My mom’s in town for the week. We’ve been eating well. Very well. Drinking plenty of glasses of wine and sharing stories we’ve probably told a million times. They’re stories that make our family unique. Stories about my brother chasing my sister down the beach declaring, “sweet revenge,” with a plastic sword in his hand. Stories of sitting in ant piles and falling off my scooter. My dad picked every last pebble out of my knee. Stories of listening to my Big Bird tape player sing “I wanna go home” over and over again. Stories that no one else quite understands except my family. They’re ours.
Over dinner we start reminiscing about meals we used to indulge in. Hamburger Helper. Beef Stroganoff and Chili Mac were our favorite. Fried okra and chicken on Sunday nights. Friday nights—Pizza Hut pizza. Those meals. They brought our family together. And I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
But our favorite was always Mom’s macaroni and cheese. Homemade to perfection. It always had a spot at the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner table. Tradition keeps it there. And maybe its addicting flavor. Friends and family, new and old, still request mom’s mac and cheese. It’s famous in our little world.
We owe it to Granny—my mom’s mom who taught her how to make it. And now my mom has passed it on to my sister and I. Our stories about ant hills and plastic swords and Hamburger Helper may not make sense to you, but I think this one will.
I use whole wheat noodles and add a little stone ground mustard to mine. But those are optionals.
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This looks so good. I always liked my mom’s mac-n-cheese, too, until that fateful day my friend’s mom served me a box of Kraft. Then we begged for that. I never eat it at all anymore, after living off of it in college, but I’m thinking I should try your version soon. {it’s so pretty!}
so sweet. sometimes I wish I wasn’t so close to my parents, so getting together felt more special than routine. I know I’d wish the other if it were the opposite. Have a great time with your parents!
Thanks Sara! We’ve just been scheming to somehow get the family in one place again. I miss living close, but you’re right, when we get together its pretty sweet.
Looks awesome and easy – I have all that in my kitchen right now! Question: in the recipe, you bake in a 9X13 pan but in the pics, you have it in ramekins. Do I need to do anything different if I do it in the ramekins? Does cooking time adjust? thanks and can’t wait to try it!
Hey Jessica! You can bake it the same way in ramekins, just divide the cheese and noodles evenly among the ramekins and pour in the milk mixture after. I made a half batch which came out to about four 4.5″ ramekins. Baking time was about the same since my ramekins were deep.
Ah, my mum makes some bomb mac n cheese too. It’s a fixture at our holiday table for sure. And by “it’s a fixture…” I mean “I take way more than my fair share…” I love your addition of mustard too.
that looks so good can you bring me some because i need some right now
This looks so good. I always liked my mom’s mac-n-cheese, too, until that fateful day my friend’s mom served me a box of Kraft. Then we begged for that. I never eat it at all anymore, after living off of it in college, but I’m thinking I should try your version soon. {it’s so pretty!}
Hahaha! I loved me some Kraft too. Funny—it took my brother years to finally try my mom’s recipe. He would only eat the blue box blues 🙂
Such a beautiful mac ‘n cheese!
I love Mom recipes. The absolute best 🙂
Macaroni and cheese is completely the way to my heart. Adore this.
so sweet. sometimes I wish I wasn’t so close to my parents, so getting together felt more special than routine. I know I’d wish the other if it were the opposite. Have a great time with your parents!
Thanks Sara! We’ve just been scheming to somehow get the family in one place again. I miss living close, but you’re right, when we get together its pretty sweet.
Thanks for sharing this recipe, I love mac n’ cheese, it’s so comforting and nostalgic of growing up. Can’t wait to try it.
Dyyyyying over these.
Looks awesome and easy – I have all that in my kitchen right now!
Question: in the recipe, you bake in a 9X13 pan but in the pics, you have it in ramekins. Do I need to do anything different if I do it in the ramekins? Does cooking time adjust? thanks and can’t wait to try it!
Hey Jessica! You can bake it the same way in ramekins, just divide the cheese and noodles evenly among the ramekins and pour in the milk mixture after. I made a half batch which came out to about four 4.5″ ramekins. Baking time was about the same since my ramekins were deep.
Nothing better than Mom’s recipe! Great idea!
Ah, my mum makes some bomb mac n cheese too. It’s a fixture at our holiday table for sure. And by “it’s a fixture…” I mean “I take way more than my fair share…” I love your addition of mustard too.
fantastic familiar comfort food