I cook Mac n Cheese in the Slow Cooker when I have a lot of other dishes going on at the same time.  This is a recipe I’ve used for years, and while I continue to test new slow cooker mac ‘n cheese recipes, this one is always a crowd favorite.  Plus, you can set it and forget it and let it cook while working on everything else. I started making this when all the older kids were little, but everyone always eats it - not just the kids.  



​
Slow Cooker Mac ‘n Cheese
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 16oz macaroni
• 1 12oz can of milk
• 1 ½ cups regular milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup melted margarine
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Pepper to taste

 
PREPARATION:

• Cook and drain macaroni. Set aside
• Mix the next 7 ingredients together.
• Place the cooked macaroni in a greased slow cooker (a 3 Qt or 4Qt size is perfect)
• Add the cheese mixture and stir to blend well
• Cook for 3-4 hours on the low setting.

 ​

So pasta is beige, and thus is very popular in my house.  But sometimes, you’ve gotta spice it up.  I try to do that with homemade pasta. It’s really easy to make the dough, and then run it through the attachment to my Kitchen Aid mixer. Plus - since it is fun I can usually get some little helpers. I learned how to make pasta at a cooking class a very long time ago. Since then I feel like I’ve perfected the technique.
 
Here’s a few tips before you get started:
1.  For the flour, use an all-purpose, unbleached flour. It should be at least 4g of protein per ¼ cup. I like to use King Arthur or Hodgson Mill.
2.  For the Eggs:
    a.  For each egg, you’ll need ¼ cup of flour.
    b. Estimate 1 egg per two modest servings. I use 1 egg per person I’m serving. 
        And I throw in one extra since I have a teenager.
    c. Use Large eggs, but NOT extra Large.
3.  Rule of thumb: 4 Large Eggs =  2 batches of 16 oz pasta
4.  For the pasta attachment, I’ve had better success with a non-Kitchen Aid branded one than I did with their set, and its less expensive.  Here’s the link to the one that I use.
 
Making the dough:
1.  Beat the eggs in the mixer bowl using the batter beater attachment.
2.  Then gradually add in the flour.
3.  When you have kneaded it in the mixer for 5 minutes and it seems “close” then take it out on the counter and finish kneading it by hand on the counter for 4 minutes. Lightly flour your hands to do this. The dough should have enough flour that it is barely sticky.
4.  Do not add too much flour!!! If too much flour is added, it will be difficult to roll.
 
Rolling the Pasta:
5.  Cut off a lemon-sized piece of dough to start pushing through the flat rollers on the pasta attachment.
6.    Place an inverted bowl over the remaining dough so it doesn’t get dry.
7.  You’ll run it through the smooth rollers first to finish kneading it and get to your preferred thickness. Start with the rollers at their widest setting – this will be a 1 or a 10 depending on your roller attachment. You will pass the dough through at this widest setting at least 10 times. At that point it should be stretchy like a rubber band without tearing it.
    a.   After it goes through the rollers each time, fold the dough in half and press it together. Lightly (!) flour the outside so it doesn’t stick to the rollers if it feels sticky.
8.  Next, you’ll set the rollers at their next thinnest setting, and pass the dough through.  You will no longer fold the dough between passes. Then continue to move to the next thinnest setting until you get to your desired thinness.
9.  The next step is run the pasta through the spaghetti or fettuccine slicers, and then to hang the noodles on a pasta drying rack.
 
Boiling the Pasta:
1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a riling boil.
2.  Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente.
3.  If the pasta is fresh and right off the rack, it will cook in just 1-3 minutes.
4.  If the pasta is dry, it will cook in 4-7 minutes.
 
Storing the Pasta:
This is not usually an issue in my house since it all gets eaten right away, however….
After the pasta is dry, you can store it in an airtight container or zip top bag.
It will keep for 2-6 months, or up to 8 months in the freezer.

In this case - For the adults, I sauteed some onions, tomatoes, garlic, peas and spinach for a sauce. 
The kids took it straight with sauce and fresh parmesan.

​Let me know if you have any questions - I'm happy to help!

At the moment, my youngest has issues with food that has color. The exceptions are slices of green peppers, edamame, and ketchup. Yet he loves sushi, so I can't explain it. But with such a limited diet I need to make sure that when he does eat that he gets enough calories. Mac and cheese checks both boxes - beige and caloric. Making it from scratch cuts down on preservatives and unwanted chemicals.

I've tried a lot of mac and cheese recipes, and I'll share a few here on the blog. This one is the easiest on a weekend. With a little planning you can make it for lunch or dinner in the slow cooker.  A word of warning - it makes a lot(!) of mac and cheese.  It is best eaten warm if you can coordinate that with your schedule. If not, you'll need to store it in the fridge until later.  It warms up fine, but is a bit dense as a leftover since the noodles have absorbed most of cheese and liquid.

This recipe is from Damn Delicious, and is a favorite in our house. As she says on her blog, "The BEST mac and cheese EVER!!!! No boil. No stress. Everything gets thrown right in. Even the uncooked noodles!!!" She says to cook it in a 4Qt slow cooker. I only have a 7 Qt one, and it worked just fine on the low setting.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound medium elbow macaroni
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 cups grated American cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place macaroni, 1 cup cheddar cheese, American cheese, cream cheese and Parmesan into a 4-qt slow cooker.
2. Stir in milk, evaporated milk, Dijon, paprika and onion powder, making sure the macaroni is submerged as much as possible; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Cover and cook on low heat for 90 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes, stirring every hour until tender and creamy.* Uncover and stir in remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese until melted, about 2-3 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with chives, if desired.