Heavenly Homemakers

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10 Favorite Back-to-School Crock Pot Dinner Ideas

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Need some Back-to-School Crock Pot Dinner ideas? Here are my favorites!

Yum

It’s time for me to get organized. Back to school at our house means much more than “get your pencils sharpened.” I usually consider this time of year “Back-to-Soccer” season and brace myself for the crazy that comes with it. Matt coaches our York College women’s team so usually in August I smile at him and say something like, “Whelp, see ya in November.”

Elias (who moved into the college dorm over the weekend; I’m not ready to talk about it, ha) will be playing on the YC men’s team. Malachi (15) will referee as many rec-league and club team games as he can. And Brayden (6) will play on a rec-league team. I try to pack everyone up and go to as many home YC games as I can, plus of course, I’ll be Brayden’s biggest cheerleader.

Awwww. There’s Malachi, back in his baby-soccer days. Now here we are again with our new set of Littles!

I’ve done this soccer-mom-wife life for so many years now that I know full well what it’ll be like. And as much as I know that it will be challenging as it always is (especially now that we’ve got so many little ones again!), may I just say this very loudly:

I AM SO THANKFUL SCHOOL IS STARTING and that WE GET TO HAVE A SOCCER SEASON!!!!

Last spring, we weren’t sure, you know? In early March, we sent all of our beloved college students home with barely a good-bye. We trudged through quarantine like so many of you did, wondering when or if life would ever be back to normal.

I’m not sure we can call everything “normal” yet, but praise God, students are moving back and soccer season is happening.

So as I celebrate this and also get ready for a very busy season, I’m putting these Crock Pot Dinner Ideas in my back pocket to make our mealtimes easier! These 10 ideas are the recipes I tend to fall back on first…

10 Favorite Back-to-School Crock Pot Dinner Ideas

  1. Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
  2. Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  3. Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  4. Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  5. Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  6. Barbecue Beef Roast
  7. The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  8. Cheeseburger Noodle Crock Pot Dinner
  9. Hearty Bean Casserole (which can be made on the stovetop, but is perfect to make ahead and keep warm in a crock pot until dinnertime!)
  10. Crock Pot Fajitas

All of these recipes require almost no work or prep time. That’s why I like these best!

Oh, and if you like simple recipes like this, you will love our Simple Real Food Recipes Cookbook. These are my go-to recipes now!

What does your fall season look like this year?

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50+ Crock Pot Recipes for Summertime

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Too hot to cook? If it isn’t already, it will be soon. Temps will continue climbing throughout the summertime! Never fear. Here are 50+ Crock Pot Recipes to rescue you from your hot kitchen!

50+ Crock Pot Recipes for SummertimeYum

What I love about the crock pot is that not only does it help us avoid heating up the kitchen, it saves us a lot of time too! Typically making food in the crock pot means that we make our meal early in the day – then at dinnertime, the food is ready and we sit down and eat!

Most of the recipes you see listed below are main dishes. But we’ve got a few sides, drinks, and desserts too! You’ll be pleased to know that most of the recipes listed below take just a few minutes to prepare. I LOVE THIS!!!

I especially love the pasta recipes listed here. It is incredibly easy to dump dry pasta into the pot along with a few other ingredients, then have dinner ready just a few hours later!

Main Dishes in the Crock Pot

  1. Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
  2. Simple Creamy Chicken Stew in the Crock Pot
  3. Simple Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  4. Simple Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs
  5. Simple Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  6. Simple Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  7. Simple 3-Cheese Crock Pot Pasta
  8. Simple Crock Pot Shredded Ranch Chicken (for salad or tacos)
  9. Simple Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  10. Simple Barbecue Beef Roast
  11. Simple Crock Pot Taco Pasta
  12. Simple Hawaiian Beef Roast
  13. Simple Hashbrown Casserole
  14. Simple Lasagna Casserole
  15. The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  16. Simple Crock Pot Applesauce BBQ Chicken
  17. Simple Three Cheese Spaghetti
  18. Simple Crock Pot Salsa Shredded Beef
  19. Easiest Beef Roast in the Instant Pot
  20. Simple One-Dish Chicken Florentine
  21. Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas
  22. Simple Creamy Chicken Soup
  23. Simple Cheesy Salsa Chicken
  24. Simple Cheeseburger Noodle Crock Pot Dinner
  25. Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas (Crock Pot or Oven)
  26. Simple 5-Minute Shredded Chicken
  27. Simple Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
  28. Simple Chili Mac
  29. Simple Crock Pot Creamy Stew Meat
  30. Simple 5-Minute Cheesy Hamburger and Potatoes
  31. Crock Pot Barbecue Chicken
  32. Breakfast Crock Pot Casserole
  33. Baked Potatoes in the Crock Pot
  34. Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
  35. Crock Pot Beef Stew
  36. Fiesta Chicken
  37. Creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Rice
  38. Italian Cream Cheese Chicken
  39. Turkey Sausage and Red Bean Stew


