The biggest trick with mac and cheese is not to skimp on the cheese. I usually do it with potatoes but it is a very similar process. If you don't mind an unhealthy indulgence, use heavy cream instead of milk. A little onion in there is good too, shaved thin enough that it just cooks away. If you are not that handy with a knife, a mandolin is a great tool. The bread crumbs is just adding them before you bake it. Some fresh ground pepper is good but be careful with the salt if you are using an aged cheddar cheese since it already has some salt that will show up when it cooks. I still add a little, depending on how much was in the water for the pasta or potatoes.
You do need to pre cook those, no matter what the "lazy" cook book says. It gets some of the excess starch out. The chef at my wife's club used to parboil french fries before they hit the fryer. Not long, just enough to soften them a little.
