Countdown To Thanksgiving

Macaroni Pie  

One week until Thanksgiving! Made a trip to the grocery store this morning to pick up a few things I knew we needed. And like some of you, I found empty shelves. No cans of cranberry sauce. But I did buy fresh cranberries. I can make my own cranberry sauce. I like both kinds. Cranberry sauce in the shape of the can sometimes sits side by side with the fresh kind. Everybody is happy.

Yesterday my Zoom knitting group spent our hour talking about Thanksgiving instead of knitting. Our group has knitters from NYC, Tennessee, Maryland, Texas, Georgia, Washington state, and South Carolina. It was interesting to hear what is "always" on the table in different parts of the country.

Here in our house possibly the most important dish—besides the turkey—is macaroni and cheese. We called  it "macaroni pie" all of my life. At least until I was grown. And somehow that morphed into a more standard name. But macaroni pie is probably more accurate. This recipe has been handed down in our family for several generations.

You might make it with a cheese sauce. But here in our little corner of the state, it's the "pie" version that reigns supreme. Some of the knitters were surprised that mac and cheese was considered a Thanksgiving item. 

They didn't understand. ALL meals here include macaroni and cheese. It's a standard for Sunday dinners and church covered dish dinners. It's comfort food at funeral meals. It sits beside the picnic food on the 4th of July. And it's a side dish in BBQ restaurants. I've even seen macaroni cheese bites as a appetizer.

People wonder about our "no cheese sauce" mac and cheese. But it's the only one I know. I was surprised and delighted when we watched the Netflix documentary High On The Hog and heard about George Washington's chef making his specialty—macaroni pie—at Mount Vernon. The historian told how it was made. And it was really close to our recipe. Even here, there are variations of the basics. I've seen as many as nine oblong dishes of macaroni and cheese lined up on a table in the church fellowship hall. I doubt anyone makes it exactly the same. But the end result is nearly identical.

Here is our recipe. I often put it together the night before and get a head start on my prep. Layer the macaroni and cheese, cover, then refrigerate until the next day. When it's time to bake it, mix the milk and eggs and pour over. 

MACARONI PIE

16-oz. box elbow macaroni (we like the small elbows)

16-oz. sharp Cheddar cheese (NY sharp when I can find it)

4 cups milk (any kind from fat-free to whole)

4 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

a sprinkle of black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni according to directions on the box. Drain. While macaroni cooks, grate the cheese. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with PAM. Put half the macaroni in the baking dish, layer half the cheese over it, add the rest of macaroni and then the remaining cheese.

Mix the milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Pour over the macaroni and cheese. Use just enough to cover the macaroni.  (Sometimes I don’t use quite all of the milk/egg mixture. And I have been known to add a little bit more milk if the 4-cups didn't cover it.)

Bake, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes, until lightly browned on top.  Let rest for about 15 minutes before serving so that it "sets."

Y'ALL!!!! I'm sitting here writing this, with a Hallmark Christmas movie playing to keep me company. The grandma and mother just decided "it's time to share the family mac and cheese recipe" with the daughter They put it together while singing Christmas music. It looked like they make it t like I do. The movie was A Holiday In Harlem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And should your store also be sold out of cranberry sauce, have no fear. If you can find fresh cranberries, make this. It's easy. It's delicious. Thanks to Mommy who made this it first. Hang on the this recipe just in case.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

1 lb. fresh cranberries, washed
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 orange, zested and juiced

Combine berries, sugar and water in a medium saucepan and stir together. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and stir in cinnamon stick and ground spices. Simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes. Some of the berries will burst. Some will remain whole. Add orange juice and zest and stir. Cool before serving.