Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, until no pink remains, about 6 to 8 minutes, adding the salt and black pepper while it cooks. Drain off the excess grease.

Lightly spray the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

Put the uncooked wide egg noodles into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread them out as evenly as you can.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the two cans of cream of mushroom soup and the 2 cups of beef broth until the mixture is smooth.

Sprinkle the cooked, drained ground beef evenly over the noodles, pour the soup and broth mixture over everything, and gently press the noodles down so most are moistened and covered by liquid.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheddar over the top, saving the remaining 1 cup for later. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the noodles are tender and the sauce is bubbly.

Once the noodles are tender but not mushy, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese over the top. Cover again and cook on LOW, or keep the cooker on WARM, for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Gently stir the casserole from the bottom before serving, taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot while leaving some melted cheese across the top if preferred.