It’s time to talk about comfort food! We all have our favorite go to recipes when we just need something to warm our soul on a cold day or just make us feel happy. Food has the ability to change our mood, so I always have some good comfort food recipes ready when they are needed. One such recipe is my all time favorite mac and cheese recipe. I find when it comes to mac and cheese, there are two main camps. One that says stove top is the way to go, the other that says only baked macaroni is the real deal. But why have to choose one or the other? This easy cheesy shells recipe fits right into the middle, giving you the best of both!

I grew up loving macaroni and cheese. I think it ranks pretty high on the list of all time best comfort foods. There is just something about all that cheesy goodness that can put a smile on your face. It is a favorite among children and adults alike. My own children would be perfectly content with just some macaroni noodles and Velveeta. I’ll admit, I am not one to turn that down either. Velveeta is an easy product to use and does make a good pot of macaroni because of its melt-ability, which is one of the criteria that I feel macaroni must meet. The cheese has to melt completely and be creamy.

The Easy Cheesy Shells Cheese

So while we are on the subject of cheese, let’s talk a little more about the choices. I already mentioned Velveeta, but I know that many of us are aware that Velveeta is really more of a cheese “product” than real cheese. (Don’t tell my kids!) If you are wanting something a little healthier, but don’t want to sacrifice the creaminess, then what should you use? This recipe uses shredded cheddar as do many macaroni recipes. Cheese is really the star ingredient of any macaroni recipe, so it needs to have flavor. If you choose a cheese that is too mild, your macaroni will be bland. Nobody wants that! Cheddar has a nice sharp flavor that I think works really well. I have used both yellow and white cheddar for these easy cheesy shells. I have also used monterey jack which also works well. However, if you just boil some noodles and then throw in cheddar, you will be left with a stringy mess.

The helpers

In order to get the creamy level that you would get from something like Velveeta, you will need to give your shredded cheese a little assistance. If you are making macaroni on the stovetop, it is a good idea to start with a rue. What is this you ask? It is a combination of butter, flour and milk. This provides you with a thick base in which to melt the cheese before adding to the noodles. But this recipe is for the crockpot. And quite frankly, if I am using the crockpot, I want it to do most if not all of the work for me. Isn’t that the whole point of a crockpot? If I am going to make a sauce on the stove, I might as well finish it there! So in order to achieve a creamy macaroni, you need to add some cream cheese. This is the ingredient that will take your shredded cheese sauce to a whole new level of creaminess. It will also add a nice background flavor. It melts well and will help to thicken your sauce. You can use regular or low fat if you prefer.

A little kick

In my grilled cheese post, I mentioned two things that are made for one another. Those would be cheese and mustard. Even if you are not a fan of mustard on its own, give it a try in your macaroni. You won’t take a bite and say “wow, is there mustard in here?”. Instead, it will amplify the flavor of the cheese and add an oh so subtle bite to it. It’s a secret ingredient that really helps to bring all of the flavors together. Nobody will know that it is in there, but everyone will love it! I like to go all out and use spicy brown mustard rather than just plain. It has much more flavor and tang than the yellow stuff so it brings more to your recipe. If you have never put mustard in your macaroni, you will be surprised just how much better it tastes with it. Just like salt can help amplify the flavor of chocolate without making your brownies salty, mustard can make your macaroni taste more cheesy (and less bland).

How to make

Making these easy cheesy shells is really quite simple. You will first want to boil your shells in salted water. I once heard a cooking tip that your water should “taste like the sea”. When you are boiling your pasta, it is the only chance you have to flavor the pasta itself. I always add a healthy dose of salt to my water. As for cooking time, you will want to undercook the pasta just slightly. The crock pot will continue to cook it, so if it goes in already completely cooked, then you will end up with mush. Once it has boiled, simply drain it and add it to a greased (or lined) crock pot.

Now, all that is left to do is add your other ingredients which are cream cheese, shredded cheddar (or cheese of your choice), spicy brown mustard, milk and salt and pepper. Give it a good stir to make sure that all of the shells are covered by the milk mixture. Cover and let it go for about 3 to 4 hours on low. I stir it every now and then to make sure that it is melting evenly and that it does not burn. The cheese will blend together as you stir. Once it is all gooey and melted, it is done! You don’t want to overcook it so keep an eye on it. And that’s it!

A New Favorite

These easy cheesy shells are so easy and so creamy that you won’t want to go back to Velveeta! It is so popular in my family that it is almost always requested at family gatherings. Want to take it over the top? Scoop out a portion in an oven safe dish, top with a slice or two of fresh tomato and some bread crumbs. Drizzle with a little olive oil and pop it under the broiler until lightly browned. Just like mustard and cheese, tomatoes and macaroni are another match made in heaven. At least I think so! And stay tuned to see how I dress this already yummy dish up in time for the holidays! Dig in!