My aunt swears by this dump-and-go method for a hearty family meal.

Lightly grease a large slow cooker (5–6 quart) with a bit of oil or nonstick spray to make cleanup easier.
Pour the meat pasta sauce into the slow cooker. Use a little of the beef broth to rinse out each jar so you don’t waste any, then pour that liquid into the slow cooker as well.

Add the remaining beef broth to the slow cooker and stir well so the sauce and broth are evenly combined. This will look thin at first, but the macaroni will soak it up as it cooks.
Cover the slow cooker and cook the sauce mixture on LOW for 3–4 hours, or until it is hot and gently bubbling around the edges. This long, slow simmer lets the flavors meld together into a savory, rich base.
Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni, making sure all the pasta is pushed down and covered by the hot sauce and broth mixture so it cooks evenly.

Cover again and cook on HIGH for 20–30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the macaroni is just tender but not mushy. Slow cookers can vary, so begin checking at the 20-minute mark.
Once the macaroni is cooked to your liking and the mixture is thick and saucy, sprinkle the shredded yellow cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Cover and let it sit for 5–10 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and bubbling around the edges.

Give the chili mac a gentle stir if you like the cheese worked through, or leave it as a gooey layer on top. Serve hot straight from the slow cooker, and keep it on WARM if folks will be coming back for seconds.
Variations & Tips

See more on the next page to continue reading →