Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese. It's the ultimate comfort food, isn't it? You know what's not comforting about it? Spending the time making it. While there are really just two components to this dish - macaroni and cheese - they need to be prepared perfectly, and separately, before coming together to bake in the oven. BUT. With just a few simple ingredients, you can prepare an ooey gooey mac and cheese in your slow cooker and, if you didn't know better, swear it had just come out of the oven.

So here's the thing about the slow cooker. There are certain foods that while possible to make in the slow cooker, you do have to adapt and change them slightly. Cheese sauce is one such food. Cheese sauce is chalk-full of dairy, which can easily curdle and separate in the slow cooker, but there are ways around it. One such way is oddly, adding mayonnaise. You won't taste the mayonnaise in there, and it brings the egg component that you'll need to hold the dish together. Using very rich cream will also help, as fattier dairy products are less prone to separating than lighter ones.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total time: 4 hours, 10 minutes
Servings: 6

1 pound (450 grams) dry elbow macaroni noodles
5 cups (1.2 kg) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1/4 cup (125 ml) mayonnaise
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter, melted, divided
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) white pepper
1 cup (250 ml) breadcrumbs, toasted

1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, add the cheddar cheese, heavy cream, whole milk, mayonnaise, half of the butter, salt, and white pepper. Stir to combine everything thoroughly.

2. Add the dry macaroni and stir to incorporate into the sauce.

3. Place the lid on the slow cooker, set to low and cook for 3 hours.

4. After 3 hours, stir the macaroni and cheese together and smooth out the top. Combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining butter and sprinkle over the macaroni and cheese. Place the lid back on and cook for another hour before serving straight out of the slow cooker!

Pro tip: To make this macaroni and cheese a heartier meal, or just put your own spin on it, add cooked ham or chicken, bell peppers, mushrooms, or anything else you think would be delicious with noodles and a rich cream sauce!