It is inexpensive, filling, and provides killer leftovers that my kids even eat cold. Have the kids help with ripping the cheese slices into little pieces but be careful how much they sneak-a-snack before dinner.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 3 (10 ¾ ounce) cans condensed tomato soup (Campbells gives best flavor)
• 21 ½ ounces whole milk (or two soup cans)
• 2 lbs ziti pasta
• 24 slices processed cheese , 8 reserved (Kraft Deli Slices work best)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 -3 teaspoons black pepper (enough to cover top)
• 3 tablespoons paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook pasta until JUST al dente. It will continue to cook in the oven.
3. While pasta is cooking, empty soup into a medium sized sauce pan and use a rubber spatula to get all the soup out then add two soup cans of milk to the soup.
4. Over medium to medium low heat blend the soup and milk. I use one of the attachments from a hand mixer rolling it back and forth in my palms. It works well and gets it done quickly.
5. Rip 16 slices of the cheese into small pieces dropping them into the soup as you go stirring often.
6. As cheese begins to melt add the garlic powder and cover the entire top of the mixture with the black pepper and continue to stir until cheese is fully melted.
7. In a roasting pan, roughly 15x12 (i use the throwaway foil kind) add half of the ziti then half of the cheese sauce and mix thoroughly.
8. Add the remaining ziti then sauce and mix thoroughly again.
9. Lay the remaining 8 slices of cheese on the top of the ziti and paprika the top of the mixture.
10. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
11. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.