Even if you don’t like Sauerkraut, I really encourage you to try the Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip recipe listed below. It is so delicious! Make it a meal on a hot summer day!

Snacks and Side Dishes in the Crock Pot

  1. Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
  2. Calico Beans
  3. Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
  4. Crock Pot Beans
  5. Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip
  6. Hamburger Cream Cheese Dip
  7. Apple Butter


Sometimes we feel like baking even when it’s too hot to bake!

Desserts in the Crock Pot

  1. Simple Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake
  2. Crock Pot Cheesecake
  3. Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cake
  4. Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cake

What Crock Pot Should You Get?

I would say that just about any Crock Pot is a good choice. But my personal preference is one that is programmable. I love that I can set it and walk away, knowing it will automatically turn off when it is finished cooking and switch to a “Keep Warm” setting. I have this one and I love it!

What are your favorite foods to make in the Crock Pot?

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Simple Cheeseburger Noodle Crock Pot Dinner

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Ready for a deliciously easy Crock Pot meal? This Simple Cheeseburger Noodle Crock Pot Dinner is a hit for everyone at our table. But mostly it is a hit with me because it’s so very easy to make!

The more I put my mind to learning simple, real food cooking methods, the better my kitchen life has become! I’ve stopped peeling potatoes (Yukon Gold, baby). I’ve quit thawing meat (I’ve stopped trying to remember). And if at all possible, I’ve stopped boiling noodles (life’s too short). What kind of lazy cook have I become, anyway? Ah, no. I prefer to call it being a smart cook!

I think it is delightful to drop dried pasta into my crock pot along with a few other ingredients, then come back a few hours later to a dinner that’s ready to be served. The creaminess of this recipe is what makes it so popular. And if you want to save a few dollars, skip the meat in this recipe. It’s delicious either way!

Simple Cheeseburger Noodle Crock Pot Dinner

Simple Cheeseburger Noodle Crock Pot Dinner
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 pound hamburger meat
  • 1 small chopped onion OR 3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • 12-ounces UNCOOKED whole grain egg noodles
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 30-ounces tomato sauce (2 cans)
  • 1 cup water
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (we like cheddar or Colby jack)
Instructions
  1. In a skillet, cook hamburger and onion together until meat is no longer pink. Drain if necessary.
  2. Stir cooked meat along with all other ingredients into a crock pot.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.

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Simple Creamy Chicken Soup for Crock Pot or Instant Pot

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This Simple Creamy Chicken Soup is the definition of comfort food.

Hmmmm. Actually, the definition of comfort food (I just looked it up) is: food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking.

I believe I have just re-defined comfort food. No longer must it be associated with a high sugar or carb content. Certainly not in the case of this Creamy Chicken Soup. We can associate it with home cooking (because we will be at home, cooking it) and it is likely that your children will someday associate it with their childhood.

But there is no pasta or potato involved in the making of this soup to make it high in carbs. Add some if you like. I’m personally in it for the chicken and the cheese. I find it delightfully comforting.

