Spaghetti and Cheese ~ from Elizabeth McKenzie
From time to time I send out a call for submissions to email subscribers with details on where and how to submit their family recipes. I have a great collection now but as I share more of those I’ll send out another call in a few months so if you’d like to be a part of the Heritage Recipe collection on SouthernPlate.com, make sure you’re subscribed and be thinking over what you’d like to share!
Gratefully,
Christy
Here is what Elizabeth says about her dear Granny:
So here is my info about Granny… My grandmother was Claire Gibbons St.Clair. She was a spunky firecracker of a woman who was/is loved by so very very many. She was a DIE HARD Alabama fan who lived in Tennessee. She could stand on her head up until her 70′s. After my grandfather passed away she found a loving man who brought her much love and happiness in her later years. Hank is a retired pilot and veteran. They flew places, went gambling, loved to dance (you name it and they would CUT a rug, people!). She kept a BOX (not bottle) of wine in the fridge and a bottle of Kahlua on the counter in the kitchen. I can’t put into words how spunky and special she was.
I spent alot of time at Granny’s condo during my childhood. We swam, ate pb&j’s, watched football, played games, and on and on… But the thing us kids loved the most was holidays. We loved the holidays because you KNEW what was coming… Spaghetti & Cheese!!!! (** on a side note, almost all of the girl grandchildren have Claire in their names, ie me – Elizabeth Claire, Kiffin Claire, Claire Elizabeth…) Granny was a fighter up until she lost her fight with cancer. She loved us all so very much… and I know she sent me to your blog to tell me she loved me again with that Strawberry Candy...
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You can find more of Elizabeth’s recipes on her blog, Honey The Water’s On Fire. It’s a fun read!
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy,
they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
– Marcel Proust
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on Jul 27 2011. Filed under Guests, Misc.
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Such a great story.. such a blessing to have your Grandmother have such a role in your life!! Heads turned when I read the recipe.. go guess I’m off to the store to get the fixin’s.. needed something to go with my grilled chicken tonight!
Thanks Marianne! I hope you like it!
this sounds deeeeelish!!! i think i’ll try it with a penne pasta (since my husband refuses to eat spaghetti noodles)…and a buttery crumb topping.
I’m planning on stopping at the store on the way home…my husband would LOVE this dish!
This sounds delicious. Both of my grandmothers died before I was born and I missed so much not being able to learn family stories and recipes from them. I am fortunate to have my Aunt Helen. She is 78 years old and she tried her best to fill the void. She is a wonderful cook and a delightful historian of our family.
Thanks, Christy for bringing this guest poster to Southern Plate.
This sounds like it would be a major hit with my cheese loving family! Thanks so very much for sharing your memories and your granny’s recipe with us Elizabeth.
Sounds really good. I think my grandkids would love this.
most all of us grannies have a lot more spunk than folks know ! this recipe sounds just like what i need to make for my supper tonight but i will have to use shells instead of sketti as i am slap out and it is not my grocery store day. love from Granny M out in New Market where the sun is shining on my yellow weeds and making everything look pretty as a storybook.
Lovely! Sounds really similar to my baked macaroni and cheese. Never thought to do it with spaghetti. What a twist!!! Will definitely try it.
Oh yeah! Yummy! But, here, we add cooked chicken, diced tomatoes, and spices and call it “chicken spaghetti”! Hmmm… leave out the chicken and I have another “meatless” dish to add to my collection! Why didn’t I think of that! Cheese is definately a staple at my house. I will have to try this next week! Thanks!
I have been doing this for many years. Only thing I use macoroni. My family has enjoyed this so much. I also like it. To me it was not a recipe it was just something I thought about doing and tried it and the family loved it.
what a great story – this recipe is just like what my mom made every Sun.
with either chicken stew or roast when we all showed up for lunch – had
rice, corn, tea and either German chocolate cake or lemon pie to go with
that – what I miss the most is the family gathering together for the day-
now mom, dad and one of my brothers is gone and so are the Sun. dinners.
thanks for the memories- Joyce
Thanks for the recipe! Would
) love 
) to see a photo of the finished product!
What kind of cheddar? Mild, sharp? Which one works best with Velveeta?
To two of my favorite foodie blogs….many thanks!!!! My mama was a treasure beyong words, and loved her children and grandchildren beyond measure!! She even has a great daughter named Lydia Claire. Christy thanks for inspiring Elizabeth to cook and blog!!! May God’s blessings flow abundantly over both of you!
What a great story!! I like cheesy potatoes – cheesy noodles seems like a natural progression
This looks wonderful! my grands will love it. Funny, but I can make something that they don’t think that they like, and … they eat it all!
