Mmm...Cheesy

Another one of those crockpot kind of days. It is beautiful and clear today. Quite a change from yesterdays weather. I have yoga tonight and class is during normal dinner hour. This means it's easy dinner time! I'm in the mood for something carb-a-licious: mac and cheese!

One of my most cherished stories about my Grandpa Alderson has to do with baked mac and cheese. Whenever we went to Pittsburgh to visit Jeff, my brother, and I would plead for this delicious treat. My mom certainly knows how to make it but it somehow always fell short to the original. So, Grandma would graciously prepare our favorite. Everyone would gather around the table, Grandpa would bless the meal, and we would dig in. This was the story for 20 odd years. Grandpa passed away a few years ago after a fall led to other health problems, including pnuemonia. It was at his funeral and wake that I learned the loving truth. He HATED baked mac and cheese! Really disliked the stuff. But every time we came up he ate it because we wanted it. He did it to make us happy. Wow, amazing, right?!

Now I'm hungry and teary. Not always a great combination. Mac and Cheese has become somewhat synonomous with Grandpa now. It's a small opportunity to remember him.

So to the cooking.


Ingredients:
1 lb. uncooked pasta (I'm a fan of elbow)
3 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. half and half
1 egg
2 c. mild cheddar
1 c. mozzarella
1 c. jack or other tasty cheese
1/4 tsp. pepper
dash of salt
1/4 c. bread crumbs (optional)

Prep:
1. in a small bowl mix the spices, milk, half and half, and egg.
2. mix the liquid mixture, pasta, and cheese in the crockpot.
3. top with bread crumbs
4. cover and set.

cook on high 1 to 3 hours or on low 2 to 4 hours depending on how you like your pasta.*

*UPDATE: to increase the creaminess factor, cook for maybe an hour on high and then set to warm. I cooked mine on high for a little over two hours and it wasn't very moist. Don't over cook! otherwise it's lovely!