Ham It Up Crockpot Spicy Mac & Cheese

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder

(5-Quart Slow Cooker Recipe)

## Ingredients:

* 1-pound **(16 ounces)** package elbow macaroni, uncooked
* 1/4 cup **(1/2 stick, 2 ounces)** salted butter, melted
* 1/2-pound **(8 ounces)** block of sharp cheddar cheese **(DO NOT get shredded cheddar cheese--it won't work in this recipe! You must shred it yourself, right before you use it.)**
* 12-ounce can evaporated milk **(NOT sweetened condensed milk)**
* 1 10.5-ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup
* 1 cup whole milk
* 2 large eggs, beaten **(just whip them up in a glass with a fork)**
* 4-ounce can Ortega chopped green chilies
* 8-ounce brick cream cheese **(I used Philadelphia Cream cheese in the silver package)**
* 1/4 cup heavy cream **(whipping cream)**
* 4 drops Slap Ya mama Hot Sauce **(if you'd like it spicier, add 5 drops or simply let each person add their own if they wish)**
* 2 cups of half-inch cubed ham
* 1 bunch green onions, cleaned and cut into pieces **(you can use up to 2 inches of the stems above the bulbs)**
* Salt and black pepper to taste

## Directions:

* **Prepare your slow cooker** crock by spraying the inside with **Pam** or another nonstick cooking spray.
* **Cook** the **macaroni** for **ONLY half as long** as the package instruction. **(My package said to cook for 8 minutes, so I cooked it for 4 minutes.)**

**Hannah's 1st Note: You want this macaroni UNDERCOOKED because it's going to cook more in the slow cooker and if it's fully cooked now, it'll turn to mush.**

* **When the macaroni** is through cooking HALF of the time given on the package, **dump** it out into a strainer or colander and run water over it to cool it and stop the cooking.
* **Place** the drained half-cooked macaroni in a very large bowl on the kitchen counter.

* If you haven't done so already, **melt** the half-stick of **salted butter** in the microwave. **(It should take about 15 seconds on HIGH.)**
* **Pour** the melted salted butter over the macaroni and stir it around until it is coated with the butter.

* Sprinkle HALF of the **shredded cheese** over the partially cooked macaroni and butter.
* Open the can of **evaporated milk** and pour that over the grated cheddar cheese.
* Open the can of **condensed cheddar cheese soup** and use a rubber spatula to remove the soup from the can and place it over the grated cheddar cheese.

* Pour the **whole milk** over the cheddar cheese soup.
* **If you haven't** done so already, crack the **eggs** into a glass and mix them up with a fork. When they are well mixed, pour the eggs over the whole milk.
* Open the can of **Ortega green chilies**, drain them, and sprinkle them over the top of the mixing bowl.

* Open the 8-ounce package of **brick cream cheese** and cut it into chunks.
* **Place** the chunks of cream cheese in a microwave-save bowl.
* Measure out 1/4 cup of **heavy cream** **(whipping cream)** and pour it over the chunks of cream cheese. **Heat** on HIGH for 20 seconds in the microwave. Let the bowl **sit** in the microwave for 30 seconds and then try to **stir** the cream cheese and heavy cream smooth. If you can't, heat it in 15-second increments until you can.

* Sprinkle **Slap Ya Mama hot sauce** over the cream cheese mixture and stir it in.
* **Pour** the cream cheese, cream, and hot sauce mixture into your bowl.
* **Stir** everything up in the bowl, mixing until all the ingredients are well combined.

* Sprinkle the **remainder of the shredded cheddar cheese** over the top of your bowl and mix that in until it's well combined.
* **Empty** the contents of your mixing bowl into the crock of the slow cooker.
* Give everything a final **stir** by hand.

* There's only one thing left to add and you're done!
* If you haven't done so already, cut up enough ham to make 2 cups of half-inch cubes.
* Add the 2 cups of **cubed ham** and the **chopped green onions** to the crock, and mix well with the other ingredients.
* **Put the lid** **on** the slow cooker and **turn it on LOW heat**.

**Hannah's 2nd Note: Be careful about turning your slow cooker on. Some slow cookers have 3 options for heat. In one of mine, the first option is WARM, the 2nd option is LOW, and the 3rd option is HIGH. I once turned my crockpot to WARM when I really wanted it on LOW, and when I got home from work, my slow cooker meal hadn't cooked at all and we had to call out for pizza!**

* **Cook** your Ham It Up Crockpot Spicy Mac & Cheese for **3 and 1/2 to 4  hours**, and then check the temperature of the contents. If the contents are at 160 degrees F. or higher, your meal is ready to eat!

### **To Serve:**

**If you wish**, set out some small bowls of **chopped sweet onion, black olive slices, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and more chopped green chilies.** If you invite Mike, make sure to have an extra bottle of Slap Ya Mama hot sauce on the table.

**Yield:** At least 8 large bowls of wonderfully hammy and tasty Mac & Cheese.

**Hannah's 3rd Note: If you don't invite Mike to dinner, you'll probably have some Ham It Up Crockpot Spicy Mac & Cheese left over.**

### **To Reheat in Individual Bowls:**

Dish up a bowl of leftovers in a microwave-safe bowl, mix in a portion of **crumbled bacon** ***(I used Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon)***, drizzle a bit of **heavy cream** ***(whipping cream***) over the top, and **microwave** for 30 seconds on HIGH. Stir and if the contents of the bowl are not hot enough, microwave on HIGH for another 20 to 30 seconds.

### **To Reheat Multiple Portions:**

If you have enough leftovers for an **8-inch square pan**, pack the leftover Ham It Up Crockpot Spicy Mac & Cheese in the pan, mix some **crumbled bacon** in ***(I used Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon)***, drizzle a bit of **heavy cream *(whipping cream)*** over the top, and top it with a generous sprinkle of **Progresso Bread Crumbs Italian Style**. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F., and once it comes up to temperature, **cover the pan with aluminum foil** and place it on a cookie sheet. Heat in the over for **30 to 45 minutes,** take off the foil, and heat for another 10 minutes to brown the breadcrumbs on top.

**Hannah's 4th Note: The reason you add crumbled bacon to the leftovers when you reheat them is because if you have your guests dish up their own from the crockpot, they usually try to get as many ham pieces in their bowl as possible. This sometimes depletes the ham pieces and that's why you add the crumbled bacon when you reheat it.**