Crockpot: The Sequel

Perhaps I've gone about this whole Crockpot business in the wrong manner.  You see, I approached Crockpot food as if it replaced normal wholesome tasty meals.  It took Paula Deen to convince me that to excel in Crockpotting, a cook must rewire her thinking.  Crockpots are the vessels of the hotdish.  And typical hotdishes contain lots of processed foods (such as canned soup). 

In honor of a coworker who is a lover of all things processed, I decided to take one more stab at the Crockpot this week.  To celebrate this aforementioned coworker who is leaving us to complete her Master's in Education, we threw a School Cafeteria Lunch Party.  What elementary kitchen is complete without Mystery Meat Macaroni?

I purchased supplies at a store I don't often patronize so my regular grocer wouldn't see me purchasing Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup, and I made some changes to Deen's original recipe (you say changes, I say improvements).  With all of the ingredients assembled at work, this dish proved easy to pull together without aid of a cutting board (or knives), hot plate, pans, etc.  Everything was poured into the Crockpot and the only other utensil needed was a stirring spoon and of course electrical outlet.

Results: the macaroni drew raves from the crowd.  They enjoyed the chalky canned soup bouquet and the squishy overcooked noodles, so reminiscent of childhood.  The Crockpot sat unopened and on the low setting for the hour-long party.  There was just a bit of macaroni left on the bottom, and it formed a nice crunchy crust which I found to be the most edible portion of this dish.

Mystery Meat Macaroni

(serves a crowd)

About 6 cups cooked elbow macaroni

6 tablespoons butter

4-5 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp Cheddar and jack)

2 eggs

1/2 cup cream cheese

1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup

12 ounces whole milk

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 package of those little wieners (I used beef)

Melt the butter in bottom of Crockpot with setting on high.  Add cream cheese and half the shredded cheese and stir until everything is melted and gloppy.  Add can of soup and half the milk.  Continue stirring.  Add eggs and quickly stir into mix.  Add spices and half the pasta. Stir some more.  Add rest of cheese, milk, and pasta. Stir stir.  Add wieners.  Stir.  Cover and allow to cook on low setting for three hours, stirring about once an hour.  Mmmmm mmmmm (sort of) good?