Simple Creamy Chicken Soup

Simple Creamy Chicken Soup for Crock Pot or Instant Pot
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1-2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 10-ounce can Rotel
  • 32-ounces (4 cups) chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 8-ounces softened cream cheese
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups shredded Colby jack or cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Place chicken, Rotel, broth, salt, and paprika into an Instant Pot or Crock Pot
  2. For Instant Pot: Seal and cook on manual at high pressure for 15 minutes. Quick release.
  3. For Crock Pot: Cook ingredients on low for 6-8 hours or until chicken is no longer pink.
  4. Remove chicken from Crock Pot or Instant Pot. Shred it and put it back into the pot.
  5. Stir in cream cheese, cream, and shredded cheese until smooth.
  6. Serve with frozen corn sprinkled in if desired

I added a carb by sprinkling frozen corn into our soup to cool it and sweeten it. So I guess this meets the definition of comfort food after all!

Don’t have an Instant Pot? I have and love this one.

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Simple Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake

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I shared this Simple Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake with you many years ago! Christmas is the perfect time to bring it back, don’t you think?

This recipe looks rather involved, but would I be sharing it if it was difficult? Of course not. :) Putting this together is very simple, and worth every bit of your (small amount of) effort!

Simple Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake

Simple Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter (or coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup natural peanut butter
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • TOPPING:
  • 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • ½ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • 1½ cups boiling water
Instructions
  1. Combine flour, cocoa, sucanat, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
  2. Make a well in the center and add milk, butter, and vanilla.
  3. Stir well, until batter is smooth.
  4. Stir in peanut butter (heat if needed, to thin).
  5. Stir in chocolate chips.
  6. Spread the batter evenly into a well greased slow cooker.
  7. Make the topping:
  8. Mix cocoa and sucanat, whisk in boiling water until smooth.
  9. Gently pour over batter in crock pot, but don’t stir.
  10. Cover and cook on HIGH until puffed and the top layer is set, about 2- 2¼ hours.
  11. Turn off crock pot and let stand, covered for at least 30 minutes.
  12. Serve the cake (which is now on top) with ice cream or whipped cream and drizzle the fudgy pudding from the bottom over both.
Top this awesome cake with freshly whipped cream!

How to Make Fresh Whipped Cream

Want to go a little chocolate and peanut butter CrAzY? Try this on top of your cake:

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Whipped Cream

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Simple 5-Minute Cheesy Hamburger and Potatoes

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Add this Simple 5-Minute Cheesy Hamburger and Potatoes recipe to the growing list of reasons it is awesome to have a stash of frozen hashbrowns waiting in the freezer!

Around here, we like our recipes to be both easy to prepare and made with real food. Why?

Because loving God and loving people is more important than well, anything else in this world.

(Matthew 22:36-40)

Therefore, we’re learning to do everything possible to keep our food as nourishing as possible, all while preparing it as quickly as possible. This frees up our time and energy to spend doing what God calls us to do each day.

Frozen Hashbrowns for the win!

I shared in this post about my happy hashbrown find and why I now rely on it for a healthy, convenient option. (In summary, Mr. Dells frozen hashbrowns has one ingredient: Potatoes. Beautiful!)

Since discovering these, I’ve come up with a variety of fun Hashbrown Casseroles that my family loves and that take only a few minutes to put together. Many can be made either in the oven or in the crock pot, which means I can make adjustments based on what we have going on each day!

Other super easy (but still real food) Hashbrown Casseroles I’ve shared:

Today we’re adding 5-Minute Cheesy Potatoes and Beef to the list! How can this be made in 5 minutes? Well, with our trusty frozen hashbrowns of course. And also, IF you follow this handy trick of cooking hamburger meat ahead of time, then all you have to do is pull out cooked meat, add it to your crock pot or baking dish with the other ingredients, and in 5 minutes, dinner is ready to bake!

Simple 5-Minute Cheesy Potatoes and Beef

Simple 5-Minute Cheesy Potatoes and Beef
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1-2 pounds ground beef
  • 30-ounces frozen hashbrowns (or 5 medium potatoes sliced thinly)
  • 2 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 cups shredded cheese (we use Colby jack)
  • ½ cup chicken or beef broth
Instructions
  1. Brown hamburger meat in a skillet on the stove-top.
  2. In a large crock pot, layer ½ of the potatoes followed by ½ of the cooked meat.
  3. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon minced onion, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and 1½ cups shredded cheese.
  4. Repeat with another layer of potatoes, meat, seasonings, and cheese.
  5. Drizzle broth over the ingredients and put the lid on the crock pot.
  6. Cook on "Hi" for 4 hours.

