Classic Chili Mac

Chili mac is pure childhood comfort, grown up just enough to earn a spot at the adult table — and the genius is in the one-pot method. The macaroni cooks directly in the chili, not in a separate pot of water, so it drinks up all that spiced, beefy, tomatoey flavor as it softens and releases just enough starch to thicken everything into a rich, cohesive whole. Ground beef, kidney beans, and a blanket of melted cheddar on top round it into the ultimate weeknight crowd-pleaser: fast, filling, endlessly kid-approved, and impossible to stop eating. It's the dish that disappears fastest at any table with children — and plenty without.

Serve straight from the pot while the cheese is melty.

Any short pasta works (shells and cavatappi grab the sauce well). Add a splash more broth if it thickens too much as it sits — the pasta keeps drinking. Ground turkey subs for beef. A little hot sauce or pickled jalapeño lets adults spice up their own bowls.