Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese! Recipe Tested by Us!

Crowd Pleasing - Right Down to the Last Spoonful!

Enjoy this tried and true recipe - it is Mom's Lifesavers approved!

We were attending a Labor Day Neighborhood Pot Luck and were looking for something for the slow cooker - aka Crock Pot! My sister and I worked together to find a cheesy, creamy macaroni and cheese recipe - after looking all around the world wide web - we used what we thought would be the 'best of' and combined them into one recipe big enough for a crowd -it was a hit!

I had the tough job, (just kidding) going to the supermarket on a holiday weekend to get the ingredients and supplying the crock pot (I am such a sport!)

The bulk of the prep time on this is boiling the water for the pasta and shredding the cheese from the blocks - the other ingredients mix together on the stove top as well - so estimate about 30 minutes of getting this slow cooker recipe ready. Cooking it in the slow cooker will vary - we cooked ours for almost 2 hours on low - it it even had crispy edges that the adults were fighting over!

Ingredients:

- 4 Cups of uncooked Barilla elbow macaroni (1 box) - or similar pasta that has lines
TIP -We used the kind of pasta with lines in it  because the cheese loves to cling to those lines -  'wheels' would be fun too!
-  1 Can of Campbell Soup Cheddar Cheese Soup
-  2 Cups 1% milk
-  1 Cup of Sour cream
-  1 stick of butter (reserve 2 tablespoons for greasing slow cooker sides)
-  1 tsp onion powder
-  1 8oz block of cheddar cheese, shredded (you can also purchase it pre-shredded)
-  1 8oz block of colby-jack, shredded (you can also purchase it pre-shredded)
-  1 16oz bag of shredded pizza cheese
-  pepper and salt to taste if needed (we didn't use any)
TIP - Experiment with the cheese you use! Try some cheese-ends from the deli - you'll get a great variety for a great price!

Getting Started: Cook macaroni al-dente - you don't want soggy noodles! - check the back of the package for recommended al-dente cooking instructions. While the pasta is cooking gather your remaining ingredients. Add the butter, seasonings and soup (straight, don't dilute it), milk and sour cream to a large pot. Set burner to medium or medium low - you want it to blend and melt not burn so stir regularly. Once it is all blended add in the shredded cheese medley. Continue stirring until cheese is melted - remove from heat.

Next, Drain the pasta and place it in your buttered/greased slow cooker TIP - Use a liner or cooking spray to make clean up even easier! Now add that creamy, cheesey goodness to the noodles and stir - cover and give yourself a break! In 2 hours (or until bubbly) ON LOW check back and look at the perfect macaroni and cheese you made.

 TIP -Pair it with some fresh cut tomato slices! My sisters's suggestion - "This would be great with some cooked lobster added to it - yum!"

Here is what was left our big batch! A hit! 
(And Yes, I cleaned the crock pot - was the least I could do after she made it!)

Enjoy this tried and true recipe - we sure did.

Looking for more Mac and Cheese recipes - try these award winning recipes out of New Hampshire

Don't feel like cooking? Why not try some eat in or take out from Mr. Mac's in Manchester, N.H.

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