For busy mums on the go, slow cookers are literally the best invention ever.
Never again do you need to listen to wails of ‘I’m hungry!’ and ‘Is dinner ready yet?!’ when you’ve chucked all you need in there since before you left the house that morning. Boom and double boom.
Now, mac and cheese doesn’t seem like the type of thing that would fare too well in a slow cooker situation but thankfully, the amazing gang at The Kitchn have come up with a genius method of making sure that it is perfect to serve those hungry kiddos.
(Pic via Babble.com)
And while you might think that it is a very ‘American’ dish, I have to say that we have made it for our kids on occasion and they absolutely love it. You can buy the macaroni pasta at any supermarket.
Here’s What You Need:
1. 24oz grated cheddar cheese
2. 16oz elbow macaroni pasta
3. 450mls whole milk
4. 2 x 12oz cans evaporated milk
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, or 1 teaspoon dijon or yellow mustard
(Pic via Ezra Pound Cake)
Instructions:
1. Set 1/2 cup of grated cheese aside, then combine the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker
2. Stir to make sure that everything is evenly distributed and the pasta is evenly coated
3. Smooth the top so the pasta is submerged.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for two to four hours (the pasta is done when it has absorbed all of the liquid and the pasta is soft. It will look soupy up until the last half-hour of cooking, and then it will quickly finish cooking and absorb all the liquid)
5. If this is your first time making this recipe, start checking the pasta after about two hours, then continue checking it every twenty to thirty minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.
6. Every slow cooker will be slightly different; once you’ve made this recipe once, make a note of the cooking time for future reference.
7. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the pasta in the last ten to thirty minutes of cooking. Cook until the cheese has melted or the rest of the liquid is absorbed into the pasta.
8. Serve this macaroni and cheese straight from the slow cooker. Serves 6-8 people. Leftovers will keep refrigerated for up to five days.
You could also try a Rotisserie style chicken in your slow cooker and some slow cooker cocktails to wash everything down (you look really thirsty).
