Mac & Cheese for Thanksgiving?

[Utah Bob #35998]

Watching this on a cooking show. They said “It’s not Thanksgiving without Mac&Cheese”.

Never done it. Never heard of it.

[Subdeacon Joe]

I musta seen the same show.  My wife and I looked at each other with "What the hell?" looks.  I have a feeling it was some BS narrative to make some must use ingredient into a holiday themed dish.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Never will. 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

For the fussy eaters at the kids’ table.

[Alpo]

To each his own, I guess. But if my choice was between green beans and soggy french fried onion sticks, or smashed sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on top, or macaroni and cheese --- you best believe I'd grab that mac and cheese.

[Subdeacon Joe]

25 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

For the fussy eaters at the kids’ table.

 

 

Bad policy.  They can be excused to their room.  One of the worst things to happen was the invention of the "Kids menu" by which kids are taught that they should only like hot dogs, chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, or grilled cheese sandwiches.   Teach them early to eat real foods.  

[Dantankerous]

14 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

Bad policy.  They can be excused to their room.  One of the worst things to happen was the invention of the "Kids menu" by which kids are taught that they should only like hot dogs, chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, or grilled cheese sandwiches.   Teach them early to eat real foods.  

 

This!

 

Amen!

 

[Alpo]

Many years back. My wife's sister's husband traded her in on a younger model, and she and her kids came and stayed with us for a while.

 

The first night, as a welcome, I had made spaghetti, and you can see the pieces of onion and bell pepper floating in the sauce.

 

As her kids were giving it the evil eye she informed me that they did not eat red things or green things.

 

I went and got a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter and dropped them on the table. That's when two of my kids said that they wanted peanut butter sandwiches also.

 

I snatch the peanut butter out of the boy's hand and picked up the bread.

 

I CHANGED MY MIND. THIS IS SUPPER. IF THEY DON'T WANT IT, BREAKFAST IS IN 14 HOURS.

 

And for the two weeks they was living in my house, they ate what I put on the table or they went hungry.

[Subdeacon Joe]

12 minutes ago, Alpo said:

Many years back. My wife's sister's husband traded her in on a younger model, and she and her kids came and stayed with us for a while.

 

The first night, as a welcome, I had made spaghetti, and you can see the pieces of onion and bell pepper floating in the sauce.

 

As her kids were giving it the evil eye she informed me that they did not eat red things or green things.

 

I went and got a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter and dropped them on the table. That's when two of my kids said that they wanted peanut butter sandwiches also.

 

I snatch the peanut butter out of the boy's hand and picked up the bread.

 

I CHANGED MY MIND. THIS IS SUPPER. IF THEY DON'T WANT IT, BREAKFAST IS IN 14 HOURS.

 

And for the two weeks they was living in my house, they ate what I put on the table or they went hungry.

 

Well done.  So, if you had offered the green bean glop, and the sweet potato dessert, would you have also served mac & cheese?  

I do agree with your comment: "To each his own, I guess. But if my choice was between green beans and soggy french fried onion sticks, or smashed sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on top, or macaroni and cheese --- you best believe I'd grab that mac and cheese."

HOW the marshmallow & sweet potato thing got to be a traditional thing is beyond me.  The green bean stuff can be good, but you have to toast the french fried onions and put them on at the last minute.

[Dantankerous]

Pilgrims had marshmallows, did they?

 

[Alpo]

1 hour ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

  So, if you had offered the green bean glop, and the sweet potato dessert, would you have also served mac & cheese?  

I would not have offered the green bean glop for the sweet potatoes. I don't like them, so I won't eat them, so I don't serve them

[Alpo]

1 minute ago, Dantankerous said:

Pilgrims had marshmallows, did they?

 

Sweet potatoes come from South America. Yams come from Africa. I don't believe the pilgrims had either one.

[Tascosa, SASS# 24838]

2 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

 

Bad policy.  They can be excused to their room.  One of the worst things to happen was the invention of the "Kids menu" by which kids are taught that they should only like hot dogs, chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, or grilled cheese sandwiches.   Teach them early to eat real foods.  

I've seen the Mac and cheese comercials on tv. The mom fixed salmon and they boy goes "Yuuuck" and throws himself on the floor. SO mom and dad fix mac and cheese for the little butt hole. If I did what that kid did I would be sent to my room with out supper and probably with a warmed backside. Is this what we are teaching our kids today?

