Saturday Recipe Share: Kicked Up Mac and Cheese

Who doesn't love Mac and Cheese? Did you know you can make this American favorite in a slow cooker?

This recipe is easy and will feed a large family. Add a good salad, a nice green vegetable, and some rustic bread, and you have a family-pleasing meal.

My version of this family-friendly comfort food is a combination of the Mac and Cheese my Mom made. She always used real cheese and eggs beaten with the milk. She made the most delicious Mac and Cheese ever.

I added poblano peppers for a unique flavor that pairs well with the cheesy concoction.

Kicked Up Mac and Cheese

• 6 cups of cooked macaroni or any pasta shape you like
• 2 tablespoons of a light salad oil
• 1 13-ounce can of Pet Milk (or other evaporated milk)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
•  1/4 cup melted butter
• 3 tablespoons finely minced, roasted and peeled poblano peppers (If you like to sweat, use 1-2 jalapeno peppers instead. (Read below for how to roast peppers.)
• 2 tablespoons finely minced onion
• 5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs beaten well

Directions

• Prepare the peppers in advance. If you don't want to add peppers, just eliminate them.
• Prepare the slow cooker by lightly buttering the stoneware crock or the slow cooker pan or spray the crock/pan with Pam or a similar product..
• Place the cooked pasta in the cooker and drizzle the oil over it. Toss to cover well.
• Mix the evaporated milk, 1 1/2 cups of milk, melted butter, and beaten eggs.
• Pour over the pasta and mix well..
• Sprinkle the onion and poblano peppers over the mixture and stir to mix.
• Add the shredded cheese and mix well. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Directions to Roast Any Pepper

Roasting makes it easy to remove the thin "skin" on peppers. It also brings out the flavor of the peppers. You can use these roasting methods for any pepper. Do a bunch and store the excess in the fridge for up to a week.

Poblano is a mild chili pepper with a delightful flavor. When dried, this pepper is called ancho or chile ancho. It's often used to make chile rellenos, and cream of poblano soup is out of this world.

You can roast the peppers under an oven broiler, in a hot oven, or directly over a gas flame.

Under a broiler, just place on a baking sheet and roast until the tops are blackened. Turn over to do both sides. This takes about 5 minutes.

In the oven, it takes about 30 to 40 minutes at 500F. degrees. Turn as needed. When they're blackened, they're done.

To roast chilies over an open gas flame, just lay the chili over the open flame. Tongs makes it easy to turn when using this method. Roast until blackened on all sides.

Let the roasted peppers cool then use a paper towel to rub off the skin or exterior membrane.

Takeaway Truth

I think you'll like this dish. I know my family does.