Holiday Take Along

Here is the dilemma. You are either going to a holiday party and need to take a warm dish, or you are hosting one and need some stove and oven space, and you need dishes that meet these needs. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, so many EMM fans reached out to me asking for ideas for these exact situations, and I helped as much as I could. Two side dishes that immediately came to mind were my Crock Pot Roasted Potatoes and Baked Mac n Cheese. The one, obviously is pretty easy since you make them in the slow cooker and then can take them any where, and the other, while yes, it does have to be baked, can either be made ahead of time and baked off on your arrival, or it can be pre-made, and if you have a "hot pack" for a portable carrier, it stays warms for a long time! I know both of these are great ideas, because I've used them both during the holidays!! Then only two days after Turkey Day I discovered this dish which is like the perfect marriage of those previously mentioned. It was like the food gods were smiling down on me and saying "Here is a great idea for the busy holiday season upon us, for all those fans who needed it!" May I present to you, Crock Pot Mac n Cheese! Now I will be honest, I've tried making our favorite cheesy side dish in the slow cooker before and it was a disaster. It turned out resembling wallpaper paste rather than something edible. But when I found this tucked away in my recipe box (I can't remember where I got it, but I'm guessing one of the ladies at my church) I wanted to try it, hoping it would be more successful. And oh it was! And I knew it needed to be blogged ASAP for those of you looking for easy, kid friendly, holiday meals or party fare! We are so incredibly busy this time of year, why not take some help where you can...even if it's in the form of a Crock Pot!

Crock Pot Mac n Cheese

16 oz. elbow macaroni

4 c. sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

1 1/2 c. milk

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 TBS vegetable oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat Crock Pot to low. Boil macaroni until al dente and drain well. Grease bottom and sides of Crock Pot with cooking spray. Place cooked macaroni in Crock Pot, add vegetable oil and stir well. Add rest of ingredients and stir very well to combine. Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, stirring often. Garnish with extra shredded cheese, if desired.

Shared on Make Ahead Meals Dec. 3, 2012
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Dec. 4, 2012
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain Dec. 5, 2012
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Dec. 6, 2012
Shared on The Country Cook Dec. 7, 2012