My macaroni and cheese and a fighting nephew

It’s a good feeling when everybody in your small family tells you that you make the best macaroni and cheese they have ever tasted. When they all tell you no festive occasion is complete without your macaroni and cheese and you are “De man,” its hard to be modest.

In my experience, macaroni and cheese and potato salad can make or break a festive occasion. They are your “tour de fort” when planning an occasion for our family. No good macaroni and cheese or no good potato salad bumps anything else you may have. Whether glazed ham, hansom turkey, good greens or the best fried chicken in the world, for us, if the macaroni and cheese or potato salad do not work, you have wasted good chewing time and a few of us get a bit agitated.

I tell them you have to use Cracker Barrel Cheese and grate it and not Velveeta or “Store brand” cheese.

Awhile back and when I was boasting at one of our events, my son said you have to also use Hellmann‘s Mayonnaise. I have always used Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and did not realize it may also make a difference in preparing the dish along with the other ingredience but I surmised he and his wife had, at one time or another, used a Brand X mayonnaise and were not satisfied.

My very social Nephew always tells stories about being confrontational with people after tasting their macaroni and cheese pronouncing, “It does not taste as good as Uncle BB’s!” and the challenge is on with him and his friends. I have not personally witnessed him saying this to his host or friends but from hearing him tell it, the debate gets pretty heated and, of course, he ignores my cautions not to continue making people angry at him and me. (Smile)

I got up early this morning to make my macaroni and cheese and just have to wait for someone to pick me up to go to dinner. I sprinkled a little paprika and parsley flakes on top to give it a holiday look. Merry Christmas!
As always,
BB