[Henry T Harrison]

If you put salmon or many other foods in front of me I’ll push it aside, Everyone has foods that they don’t like, give me mayo and I will gag on it. 
Toddlers and other young children have likes and dislikes that change by the day. Forcing a child to like what you like or not eat is nothing but child abuse 

[Utah Bob #35998]

3 hours ago, Alpo said:

To each his own, I guess. But if my choice was between green beans and soggy french fried onion sticks, or smashed sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on top, or macaroni and cheese --- you best believe I'd grab that mac and cheese.

You wouldn’t have that choice here. Nor would you need it. 

[Utah Bob #35998]

The show mentioned nothing about kids though. I’ll admit the 5 cheese and Mac dish they made looked pretty tasty. I’ve just never heard of it as a Thanksgiving staple. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

5 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

The show mentioned nothing about kids though. I’ll admit the 5 cheese and Mac dish they made looked pretty tasty. I’ve just never heard of it as a Thanksgiving staple. 

 

 

Sunny's 5-Cheese Cheese & Mac does sound, and look, right tasty.

[Cypress Sun]

I like mac and cheese but mac and cheese for Thanksgiving..... thanks but no. Give me the turkey, real giblet gravy, stuffing, cran sauce, mashed taters and green beans. If I can have that, the shrimp and grits sounds good.

 

As far as kids go, when I was a kid you ate what was on your plate or you didn't eat. To this day I absolutely hate beets of any kind, even the smell disgusts me.

[Yul Lose]

6 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Well done.  So, if you had offered the green bean glop, and the sweet potato dessert, would you have also served mac & cheese?  

I do agree with your comment: "To each his own, I guess. But if my choice was between green beans and soggy french fried onion sticks, or smashed sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on top, or macaroni and cheese --- you best believe I'd grab that mac and cheese."

HOW the marshmallow & sweet potato thing got to be a traditional thing is beyond me.  The green bean stuff can be good, but you have to toast the french fried onions and put them on at the last minute.

Back in 88, 19 that is, I was courting the current Mrs. Lose and her sister invited me to Thanksgiving dinner. I asked if she was going to have sweet potatoes with marshmallows and she said “Well, I guess”. We went to dinner and the sweet potatoes with marshmallows were untouched. The next year it was the same. After five years or so she called to invite us to TG dinner again and I asked her if she was going to serve sweet potatoes with marshmallows and she said “ You never eat them, don’t you like them?” and I said I hate them but I was just asking if you were going to have them. She doesn’t fix them anymore, seems nobody likes them.

[Sixgun Seamus]

4 hours ago, Cypress Sun said:

To this day I absolutely hate beets of any kind, even the smell disgusts me.

Amen to that, brother.

[Cat Brules]

You guys should eat what’s on your plates!

 

You get invited to dinner, you eat at least part of everything you’re served, or go to your room and study the SASS Shooters Handbook!  >:-(

 

Cat Brules

[Subdeacon Joe]

1 hour ago, Cat Brules said:

study the SASS Shooters Handbook!

 

Doesn't that fall under the "cruel and unusual" clause?

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

A few years back, Alton Brown's 5 cheese Mac & Cheese made it into our Thanksgiving menu, complete with small sausages.  We had a passel of kids that year, and it was impossible to meet their dietary restrictions and desires with ordinary fare.   It stuck, and I'm glad it did.  Most of our traditional Thanksgiving dinner food was not on the Pilgrims' table; I figure one more new addition is not going to destroy the occasion.  And everyone loves it.

 

LL

[Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme]

20 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Watching this on a cooking show. They said “It’s not Thanksgiving without Mac&Cheese”.

Never done it. Never heard of it.

It's a "thing"in the South, for Thanksgiving. And has been for years.

[J-BAR #18287]

Kraft has a food plant here in Springfield where Mac & Cheese is made.  The world’s biggest piece of macaroni is in the parking lot:

 

 

...and now back to regular programming...

 

 

 

[LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L]

I see mac n cheese regularly as a side dish at Thanksgiving here in the south.  

 

No marshmallows on my sweet potatoes.  There is a sweet potato casserole, which is topped with crushed pecans/walnuts, brown sugar, flour and butter which I love and cook most every year.  

