This Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese recipe is a crowd pleaser – right down to the last spoonful.

Enjoy this tried and true recipe – it is Mom’s Lifesavers approved!

We were attending a 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 – and 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 – haha)

The bulk of the prep time for the slow cooker macaroni and cheese 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 prepped and ready. Cooking times 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

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

Next Steps

• 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!”