Best Crockpot Mac and Cheese (or even oven if not too complicated)

[Tinker'n'Fun]

This is a duplicate as I posted over on the community board, but I am desperate, as I would like to put dinner on in an hour since it looks like a 3 hour low recipe. Thanks.

With the items I have in the house. It is Ash Wednesday and I have some fish but I thought I would treat my family to home made Mac and Cheese for the first time.

I have:

2 eggs
Milk
Evaporated milk (one can)
Elbow Macaroni
A brick of cheddar cheese
2#'s Velveeta
Guyuere Cheese
Some shredded Mozzarella

I also have spices, sour cream and normal Kitchen basics.

Thanks.

[DizneyLizzy]

Easiest Mac and Cheese

Melt 1 stick of butter. Add a 1/2 cup flour and stir/whisk until the lumps are out. Add 4 cups of whole milk (I think 2% would work too) and cook until thick over a low to medium heat - stirring frequently.

While you are doing this, boil water for and cook 1 lb of elbow macaroni (or any kind of macaroni, really)

Add 1 8 oz container of velveeta (cut into chunks so it melts easier) to the thickened milk mixture and stir until it is completely melted. Add some salt and pepper to taste.

When the macaroni is done cooking, drain it and pour it into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Pour the sauce over the macaroni and shake the pan until the sauce has evened out.

Bake, uncovered at 350 for about 30 minutes. If you want to make bread crumbs, you can, and then add then about halfway through the cook time. I usually make them out of a few slices of bread and some melted butter.

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Thanks. If I don't use the crockpot I am going to use this recipe. Sounds very easy.

[Avonlady1001]

I use a box of elbow mac, usually 2 bars of cheddar shredded or sliced, milk & pepper & a 2qt casserole dish. That's it. Cook the macaroni. Then layer mac, cheese, pour a little milk around, sprinkle some pepper. Repeat til you reach the top of the dish. Put all the remaining cheese, some more milk & pepper. I don't have an exact measurement of milk, but when you tilt the casserole dish you should see a little milk coming up the side, maybe about 1/2-3/4 cup total. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. No muss, no fuss.

Couldn't be more simple! It isn't creamy like the boxed stuff, but we like it this way. If you used velveeta, it would be creamier but I think it would work w/ any cheese you threw in there.

It's mac & cheese. I don't think you can wrong w/ any recipe you find.

[Minnesota!]

my coworker made this a few weeks ago and it was REALLY good.

Velveeta “Down Home Mac ‘N’ Cheese” with a Twist
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup milk
½ lb or 8 oz of Velveeta Cheese (cut into small cubes)
2 cups of cooked Macaroni or noodles of some sort
1 bag of Cheddar Garlic Croutons (crushed into coarse crumbs)
1 bag (small) of Shredded cheese
Chunked ham (or hotdogs)
Heat oven to 350
Melt 3 TBSP of butter in med saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook 2 min., stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for another 3 to 5 min or until thickened. Add the cubes of Velveeta Cheese, cook for another 3 min or until all is melted stirring frequently. Then stir in the cooked noodles coating them in the sauce you’ve created. Once everything is stirred together cut up your ham and put it in the mixture to coat thoroughly.
Once finished put all in a 2 qt. casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese over the top followed by a layer of the croutons (you can melt the remaining butter and toss the croutons in it) and a second layer of shredded cheese. Bake for 20 min or until heated through.

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I finally just put together a few of the recipes here and put it all in the crockpot. I hope the previous poster was correct and it is good.

As for the crouton idea, that made my mouth water. I will have those on hand for next time. Yum.

Thanks everyone. It is in the hands of the crockpot. I am still a little leery of the eggs all the recipes called for, but we have some great steamed fish to go with it and I bought a little extra.

[princess barbara]

Next time google "one pot macaroni and cheese by Consumer Reports". It's now my go to recipe. Works everytime and can be doubled or tripled. Try it with different blends of cheese- the best.

[BadgerGirl84]

I've never heard of a mac and cheese you can make in a crock pot. Every good recipe I've tried starts with a basic white sauce (butter and flour....then slowly add milk...thicken....then add the cheese) that would have to be made on the stove.

How did it turn out?

[E-P-C-O-T]

I know you don't have a lot of time today, but, you should try this recipe when you do have a couple of hours before dinner.

This is what I make for the holidays :
http://www.food.com/recipe/paula-dee...-cheese-257276

It's everyones favorite!!

[richmond282]

For the future, this is my Go-to recipe. it is sooooo easy and super creamy!

Ingredients
3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded white cheddar cheese
1-3/4 cups milk
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3/4 cup egg substitute
3/4 cup butter, melted

Directions
Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Place in a greased 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until a thermometer reads 160°, stirring once. Yield: 16 servings (3/4 cup each).

[It'sWDW4me]

Yummmm. With a few really easy recipes on here I'm thinking I'll be making mac & cheese this weekend!

[pixiewings71]

Mine is very easy, I simply take cooked pasta, put it in an oven safe dish, add some shredded sharp cheddar, some cubed Velveeta, some milk (just 2-3 T) and put it in the oven, bake until it's all melty and yummy. Sometimes I add Panko crumbs on top, sometimes I put bacon or mushroom in the mix, it's always very good. I don't measure the cheeses, I just add it, mix it and add more, if I don't think it looks cheesy enough after about 10 minutes I add more. LOL The family loves it!

[Kasper1014]

Do a search on Paula Deans crock pot macaroni and cheese. You can mix up her recipe, but this is the best recipe for Mac and cheese ever! Very easy, you don't even have to cook the macaroni noodles before hand.

[It'sWDW4me]

Originally Posted by Kasper1014

Do a search on Paula Deans crock pot macaroni and cheese. You can mix up her recipe, but this is the best recipe for Mac and cheese ever! Very easy, you don't even have to cook the macaroni noodles before hand.

Sure, the ingredients list shows uncooked elbow noodles but step one is "Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes".

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I used a little of everyone's information and ours turned out very good.

I used:

1 package wheat elbow macaroni (boiled for 4 minutes, so a bit below al'dente)
1 brick cheddar cheese
A small amount of velvetta cubed small
1 can evaporated milk
3 tbsp butter melted
2 1/3 cups milk (1 percent)
2 eggs
(sorry for typos)

I sprayed my crock pot with Pam, I put in the evaporated milk, milk and eggs, and wisked the eggs in. Added the butter and cheeses and combined. Added noodles and combined until all were covered, put some of the cheese on top.

My crockpot has a warm button, used that for 45 minutes to bring all the items to the same temp slowly. Brought it up to low and cooked around 3 or 3 1/2 hours.

It turned out great. I would add more cheese and possibly a very sharp cheddar next time.

I can't wait to try out other recipes I have seen here though. I have quite a few Friday's to experiment before Easter.

Thanks again!!!