Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

I think that most of us can agree that Macaroni and Cheese is like, one of the best dishes on earth. It's pretty much one of the ultimate comfort foods in life. I make many versions, but I really like this one because of how incredibly easy it is. It, literally, is just a dump-everything-in-the-slow-cooker kind of recipe. Stir it up, plop the lid on, turn the temp to low and walk away for a few hours. That's it. Seriously. {You don't even boil the noodles first.} The pasta ends up perfectly cooked {not mushy at all}, an amazing creamy sauce is created and the flavors are simply spot on.

This takes just a short time to cook {three and a half hours or so}, so I like that this is something I can get going shortly before the kids get out of school and it's ready just in time for dinner around six o'clock. This, also, would be just perfect as a side dish for Sunday dinner after church.

A warning, however ... this is {obviously} not diet food. It has pasta and butter and cheese and milk and eggs and more cheese. So, it definitely doesn't quite register on the "healthy" scale. But, isn't that what we love about Macaroni and Cheese? It's totally supposed to be a little indulgent and a whole lot of yumminess.

NOTE: DO NOT PRE-COOK THE NOODLES. THEY GO INTO THE SLOW COOKER STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.

Yields 6 servings {as a side dish}



Ingredients:

Non-stick spray
12 ounces UNCOOKED elbow noodles
4 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons butter, cut into a couple of chunks
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard {optional, but recommended}
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups shredded cheese {A combination of sharp cheddar and a Colby blend works best}
4 ounces processed cheese product {such as Velveeta}, cubed
Dash of paprika

Directions:

Coat a large, oval slow cooker {five-to-six quart is best} with non-stick spray.

Add pasta, milk, butter, salt, pepper, dry mustard, eggs, processed cheese cubes and all but 1/2 of a cup of the shredded cheese into slow cooker.

Stir to combine. Sprinkle reserved shredded cheese on top, then sprinkle on paprika. 

Cover and cook on low for around three and a half hours. {Check at the three-hour mark ... cooking time may slightly vary depending on your slow cooker.} Pasta will be cooked, but not mushy.

Turn off slow cooker and serve hot.