One of my favorite comfort foods is mac and cheese, and I like it most when the traditional recipe is taken to an entirely new level. When I came across this recipe, it seemed easy enough to make and too hard to pass up.

..RECIPE..

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, olive oil, and salt; set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8 minutes. (Should be a bit firm.) Remove from heat, drain, and return to pan.
4. Stir in butter and egg until pasta is evenly coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese and stir the remaining Cheddar, milk, and Mozzarella into the pasta.
5. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and the bread crumb mixture over the tops.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned. Allow the cups to cool for a few minutes before removing from pan.