Macaroni & Cheese For Thanksgiving Dinner

[marthachick]

I don’t care for M&C but several of the kids in our family do so we normally have it for Thanksgiving. And sometimes it IS the KD. We have enough (too much) homemade stuff that it’s ok. We also have a ham with the turkey (or 2).

 

[Wendy31]

I don’t care for M&C but several of the kids in our family do so we normally have it for Thanksgiving. And sometimes it IS the KD. We have enough (too much) homemade stuff that it’s ok. We also have a ham with the turkey (or 2).

Same!

I like macaroni & cheese okay, but I don't really consider it a good Thanksgiving side dish.

However, the kids in our family like it & prefer it over the other many side dishes, so we always have it.

One year, I made a really wonderful homemade, "gourmet-ish," baked macaroni & cheese, & the kids hated it. LOL!

So, now, I just boil the pasta, drain it, & then add cheese, milk, & butter because we're only making it for the kids & that's really what they want instead of the fancy, baked macaroni & cheese. They'd probably even prefer the boxed stuff.

 

[wenrob]

I know I'm in the minority but I am not a fan of homemade mac and cheese. I'm not a huge fan of boxed either but if I had to choose between the two, I pick the boxed.

For some reason, I find homemade mac and cheese to be very greasy and if you're not eating it when it's piping hot, it turns in to a ball of gritty, cold cheese and pasta. No matter who makes it, I never like it.

I do however, love broccoli and cheese with ritz crackers crumbled on top. Now that is good!

ETA: We do not serve mac and cheese at our Thanksgiving dinner. We're just not a mac and cheese kind of family.

My younger kids hate homemade Mac & Cheese. It’s boxed or none for them.

That’s weird that you like broccoli with cheese but not Mac & Cheese. The sauce is essentially the same thing.

 

[L&Lfan]

Not my favorite, but I certainly wouldn't think it odd if someone served it as one of their Thanksgiving sides.

 

[ncc1701]

I haven't been there yet, but there's a local restaurant that specializes in atypical mac & cheese.

http://homeroom510.com

I personally like a good one that's baked with breadcrumbs on top forming a crust with the cheese. I haven't really made anything like that myself, but I've had some pretty good ones at buffets.

Better with corn flakes on top☺ that's what I do.

 

[jdb in AZ]

The Capital Grille in NYC has marvelous mac and cheese, so if it's good enough for their menu, it's definitely appropriate for a holiday dinner around here. Actually, the Capital Grille puts lobster in theirs, and it truly makes a difference.

If the green bean casserole is made with fresh or frozen green beans, fine, but using canned beans is just disgusting.

DMIL used to say that we HAD to have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. She was the only one who ate it.

The point is, that there's no menu police going door-to-door on Thanksgiving to see what's on your dinner table. They have better things to do. So eat what you want!

 

[AquamarineSteph]

I'd say go for it, especially if there has been a request for it.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I would love it!!!! I am a Mac & cheese freak. I make a 4 cheese Mac that is requested all the time.

Boxed the horror!!!!!!!

Do you make the Martha Stewart version? Gosh I wuvvvvvvvvv that stuff!
DGD still hasn't completely gotten over her "cheese phobia" so I haven't made it for a few holidays.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I know right but sweet potatoes, stuffing, Mac. So much carbs. We used to do Rolls and then we figured it was wasting precious stomach room.

I buy rolls to make sandwiches the next day. I go to a local bakery on Black Friday and get them fresh. My family also believes rolls waste precious stomach space. Lol.

 

[Micca]

Can I forgo the turkey and spiral ham???

If I can have stuffing, mashed potatoes & gravy, mac & cheese, and a roll with butter I'll sacrifice the protein for another day! I nice homemade mac and cheese would be a real treat around here.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I absolutely hate M&C. However, my kids love it, and it would be fine to have it at Thanksgiving if they would eat a nice homemade baked variety. However, it has to be from a box, and I'm not having boxed m&c at Thanksgiving dinner!

 

[Klayfish]

However, it has to be from a box, and I'm not having boxed m&c at Thanksgiving dinner!

If it's for the kids, why not?

With my nutrition, I very rarely eat mac and cheese, maybe 2 or 3 times per year at most. But I absolutely LOVE it. So yeah, I'd be all in for adding it to the Thanksgiving table. I prefer a good homemade to a boxed one, but I won't turn my nose up at any mac and cheese. For homemade, crumble up some low salt Ritz crackers, sprinkle them on top and let it bake another 10 minutes....mmmmmmm......

 

[hertamaniac]

Aye or nay?

Not as the main course, but as one of the sides.

Aye, but it must be baked. Throw some ham/bacon on/in it and that is a main course.

Nowhere is it written we must "duplicate" what we think was served originally.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I want to see some of these Mac n Cheese recipes!!!! Please!!!

MJ

This is the creme de la creme of mac and cheese recipes for my mind and very versatile:

:https://food52.com/recipes/14671-martha-stewart-s-macaroni-and-cheese

I fool around with the cheeses at times, don't always use croutons...sometimes just use breadcrumbs (homemade from leftover whole wheat bread that I store in the freezer. Throw in food processor , pulse and you have breadcrumbs) sometimes none; sometimes I add ham chunks; once I added butter poached lobster tail medallions and served it as an appetizer for New Year's Eve, LOL.

 

[mrsstats]

No reason not too. It is the only thing my niece eats so we have it at every holiday.

 

[princesspiglet]

We have homemade mac and cheese as one of our sides every year. We go heavy on carbs. Our menu consists of Turkey, gravy, mashed taters, sweet tater casserole, roasted garlic baby potatoes, haluski, mac & cheese, rolls with butter, green beans and dressing. We also have a cranberry apple jello salad, pumpkin pie and turtle pie.

 

[RangerPooh]

I never viewed it as a holiday dish, especially as we are a Kraft blue box kind of family. Now if it appeared on the table I'd probably eat it, but give me my turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing instead.

I'll pass on the green bean casserole.

 

[Liberty Belle]

It's always included in big food gatherings here (central Kentucky). I'm not a fan, so I don't eat it, but it seems to be very popular.
I'd make it if someone requested it.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I never viewed it as a holiday dish, especially as we are a Kraft blue box kind of family. Now if it appeared on the table I'd probably eat it, but give me my turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing instead.

I'll pass on the green bean casserole.

Pretty much everyone in my extended family has given up on commercially processed foods and carbs and fortunately we all love veggies. So for us the mac and cheese is pretty much a holiday only dish and I substitute mashed cauliflower for the taters. I phased out the dressing during my early "carb purge" years but as we became more comfortably with the lifestyle change re-introduced it as stuffing baked under a cut up bird or just do Rachel Ray's stuffin' muffins (great for portion control and buffet meals!).
No green bean casserole for us. Recall seeing it in Family Circle magazine and being fascinated by the sheer "foreignness" of it (lots of immigrants in my neighborhood) but I do enjoy fresh beans sauteed in the pan with a 'lil shallots.
Gotta have Brussel sprouts too!

 

[Wishing on a star]

There is NEVER not enough room for a good fresh hot bread and butter.
Fake crescent rolls... ummmmm, not so much.
But nothing beats a good hot fresh yeast roll with unsalted butter that has been doused with salt!!!!
OMG....

Nope, I def. do not allow myself to indulge in rolls and butter, except for an occasion like Thanksgiving.
And, that is one of the things that makes Thanksgiving SO good!!!!!