Crock Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni

During this heat wave we’ve been experiencing I have NOT turned on the stove or oven for anything….. until today.
Per the request of Miss Maddy and her convincing daddy I had to turn on the stove top to boil the macaroni for this crock pot cheeseburger macaroni recipe. I did it early in the morning so it didn’t heat up the house….. and might i mention that is was OH SO worth it! This was easy, delicious, cheap and much better than the boxed stuff.

Here is how I did it:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef, cooked and drained
• 16 ounce box of elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions – reserving 1 cup of the pasta water
• 1 large onion, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 cup of beef stock or broth
• 1 teapoon of worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 3 Tablespoons of bisquick (regular flour would work too)
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 12 ounce can of evaporated milk
• 3 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Add everything to a 5 – 6 quart crock pot, including the reserved cup of pasta water.
2. Stir to incorporate.
3. Cook on low for 6 – 7 hours or on high for 3 – 4 hours.
4. Stir again to incorporate melted cheese evenly.
5. Serve with favorite cheeseburger toppings (optional) and tossed salad.

NOTE: Sauce will thicken as it cooks. If it is still too “watery” when you are ready to serve, turn crock pot to high and remove lid for liquid to evaporate. This will take about 30 – 45 minutes before thickening.