[Tascosa, SASS# 24838]

18 hours ago, Henry T Harrison said:

If you put salmon or many other foods in front of me I’ll push it aside, Everyone has foods that they don’t like, give me mayo and I will gag on it. 
Toddlers and other young children have likes and dislikes that change by the day. Forcing a child to like what you like or not eat is nothing but child abuse 

Pard if y'all lived with my dad you'd a been a mighty hungry boy.!!! If I didn't like something I HAD to at least try it, but there was no going "yuck" and throwing my self on the floor.

[Henry T Harrison]

57 minutes ago, Tascosa, SASS# 24838 said:

Pard if y'all lived with my dad you'd a been a mighty hungry boy.!!! If I didn't like something I HAD to at least try it, but there was no going "yuck" and throwing my self on the floor.

There is a hell of a difference between getting a child to try something and essentially forcing them to eat it or go hungry, Fortunately neither my parents or I were that cruel 

[Utah Bob #35998]

3 hours ago, Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme said:

It's a "thing"in the South, for Thanksgiving. And has been for years.

I thought it was a yankee thing.I grew up in the south and never heard of it. My Alabama granny always cooked Thanksgiving dinner.

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

 My wife makes a baked mac and cheese casserole that is outstanding. It has been served for Thanksgiving and other special occasions with nothing but laudatory comments from our guests. 

[Assassin]

I'm a product of the South. My mom and all her siblings never offered Mac & Cheese at TG. 

 

When I was a child I ate what was served, whatever dad liked I ate or I didn't eat. His house, he worked, we did what we were told.

 

Cole slaw and potato salad was a staple at most meals, I ate it then. I don't eat it now.

 

My parents both liked onions, they put onions in everything, I don't care for onions. I eat them when served in cooked foods, raw onions ride me for hours.

 

My mom and dad liked liver and onions, they don't eat it anymore. Not healthy.

 

Some folks like sauerkraut, I don't eat that crap. Or, drink butter milk.

 

Most alcoholic beverages taste terrible, scotch is so great, OK, I'll take your word on it, not my thing. I could develop for a taste for cognac.

 

I eat about everything else.

 

In other words, everyone has different tastes. 

 

What kind of meat was in the Mac & Cheese?

 

I remember my relatives saying "oh that's the best turkey stuffing" doesn't it all taste the same. Some may have more salt, that's about the only difference.

 

My wife makes chili rellonos, green bean casserole, and were having some beef steaks for TG this year. And, some pumpkin pie.

 

Good Grief, I've been eating food for 60 years, it's just food.

 

Happy TG everyone!

 

 

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

Corrections from my earlier Mac & Cheese post;

 

Alton Brown's recipe is NOT 5 cheese; it's sharp cheddar, and lots of it;

 

His recipe does NOT include meat; my wife adds small smokey links, which are great;

 

Panko bread crumbs make a HUGE difference.

 

Recipe here:

 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe-1939524

 

LL

[Cat Brules]

14 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Doesn't that fall under the "cruel and unusual" clause?

 

 

We-e-e-ll, maybe.  ‘Be fun listen’n to the complaining!  But then, maybe not so much fun listen’n to the newly-educated know-it-all's!  

 

Now, eat your kale, cabbage turnip and spinach salad....pronto!

CB

[Tascosa, SASS# 24838]

3 hours ago, Henry T Harrison said:

There is a hell of a difference between getting a child to try something and essentially forcing them to eat it or go hungry, Fortunately neither my parents or I were that cruel 

I wasn't referring to making a kid eat something they didn't like. I was referring to a kid saying "Yuck" and throwing himself on the floor. That crap didn't go in my dads home and it didn't go in mine.

[Subdeacon Joe]

2 hours ago, Cat Brules said:

 

 

We-e-e-ll, maybe.  ‘Be fun listen’n to the complaining!  But then, maybe not so much fun listen’n to the newly-educated know-it-all's!  

 

Now, eat your kale, cabbage turnip and spinach salad....pronto!

CB

 

 

Of course, I STILL wonder about what event caused this clause to be added:

 

Quote

Ammunition Belts and Loops -

 

....

 

- No ammunition may be carried in the mouth, ears, nose, cleavage, or any other bodily orifice.

 

The mind boggles at that.