Crock Pot Series - Mac n Cheese with Diced Ham

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Reduced-fat cheese cuts calories while maintaining flavor.

ham

🥗Healthier: turkey ham

💰Cheaper: bacon

Turkey ham is lower in fat, while bacon adds a smoky flavor.

milk

🥗Healthier: almond milk

💰Cheaper: evaporated milk

Almond milk is dairy-free, evaporated milk is often cheaper.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free, pecorino is similar in taste.

Boil salted water for pasta.

Add small elbow macaroni to boiling water and cook for about 8-9 minutes, then drain and rinse with hot water.

Grease the crock pot.

In a bowl, mix together 1 cup of lactose-free milk and 1/8 cup of gluten-free flour until smooth.

Add 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream to the milk mixture and stir well.

Turn the crock pot on to warm.

Add the milk and flour mixture to the greased crock pot.

Add salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind that other ingredients have salt.

Break in about 1/3 of a block of cream cheese into the crock pot.

Add 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the crock pot.

Add about 2 cups of shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese to the mixture.

Add about 1.5 to 2 cups of diced ham to the crock pot.

Stir all ingredients together until well combined.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens