Post a Comment On: Larissa Another Day

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Slow Cooker Saturday has come around once again. Time to get out the crock pots and to make some good old comfort food.

Well comfort food with a twist of course.

I knew I wanted to try and make macaroni and cheese in the crock pot. I also knew I didn't want it to be your regular old mac and cheese.

While my Little men LOVE, and I mean LUHHVVVE macaroni and cheese I tend not to think of it as a meal the whole family enjoys.


I guess I have a hard time thinking of it as the star in the meal time show.

Since this was going to be dinner, I really wanted to make sure that I made an amped up, more main course like mac and cheese.

Challenge extended.
Challenge accepted.
Challenge obliterated.
Boom.
Done.

Meet a little creation I like to call Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese.

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This macaroni and cheese is filling, but not too heavy. The lightness of the Monterrey Jack Cheese allows the pasta to be cheesy but not over powering. By marinating the cooked chicken in the sauce before adding it to the mac and cheese, you are assured a sweet yet spicy bite with every spoonful.

The "buffalo" sauce is spicy enough for the adults to notice it, but is perfectly paired with a touch of sweetness so Littles will still enjoy it.

Then of course because we are talking about buffalo chicken, there needed to be a tad of blue cheese mixed in.

All said and done this recipe makes a creamy macaroni and cheese with a touch of something special. Making not your regular run-of-the-mill mac and cheese.

No regular for us, we will take the Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese.

Give it a try. It might just rock your world.

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Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Printable Recipe

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
1  cup brown sugar
5 Tablespoons Frank's Hot Sauce
2  Tablespoons water
2-12 oz cans evaporated milk
2-11oz cans of cheddar cheese soup
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (plus extra for garnish)
1 pound elbow macaroni

Make the sauce for marinating the chicken by combining the brown sugar, hot sauce, and water in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium high heat, stirring regularly, until brown sugar dissolves.

Put the shredded chicken in a gallon ziploc bag. Add all but 1/4 cup of sauce. Put chicken in the fridge and let rest for at least 2 hours. Set reserved sauce aside.

In a large sauce pan combine the evaporated milk, cheddar soup, water, salt, pepper, and some of the reserved sauce. Start with 2 tablespoons and work up to the heat level you desire. 2 tablespoons was perfect for our kids.

Bring the mixture to a simmer. Slowly add in the cheeses. Stirring constantly until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated in. Turn off heat.

Add in and stir the macaroni.

Spray the bowl with cooking spray. Then pour in the cheese macaroni mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.

At the end of two hours, stir the macaroni. It it is appearing too thick add in just a little bit of hot water. Then gently fold in the cooked marinated chicken.

Cover and cook on high for another 30 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through.

Serve with a sprinkling of more blue cheese.

Thanks for stopping by Slow Cooker Saturday. Have a wonderful weekend!

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