Grease the slow cooker. Butter works best; a single teaspoon smeared with a paper towel on the bottom and about halfway up the sides should do the trick. You can also use a slow cooker liner for fastest cleanup.

Add the milk, heavy cream, water, sour cream, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to the slow cooker and whisk together.

Stir in the elbow macaroni noodles, then top with the cubed butter.

Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the pasta is al dente. Stir from the bottom once or twice to help avoid sticking.

Stir in the cheese, then cook on low for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir again before serving. Turn the crock to the KEEP WARM setting if everyone is taking their time to serve themselves. The noodles will start to soften past al dente within an hour or so.