Macaroni & Cheese...

[Pakey]

Not here. I don't believe it's tradition here; I've never heard anyone say they were serving it.

 

[diznygirl]

Grandma's mac n cheese was the best! She would make it for us for every meal if we wanted it! She's gone now and I wish I had some today.

 

[sharonmickey]

I never heard of mac and cheese for holiday dinner until this year when I attended an African American hosted Thanksgiving dinner and they served mac and cheese. I guess in my area it is served at every African American holiday dinner. DD isn't a fan of turkey for Thanksgiving so I served mac and cheese (along with turkey) this year. All the guests loved it. If DD is home next year for Thanksgiving I will make it again.

 

[Becky2005]

We always have Mac & Cheese if Grandma (my mom) is going to be there.

Growing up this wasn't tradition, we never had it. Somehow, somewhere along the way my kids & my brother's kids latched onto my mom's mac & cheese and it became "GMC" aka Grandma's Mac & Cheese.

Now whenever we have a holiday meal of some sort that involves Grandma, it is expected that she will bring the Mac & Cheese. The funny thing is there is absolutely nothing special about it, it is just regular old mac & cheese that she would make growing up for a quick dinner or whatever...basically noodles & cheese mixed together.

Not only that but she has a specific bowl she usually makes it in...you should have seen the disappointment at I think it was Easter, that she had the GMC but had something else in the normal bowl she uses. It was actually funny, I was a little surprised myself when the bowl was there and it wasn't mac & cheese in it.

It's always interesting how sometimes these little traditions get started & you don't even KNOW it is a tradition. We have created a few that were not intentionally done...just happened. I don't usually realize it until the kids start saying something on "but you have to, it isn't Christmas unless we do XYZ". Those usually work better anyway - the few traditions I tried to create on purpose have fizzled.

 

[powellrj]

I was watching a White House Christmas special this afternoon and even the Obamas were serving Mac and Cheese for Christmas!

 

[Diet Dr Chill]

I'm not really a big fan of mac and cheese, so no I don't make it on holidays or anytime, really.

 

[AnOtHeRdIsNeYfReAk]

It depends on what we are having. I like to make a combination of Jiko's mac and cheese and a great mac and cheese I had at one of the nearby restaurants at the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park. I'd like to think its a bit more "upscale" than a regular mac and cheese, but I might be deluding myself because it is so darn good

 

[tvguy]

Which cheeses do you like to use?
RECIPES please!!!
( I too prefer not to use velveeta!)

Wow, never thought about velveeta.

We only use the sharpest extra sharp cheddar we can find.

 

[novajeanjellybean]

We are African American and we serve macaroni and cheese at holiday dinners. We don't do the boxed stuff only baked. We were also given plates by our neighbors and it was on all of them too. Also, for a normal dinner, Mac n Cheese is ALWAYS a side and never an entree in most AA households.

 

[awoogala]

I make annie's boxed mac n cheese for quick meals, but not for holidays. My MIL always makes a decadent baked mac n cheese from scratch for holidays. Completely different.

 

[windycitymom]

I voted sometimes because for the first time ever, I made Lobster mac n' cheese. I used the Kraft Homestyle (not the box), mixed in Lobster chunks and sprinkled with bread crumbs and shredded cheese and baked. It was a hit and you can bet I will serve it again at the next holiday. It reminds us of the first time we ate it at the Grand Floridian (just last year). It was so easy to make and so delicious. For what it's worth, I'm not AA.

This was a side dish since I also served turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, and cheese & onion bread.

 

[cornflake]

Never personally did it or ran into it as a holiday thing. I think it's certainly less casual than green bean casserole made with tinned beans, so fancy isn't why I don't think, just general tradition.

Seconding that it's also super expensive and it's time consuming - but good.

Someone asked what cheeses - I like to mix, (in general, it's pretty forgiving whatever you like ime) well-aged cheddar (like 4 years), medium-aged cheddar (like 2), edam, some smoked gruyere, parm.

 

[scrapquitler]

I do homemade Mac & cheese for both Christmas and Easter, I serve it with ham. It's a fair amount of work to make it and $$ too. I use extra sharp cheddar, Parmesan, mozarella, provolone, Swiss and American cheese, and I start by making a white sauce, then add the cheeses...it's certainly nothing like the boxed stuff!

 

[wdwmom2]

and I start by making a white sauce, then add the cheeses...it's certainly nothing like the boxed stuff!

I start with a white sauce too. Then I add different cheeses. Delicious

Never thought of mac and cheese as not fancy enough If it goes well with what you are serving, I see nothing wrong with including it!

 

[Disneygirl26]

We are African American and we serve macaroni and cheese at holiday dinners. We don't do the boxed stuff only baked. We were also given plates by our neighbors and it was on all of them too. Also, for a normal dinner, Mac n Cheese is ALWAYS a side and never an entree in most AA households.

I am African American also and I must say, I totally agree and I must add that we almost never have mashed pototoes at holiday meals but we always have macaroni and cheese at every holiday meal. Lastly I would never use Velveeta cheese its unheard of around here.

 

[bettymae1121]

My DH was upset the first few years he spent the holidays with my family, because we don't make it for special dinners. I never knew people did until I met him! I've asked him if he wants me to make it for him, but he's said not to bother.

On the other hand, DH had never heard of, seen, or eaten Greenbean Caserole until he came to the midwest, he swears no one makes it where he grew up. But around here it isn't Thanksgiving without it, and 8 times out of 10 you'll see it at Christmas too.

 

[lovin'fl]

It's on the table occasionally. My kids like it, so it's great when it's served. And my kids are starting to broaden their mac-n-cheese horizons and eat the home made stuff too (used to only do Kraft box).

 

[Zandy595]

We have never had mac 'n cheese at a holiday dinner and I don't think I would consider having it in the future. For us it's kind of an everyday type dish. We have dishes that are usually not eaten the rest of the year and are saved for special occasions. My mom's stuffing tastes all the better because we don't eat it any other time than the holidays. If we had it every couple weeks for dinner, I probably wouldn't want to have it on Thanksgiving.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I voted yes that I would love to eat MnC for any meal, from a box or not.

Last night at my dad's house, his wife served MnC from a box and I tried not to laugh. Then, I had three scoops. Yum!

 

[jen0610]

We do mac and cheese on the holidays, but it's not out of a box mac and cheese, not even the kraft "Homestyle" stuff makes the cut. It's the good ol baked mac and cheese. It's almost more cheese than mac it's got so much cheese in it.