Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Paula Deen is this week’s selection on the Gourmet Live list of 50 Women Game-Changers in the food world that I and a number of fellow food bloggers are paying tribute to by posting a recipe from each on Fridays. I have to be honest—I’m not a fan of her show. I’ve watched it a number of times wanting to like it, but I’m afraid it just doesn’t capture my attention very often.  

However, I do admire Paula Deen the woman. The story of how she overcame a major downturn in her life—the death of her parents, divorce, and near homelessness with her two small sons—as well as battling agoraphobia (a panic disorder that made her afraid to leave her house) to start her first food business making bagged lunches delivered by her sons is inspiring. And now she is a food phenomenon. 

One of the recipes that did catch my eye on her show was for a slow cooker macaroni and cheese. It takes some preparation time, but the results are delicious. In fact, I took it to a gathering of my sweetheart’s family and everyone enjoyed it.

One note: the mac and cheese was very creamy for the first 2 hours of cooking, and then it became more coagulated in the final hour. If you want the recipe creamy, I suggest shortening the cooking time.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe by Paula Deen

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix the butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

 

Here are my fellow food bloggers. Be sure to check them out!

Val - More Than Burnt Toast

Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia -A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie -Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Nancy - Picadillo
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits