creamy, one pot mac and cheese

Ok people.  This is revolutionary.  I read this recipe on Pinterest, changed a few things, and added a little pizzazz to it to make it my own.  The basic idea is to cook the macaroni IN THE MILK- that's right.  In the milk.  After a while of simmering, you add your cheese (whatever kind you want).  It's creamy, delicious, so comforting, and healthiER (healthier=not necessarily eating straight bulgur wheat but a great healthy alternative to a mac and cheese made with a rich white bechemel sauce).  You can always put it in the oven with some bread crumbs if you like that oven baked taste.  Here we go:

Ingredients:

4 cups large elbow Macaroni, uncooked (or whatever kind of pasta you want)
4 cups milk if needed, additional 1/4 cup milk for final cooking (note: I have used 1% and while it has been delicious, it does not yield the creamy results that whole milk would provide.  keep that in mind!)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard (or you could use ground mustard)

1 onion, diced (small to medium sized- or whatever you have)

3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
a dash of oil

1 bay leaf  
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

generous dash of nutmeg
1 block (16 oz or so) of grated cheese (should be 2 cups), any one or combination of  (I used sharp white cheddar- inspired by Panera's mac and cheese- and parmesan because it's what I had.  delish.)

**serves around 6 people (makes GREAT leftovers for those of you with households of 2!)

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan, heat your oil and saute your chopped onion and garlic over medium heat until you get a little brown color on your onions
• Add your nutmeg and bay leaf 
• Add your milk, macaroni, and dijon
• Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.  Stir your pasta pretty regularly because if not, it will all clump together so don't walk away!
• Once your milk simmers, turn it down to low (the original recipe inventor said if the milk is too hot, it will evaporate too quickly)
• Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until milk has absorbed into the macaroni.  Add more milk if the macaroni isn't fully cooked and cook for another 5 minutes, or until cooked.  I didn't let my milk evaporate completely because I still wanted a creamy sauce.  To each his/her own.
• Stir in your cheese(s)
• The original recipe says to turn off the heat and put the lid on the pot so the macaroni can continue to absorb, but I didn't do this because I got the consistency I desired.
• You could put it in an oven proof dish and add more cheese or panko bread crumbs and stick it in the oven if you want, or just eat it as is!

Enjoy! Sorry I don't have a pic- but trust me!  SO yummy! 

***PS I added roasted cauliflower to it and tonight I am adding roasted broccoli for color (and nutrients, of course!)