Tonight's Side Dish: Trisha Yearwood's Crockpot...

Talk about down-simple recipe. Talk about delicious. I served it with a recipe from the new Pioneer Woman book - I adapted the Chicken - Ranch Style recipe and used turkey cutlets. I also omitted the bacon because we had a lot of it at lunch time. It was just delicious - both the turkey and the mac n cheese.

Crockpot Macaroni & Cheese

cooking spray

8 oz cooked macaroni (I used whole wheat shells)

1-12 oz can evaporated milk

1.5 cups whole milk (I used 2%)

1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted

1 tsp salt (I thought it needed more)

dash of pepper

2 large eggs, beaten

2-10 oz blocks cheddar cheese (I used 1/2 pepper jack), shredded

dash of paprika

In a large 4 quart crockpot (I only have a 6 quart) sprayed with cooking spray, mix the cooked macaroni with the evaporated milk, milk, butter, salt, pepper, eggs and all but 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 3 hours and 15 minutes (I put it on HIGH and cooked it for 2 hours and it worked well). Turn off the crockpot, stir and serve hot.

originally from "Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood" as shown on "The View"

Yield: 12 servings

Source: Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood

Posted by RisaG 4/21/12

Comments: 11

Madame Donna C. Apr 21, 2012, 11:35pm UTC

This is the second time this week I've seen a Mac 'N Cheese recipe with evap milk. I'd never seen that before. And I've never used eggs in my mac. I just use heavy cream and milk. What is the difference in your opinion?

Risa G. Apr 21, 2012, 11:42pm UTC

I thought it wasn't as smooth? I don't know. It wasn't as thick and it wasn't gooey. It was cheesey but not gooey. Can't really explain. I had never seen that before either.

Madame Donna C. Apr 22, 2012, 12:20am UTC

So I think you are saying that it lacked that smooth creaminess that is the signature of a great mac 'n cheese, right? Or not?

Risa G. Apr 24, 2012, 6:21pm UTC

Yes, it definitely did not have that creaminess. I will try it again but with full fat good cheddar and maybe some real monterey jack cheese (I don't like M&C with just one type of cheese and I find cheddar kind of oily when it melts) and with some cream cheese, I think. I am going to try and omit the eggs and see what happens.