Need some veggies to go with this meal. YES. Always. :) Here are my favorite easy ways to prepare veggies to go with our meals!

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Simple Ham and Hashbrown Casserole

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I have a secret to tell you about why I keep sharing varieties of recipes like this Simple Ham and Hashbrown Casserole.

The secret? I found an awesome and healthy option for purchasing frozen hashbrowns at the store, and this discovery has my freezer stocked with a lovely convenience item that is still real food.

I used to always make my own hashbrowns, which truly was wonderful and definitely saved us money. I made them during a season in my life that I was home more and had more time (or at least used more time) for making most of our food from scratch.

As our kids grew older and became involved in more activities, then as God began to show us more about what He meant when He said, “Love me. Love your neighbor,” and as God has introduced more and more people into our lives to love including foster kids – well, I simply choose not to use my time making homemade hashbrowns anymore.

Do I compromise and use frozen hashbrowns from the store that have lots of added ingredients in them? (Seriously, read the labels on frozen hashbrowns. What is that stuff?) Nope. I discovered Mr. Dell’s frozen hashbrowns which contains one ingredient: Potatoes.

I stock my freezer with them, both the shredded and the cubed varieties. Now I can make Hashbrown Casseroles super quickly while still feeding my family real, nourishing food.

So there you go. Laura doesn’t make homemade hashbrowns any more. She has discovered hashbrown freedom. :)

So here’s the latest, and probably our favorite of all hashbrown casseroles. I typically use leftover ham for this, which is also fast and easy. I’ve written out an oven baking option as well as a crock pot option so you can make this in whatever way that works best for you!

Simple Ham and Hashbrown Casserole

Simple Ham and Hashbrown Casserole
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 3 cups ham cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 cups sour cream
  • 3 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 (28 ounce) bag of frozen shredded hashbrowns
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, stir together ham, shredded cheese, sour cream, onion, and salt and pepper.
  2. Fold in frozen hashbrowns until all ingredients are well combined.
  3. Spread mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish or into a large crock pot.
  4. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
  5. Oven Baking: Bake uncovered in a 350° oven for 45-60 minutes or until casserole is lightly browned and bubbly.
  6. Crock Pot Method: Cook on low for 6 hours or on hi for 3 hours.

 

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Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas (For Oven or Crock Pot)

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How simple are these Creamy Layered Enchiladas? Well, I was able to throw them together in just five minutes before running out to church on a recent Sunday morning. So I’d say they’re pretty simple!

This recipe is simple in and of itself, but if you happen to have hamburger already cooked and waiting to be used, then you really can throw the rest of this together in just five minutes. (Or use pre-cooked chicken if you prefer!)

There are two great options for cooking this casserole: Crock Pot or Oven.

I use the Crock Pot on days I don’t want to heat up the house with the oven or on Sundays when I want to have our meal ready and waiting when we get home from church. I use the oven when I have these enchiladas made up ahead of time in a casserole dish. Then all I have to do is slide it into the oven and let it bake while I get other work done!

Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas

Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas (For Oven or Crock Pot)
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • sea salt to taste
  • 2 cups salsa
  • 1½ cups sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 8 whole wheat flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
Instructions
  1. Brown meat. Stir in salt, salsa, sour cream, and ½ cup of cheese.
  2. Lay 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  3. Spread half of meat mixture over tortillas.
  4. Layer again with the 4 remaining tortillas.
  5. Spread remaining meat mixture over tortillas.
  6. Top with 1½ cups cheese.
  7. Bake uncovered at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
  8. OR Layer ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on Low for 6-7 hours or on Hi for 4 hours.

 

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Simple One Dish Chicken Florentine (For Instant Pot or Crock Pot)

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You guys. This entire, delicious meal takes me only 7 minutes of work to prepare. 7 minutes to make One-Dish Chicken Florentine. Meat, pasta, and veggie all in one dish. With 7 minutes of total prep time. Hoorah!

Now, I can’t say for sure because I don’t know the specific needs of the picky people in your life. But I dare say that even picky people might not mind the spinach in this dish. Why? Because you can’t taste it. It doesn’t really create a weird texture. It really just adds color variety (and hidden nutrients, shh!).

