Smoked Mac and Cheese

Preheat the grill or smoker to 350°F. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Editor's Tip: If you learn how to cook pasta for everything from baked ziti to mac and cheese, you need never again worry about the accidental mushy or crunchy noodles.

Stir the Velveeta, 1 cup smoked cheddar, cheddar cheese, milk, eggs, heavy cream, half-and-half, provolone, Colby-Monterey Jack, pepper jack, salt, pepper, paprika and, if desired, liquid smoke and cayenne pepper to the pasta in the bowl. Editor's Tip: No need to make a roux for the cheese sauce in this recipe. Simply dump, stir and smoke.

Spoon the pasta mixture evenly into two greased 13x9-inch baking pans. Sprinkle the tops evenly with the remaining 1 cup smoked cheddar cheese. Place the pans on your grill or smoker rack. Grill or smoke, covered, until a thermometer inserted into the center of the mac reads at least 160°, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through the cooking time. Editor's Tip: Be careful not to overcook the mac and cheese. Doing so will result in gummy pasta with a dried sauce that has evaporated too much of its moisture.

Let the smoked mac and cheese rest for 10 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with bacon. Enjoy. Editor's Tip: Resting foods isn't just for cooked meat. Warm, saucy dishes like mac and cheese need to rest (or "stand") for a few minutes so that the sauce can firm up just a bit before you dive in.