Crock-Pot® macaroni and cheese is a dish that is prepared in a slow cooker to create a cheesy sauce that covers macaroni pasta. This typically requires several hours to fully cook, so it is often started in the morning when it is going to be served in the evening. Different recipes may have varying requirements, but most call for the macaroni to be at least partially cooked by boiling it in water before cooking. Crock-Pot® macaroni and cheese is then created by mixing the pasta and other ingredients in a slow cooker and allowing it to cook for several hours.
One of the major benefits in making Crock-Pot® macaroni and cheese is the simplicity with which the dish comes together. Other than the use of a slow cooker, only a single pot is required in the preparation of this dish. This pot is used to bring a large amount of water to a boil, in which the dry macaroni pasta can be boiled until it is partially or fully cooked, depending on the recipe being used. Cooking the pasta for Crock-Pot® macaroni and cheese can be done the night before this dish is going to be served, and the macaroni can be refrigerated until needed.
Once the pasta is cooked, then it is placed in the slow cooker for the Crock-Pot® macaroni and cheese. This is usually greased on the inside so that the resulting dish does not stick to the pot. Various ingredients are then added to the pasta, often including shredded cheese, raw eggs, and both standard and evaporated milk. These ingredients can all vary depending on the Crock-Pot® macaroni and cheese recipe a person is using, and additional ingredients such as different types of cheese and melted butter may also be called for.
After the ingredients are all combined, then the slow cooker is covered up and typically set to a low temperature setting. This mixture is then allowed to cook for several hours; the exact length of time depends on the particular cooking temperature for different Crock-Pot® models. The lid to the slow cooker should not be lifted while it is cooking, as doing so releases steam, heat, and internal pressure that then increases the duration each time it is opened. Once finished cooking, the Crock-Pot® macaroni and cheese can be served directly from the cooker; the pot is often removed from the cooking frame, however, for easier transporting and serving.
