Description

It only takes 5 minutes to put together this rich and flavorful three cheese mac and cheese. It's wonderful to put together in the morning and then let the slow cooker do the rest of the work. The pepper Jack cheese provides just a hint of heat in this co

Ingredients

• 1 lb. cavatappi pasta, uncooked
• 4 T. unsalted butter, sliced into 1 T. pieces
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cut into 1 oz. pieces
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1/2 t. cayenne pepper
• 3 c. whole milk
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 2 c. freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 c. freshly shredded pepper Jack cheese

Steps

1. Pour uncooked pasta into the bottom of a 6 qt. slow cooker; scatter butter and cream cheese over the pasta; season with the salt and cayenne pepper; pour milk and cream into the slow cooker; stir to combine; smooth the pasta into an even layer coated in sauce; cover. Cook on Low 1 - 2 hours or until pasta is chewy but not quite crunchy, but al dente. The cook time will vary if using a different pasta, so start with 1 hour and adjust from there. Stir once halfway through the cook time, making sure to smooth the pasta into one layer so it's well coated with the sauce.
2. When the pasta is ready, sprinkle on the remaining cheeses; stir to combine. The cheese melts into the sauce to make a creamy cheese sauce. Cover the mac and cheese; cook for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and comes together.
3. Stir before serving.