Macaroni and Cheese

The finished macaroni and cheese garnished lightly with
extra salt and pepper.
(Photo: Morgan Nacewski)

College is an amazing time, but it can also be a stressful one. Some weeks include an immense amount of stress due to projects, tests and social obligations. Last week my roommate and I were both suffering from one of these weeks.  Therefore when it came to choosing a Crockpot recipe for this week's blog, my mind immediately went to comfort food. 

The definition of comfort food tends to vary from person to person, but most can agree that macaroni and cheese definitely meets the criteria. It is warm, cheesy and has a way of bringing you back to your childhood days. I believe the "comforting" aspect of macaroni and cheese is one of the many reasons it is so popular amongst college students. Sometimes during one of our stressful weeks, a comforting meal is exactly what we need. This recipe serves as the perfect fix and blows "Easy Mac" out of the water.

The recipe requires you to cook the
six cups of macaroni prior to adding
it to the Crockpot.
(Photo: Morgan Nacewski)

Crockpot Recipe Card Collection
containing the macaroni and cheese
recipe used for blog.
(Photo: Morgan Nacewski)

Since I was aiming for a homestyle macaroni and cheese recipe, I avoided all the recipes found on trendy, health websites. In the end, I decided to use the recipe provided by the Crockpot brand itself and found this particular recipe in my mother's Crockpot Recipe Card Collection.  This macaroni and cheese requires a little more work than my past two recipes, but it is well worth it in the end. 

Although there are only four ingredients necessary for purchase,
you will need large quantities of each.
(Photo: Morgan Nacewski)

MACARONI AND CHEESE 
6 cups of cooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons of butter
4 cups of evaporated milk
6 cups of Cheddar cheese, shredded 
2 teaspoons of salt 
1 teaspoon of black pepper 

The first step is to cook the elbow macaroni and drain completely. Next you will simply mix all of the ingredients together. The directions say to mix all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl, but for convenience I mixed them in the actual Crockpot before turning it on. Once the ingredients appear to be evenly dispersed, cover the cooker and place it on the highest setting. 

The ingredients need to be well mixed in the Crockpot so
they are evenly dispersed.
(Photo: Morgan Nacewski)

The macaroni and cheese takes about three hours to cook completely. Since the recipe includes so much cheese, I found it affective to stir the ingredients approximately every half hour. When completed, you may add extra salt and pepper to your liking. 

Within the three hours the cheese will melt perfectly and
golden at the very top.
(Photo: Morgan Nacewski)

This macaroni serves as a great side, snack and can stand as a meal on its own. The recipe produces up to ten servings, so the dish can be eaten here and there for a number of days. In our case, the macaroni did not last quite as long due to the fact so many of my friends enjoyed it throughout the weekend. My roommate, a self-proclaimed "macaroni connoisseur", loved the homestyle taste and consumed numerous helpings.

As strange as it sounds, this meal was therapeutic during a hectic few days. Macaroni is a classic American meal that we have been enjoying since our childhood. It has a quality that puts us at ease and lets us simply enjoy. I hope you put this recipe to good use, whether it's when you are seeking comfort or just a delicious meal. As always, please comment below with any thoughts or questions.