Elbows on the table welcomed…this time

When we were kids, we had two things we requested my grandma to make for family gatherings: broccoli and rice casserole and macaroni and cheese.

All of the foods on the table at birthdays and holidays were delicious, but we all watched those two bowls with special attention as they were passed from seat to seat, and they were the most requested when it came to seconds.

As an adult, I still really like both dishes, but when it comes to macaroni and cheese, I must confess that I normally forgo my grandma’s amazing homemade recipe and opt for a box option. It just seems like a lot of hassle.

Recently, I stumbled upon a recipe that promised to create decadent macaroni and cheese in my crockpot—no boiling of noodles required.

I was skeptical but willing to give it a try in the name of science and deliciousness.

I will warn you. This macaroni and cheese was super good, but it was also very, very rich. With cream cheese as one of the main ingredients, this version was a bit tough to eat a lot of in one sitting. It’s just a bit overwhelming with flavor, which makes it a great side dish, but it’s a bit tough to get through as the main star of a meal.

It does, however, reheat really well, so there should be no worries about any of it going to waste.

I found this recipe on the blog “Thrifty Jinxy.” You can find the original at thriftyjinxy.com/easy-crockpot-macaroni-cheese-recipe/. I added bacon to my version.

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Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

3 cups milk

12 ounces evaporated milk

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp)

8 ounces cream cheese

16 ounces elbow macaroni

1 teaspoon ground mustard

salt and pepper to taste

5-6 strips bacon

Directions

Place all the ingredients except the bacon into a crockpot.

Cook on low for 2-4 hours or until the noodles are done through.

After two hours, stir the concoction. (Mine was still super runny. Don’t worry. It’ll stiffen up quite a bit after sitting awhile.)

Check on the macaroni and cheese every so often after the two-hour mark and stir. Remove it from the heat once it reaches your desired consistency.

Fry the bacon until it’s crispy and sprinkle it on top of the macaroni and cheese to serve.

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Joey wasn’t a big fan of how rich this version was, so I managed to get almost the entire dish for myself (not complaining!). It wasn’t as good as my grandma’s recipe, but it was a good substitute until I can get my hands on the good stuff again.

Lindsey Young is managing editor of The Clarion, the Kansas Publishing Ventures newspaper in Andale. She can be reached at lindseyclarion@gmail.com.

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