Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- Serves 6 to 8
- 3 1/2 cups shredded cheese, like cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 2 cups 2% or whole milk
- 2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, or 1 teaspoon dijon or yellow mustard
- Equipment:
- 6-quart or larger slow cooker
- Spatula
Preparation
Step 1
Combine ingredients in the slow cooker: Set 1/2 cup of grated cheese aside, then combine the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir to make sure that everything is evenly distributed and the pasta is evenly coated. Smooth the top so the pasta is submerged.
Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 4 hours: The pasta is done when it has absorbed all of the liquid and the pasta is soft. It will look soupy up until the last half-hour of cooking, and then it will quickly finish cooking and absorb all the liquid. If this is your first time making this recipe, start checking the pasta after about 2 hours, then continue checking it every 20 to 30 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Every slow cooker will be slightly different; once you've made this recipe once, make a note of the cooking time for future reference.
Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the pasta in the last 10 to 30 minutes of cooking. Cook until the cheese has melted or the rest of the liquid is absorbed into the pasta.
Serve: Serve this macaroni and cheese straight from the slow cooker. Leftovers will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes:
Smaller slow cookers: Halve the recipe to make this macaroni and cheese in a 3-quart or smaller slow cooker.
Crunchy-topped macaroni and cheese: For a crunchy top, melt a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and mix in 1/2 cup of panko crumbs, crushed corn flakes, or breadcrumbs. Cook until the crumbs are golden, then set aside. Sprinkle these over the macaroni and cheese in the last half-hour of cooking, and leave the slow cooker partially covered.
Per serving, based on 6 servings. (% daily value)
Calories 728 Fat 32.3 g (49.7%) Saturated 19.5 g (97.5%) Trans 0 g Carbs
72.2 g (24.1%) Fiber 2.4 g (9.7%) Sugars 17.8 g Protein 36.3 g (72.6%)
Cholesterol 99.7 mg (33.2%) Sodium 753.6 mg (31.4%)