{The Best, Easiest} Crockpot Mac & Cheese

When fall arrives, I'm ready to dig out my crockpot.

I could use it in the summer more, but we do almost all of our meals on the grill in the summer and warm, heavy, comfort foods - which are what crockpots are known for - just aren't really on the menu.

But, come fall - I am all about my crockpot.

Many years ago (six to be exact), when we were still living in Maryland, my friend, Karleen brought a crockpot full of macaroni and cheese to our small group meeting. "Huh?", I remember thinking. "Macaroni and Cheese in a crockpot. Whodathunkit?"

I put a little on my plate, walked through the line, sat down, and tasted it.

And, then did what ANY REASONABLE person who's ever had this dish will do:

I CAMPED OUT BY THE MAC & CHEESE CROCKPOT AND DIDN'T MOVE UNTIL I COULDN'T STUFF ANY MORE OF IT INTO MY FACE!

Because I am very ladylike and so on and so forth.

I have thought about this recipe many times over the years, and finally - a few weeks ago, I emailed Karleen.

I asked her if she even remembered the recipe and if she still had it and if she'd share it with me and I secretly prayed that she was not one of those folks that is all "secret family recipe" and such and won't share their favorites and I'd be devastated that the only time I EVER got to eat this Mac & Cheese was when it sent me into an overindulgent coma for the entirety of our small group meeting and I had to be carried out by my husband all the while dragging the crockpot behind me by its cord.

Karleen is delightfully gracious and wonderful - and she wrote back: "Sarah! Of course I'll share it. I know it by heart."

So, today - I'm sharing with you Karleen's recipe for Crockpot Mac & Cheese. It is SO easy, that if you can boil pasta, you can make it.

REALLY. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BOIL PASTA! That's it.

One more thing: I have many, many crockpot recipes that take all day long. I love those - for when I'm prepared and can throw everything together in the morning or if I'm heading out for the day. BUT, I am so disorganized most days that I often don't think about dinner until the afternoon. This recipe takes only four hours in the crockpot!

So, you can put it on at two o'clock and dinner with be ready at six!

I serve it with Homemade Applesauce that I pull from the freezer and if I'm motivated, steam some broccoli.

Here's a quick peek at how to put it together:

Cube 16 ounces of Colby cheese and 16 ounces of Monterey Jack. (I used four (8-ounce) blocks of Colby Jack when I took these photos, but used separate blocks of Colby and Monterey Jack on Saturday night. It tasted the same to me both ways.) Also, cube 16 ounces of Velveeta cheese - which helps give it its creaminess.

In a lightly greased crockpot, layer cooked elbow macaroni, butter, cubed Monterey Jack and Colby cheeses, Velveeta, and salt and pepper.

Repeat and top with macaroni.

Once macaroni and cheeses are layered, top with 16 ounces of milk. (I used whole once and 2% another time. Worked great with either.)

Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring once mid-way.

And, when it's finished, you have an ENTIRE crockpot full of creamy, delicious Macaroni and Cheese.

It is truly out of this world.

Since we could never eat a whole crockpot full in one night, I put the leftovers in a foil pan, covered it and put it in the freezer for dinner another night!

BAM! Another two-dinner recipe with only one night of work.

If you can call it that.

Try this one. I know you'll love it, too.

{The Best, Easiest} Crockpot Mac & Cheese

16 ounces cooked macaroni
16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
16 ounces Colby cheese, cubed
16 ounces Velvetta (cubed)
1 stick of butter, cut into slices
16 ounces milk
salt & pepper, to taste

Spray crockpot lightly with cooking spray. Layer 1/3 of the macaroni in bottom. Layer half of cheese, butter, salt & pepper. Repeat, ending with last 1/3 of macaroni on top. Pour milk over mixture.

Cook on low for about 4 hours and stir about mid-way.

*A very small amount of the Mac & Cheese with stick to the edges and get browned. I LOVE this part - it's like the topping on a baked mac & cheese - so I scrape it off and stir it in. You can leave it on the edges if you prefer.

*This will truly feed a large group, so if it's just the two of you, I'd halve the recipe. Just reduce the cooking time by half, too.