Slow-Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

Move over boxed mac and cheese; this version is just as simple and a whole lot tastier. The recipe is adapted from the food section of the San Diego Tribune. Pasta in the slow cooker is a bit of a challenge since there must be enough liquid to cook the pasta, but not so much that it will get mushy. We love this recipe because it is the old-fashioned mac and cheese, without a heavy white sauce to make first. The combination of the evaporated milk and egg replaces the flour as the thickener; canned milk does not curdle as fresh milk–based sauces sometimes do. Kids love the macaroni shape, so resist substituting any other shape of pasta. Please note that the pasta goes into the cooker uncooked. This recipe can be doubled and cooked in the large cooker.