I personally like to serve a tossed salad on the side of this dish, because the more greens, the merrier. But in a pinch, just serve this quick-to-make dish all by itself and you’re golden!

Can we all stand and applaud the fact that we don’t have to precook our chicken or pasta when making this? That’s why it only takes 7 minutes of prep time! Raw chicken, uncooked noodles, dump it all into an Instant Pot or Crock Pot and dinner takes care of itself!

Simple One-Dish Chicken Florentine

Simple One Dish Chicken Florentine (For Instant Pot or Crock Pot)
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1½ pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced or 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 6 cups fresh spinach leaves
  • 16-ounces whole grain spaghetti (uncooked)
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
  1. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. (I use kitchen shears for this which makes it super fast!)
  2. Place prepared chicken in the bottom of your Instant Pot or Crock Pot.
  3. Sprinkle with garlic, salt, and spinach leaves.
  4. Break spaghetti noodles in half and place on top.
  5. Pour on chicken broth and cream.
  6. Top with shredded cheese.
  7. Seal Instant Pot and cook on the "Poultry" setting for 15 minutes, doing a quick release after the time runs out.
  8. OR Cook in a Crock Pot on low for 6 hours.
  9. Stir and serve.
  10. Garnish with grated parmesan if you like!

Don’t have an Instant Pot? I held back for years before jumping on the bandwagon. But now that I have one I LOVE how much time and energy it has saved me in the kitchen. This Chicken Florentine is just another recipe to prove how great my Instant Pot makes my real food kitchen life.

But a Crock Pot works too, and will still allow you to create this recipe with just 7 minutes of effort, so use whatever you have!

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Make-Ahead Mac-n-Cheese For a Crowd

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I’d never tried Make-Ahead Mac-n-Cheese before, but figured it was worth a shot! I wondered: Could I make my easy Mac-n-Cheese for a crowd, then put it in the crock pot to stay warm? After all, I didn’t want to be a slave to the stove just as my guests were arriving.

Obviously it worked marvelously, otherwise I wouldn’t be here telling you about it. I definitely feel that this dish is best fresh, right off the stove. But the day I was feeding 25 teens, I needed a side I could make ahead and keep warm. As it turns out, we can make Creamy Mac and Cheese en mass, then put it in a crock pot to stay warm until serving time.

A few small details about making Mac-n-Cheese for a Crowd: Plan to use lots of sea salt. It can be rather bland otherwise. I even go the extra mile and stir in some garlic powder for a little extra pazazz.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: When making this Creamy Mac and Cheese, always remove it from the heat BEFORE you add the cheese. It’s not difficult, but breaking this creamy mac-n-cheese rule will give you weirdly textured pasta. So cook your pasta in the milk, slide it off the heat, then add cheese. See how simple?

Make-Ahead Mac-n-Cheese for a Crowd

Make-Ahead Mac-n-Cheese For a Crowd
 
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Serves: 25-30
Ingredients
  • 32 ounces dry pasta (I use whole wheat noodles)
  • 6½ cups whole milk
  • Sea salt to taste (1-2 teaspoons)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 3-4 cups shredded cheese (I use Colby jack; cheddar is also great)
Instructions
  1. Mix pasta, milk, sea salt, and garlic powder in a large sauce pan. (I've found it best to divide ingredients into two large pots for faster and more even cooking.)
  2. Cook over medium-high heat stirring almost constantly until the pasta is tender (10-15 minutes).
  3. Remove from heat. (IMPORTANT!)
  4. Add cheese and stir until melted.
  5. Transfer Mac-n-Cheese to a large (6-8 quart) crock pot.
  6. Keep warm at "lo" setting for up to three hours.
  7. Stir in a bit more milk at serving time as needed.

 

When making a large amount of Mac-n-Cheese like this, I usually use this variety of whole wheat elbow noodles.

Need more ideas for cooking for a crowd? Check out this link:

44 Meals to Feed a Large Crowd

Did you download a free Simple Ingredients list yet? Keep all the basic ingredients on hand that you need to put together delicious, Simple Meals!

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