There’s just something about your grandmother’s house, isn’t there? When I was little, my grandmother served hot lunch every and the family would all come to her house (I was already there! she kept me until I started school – which was such a blessing in my life, then and now), and we never had less than 16-18 come, because no one thought a thing about inviting something at work to come and share in the great food and fun. One day, my uncle’s friend, Mike, filled up his plate with spaghetti, and the plate split right down the middle! I will never forget that sight – and the grownups all scurrying around to clean it up before it got on my grandmother’s snowy tablecloth! That story still gets told around the table, in my family.
I’ve made this for a couple of decades. (LOL!) We also call it chicken spaghetti-adding chopped cooked chicken. I never put eggs in it, but do use a can of condensed cream of chicken soup & one of cream of mushroom & some chopped up onion, & celery. Thanks for the reminder because I haven’t made it in a long time.
Sweet, sweet memories! Thank you Elizabeth Claire!! By the way…LeClaire is the middle name that has been “passed down” in our family!!
Bountiful Blessings Christy!
Oh, and I thought my Grandma was the only one who made spaghetti and cheese! Hers came about when she was going to make macaroni and cheese one day and realized she was out of macaroni so she substituted spaghetti. Of course we all (the grandkids) thought it was the most wonderful thing ever, so she began making it often. This post brings back memories!!
Yall are just too sweet! I really and truly thought that this was a dish that only my Granny made…too funny that so many others make it too.
I am so honored that I could bring back really fond memories to so many of yall. Wish Granny was here to read all of your sweet comments!
I never thought about putting chicken in it, but now I will!
We have this every single Christmas and Thanksgiving and always I make two pans of it. lol. Only to make sure that my cousin Lee gets his share and we have leftovers.. Y’all know leftovers are soooo much better than the actual Thanksgiving, right? lol
Aunt Dos…love you so very very much.
Christy, thank you for being a wonderful inspiration for me and so many others. My husband really really thanks you! Love ya sweet pea!
Sounds good. Would have loved to meet your granny as mine was spunky too!
This sounds absolutely awesome! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks for sharing it!
yum! my family will love this! thank you
Just happened to check in on this website today. Been gone all day helping my oldest daughter get prepared for another semester of college. Whew- glad that is over. Got a ridiculous ticket on the way home (blocking an intersection) ??!!. I have a whole chicken cooked in the crockpot and didn’t have a clue what to fix with the bird. I now have a big ole pan of sgetti and cheese in the oven and some stuffing cooking on top. Thanks Christie!!! —– You saved this tired, frustrated mom’s day!! XOXO
Pennie, I am sorry to hear that your day was frustrating. Just remember it will get different!
{{{{{Pennie}}}}} – I hope that your day got better … or at least “over with”! Hang in there – your DD will appreciate her mama’s help in getting back to college. {“Blocking an intersection”??] Now that is some creative policin’!
Wow! Reading this honestly sent chills down my spine! First off, I noticed that Elizabeth’s granny’s maiden or maybe first married name was Gibbons, which is my mother’s maiden name. I don’t know of many Gibbons’ outside of my small family so I thought that was pretty neat
…then as I read on, I felt like you were describing my dear aunt, Eulala “Lulu” Gibbons, who was married to my mother’s brother and like a second mom to me! She was a little spitfire as well up until her death from cancer last year at the age of 82. She also loved to play cards (she taught me how to play poker), watch football (although her favorite was basketball), dance (she was a pro at buck dancing), and like Elizabeth’s granny’s wine, she always had a little something stored in the freezer or pantry when she wanted a little “pick me up”.
However, nothing made her happier than to feed a houseful of friends and family. She had many specialties, but my favorites were her tomato gravy and her chicken and dumplings. Although I’m still trying to duplicate her dumplings, I did FINALLY succeed with the tomato gravy (a few yrs ago I videoed her making it and watched it over and over..lol). I know this only because a few weeks before she passed she had no appetite, but said that she just might be able to eat some of her gravy. Being the only one in the family that had even tried to duplicate it, I knew that it was my time to step up. I was a bit nervous upon her first taste, of course, but all smiles (and tears) when she said that it was perfect and asked for seconds….:)
Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing the story of your precious granny and also for bringing back such great memories of my Aunt Lulu. Who knows, we might just be related!
Much thanks to you also, Christy, for this awesome site that helps me to unwind in the evenings. I can’t get enough of the recipes as well as the stories that go along with them.
p.s.– I plan on making Granny’s Spaghetti and Cheese for my next potluck at work. I can imagine that it will be the first dish cleaned..lol
Dear Angela ~ I love you. You made me cry. That is all.
lol
This sounds absolutely delicious. I think this dish might just please everyone in the family. Thank you so much for sharing!
Man, I must be majorly hormonal today, because the last line of your post just has me boo-hooing. I’ve lost so many loved ones in such a short period of time – sister, husband, mother and best friend – and I try to be aware of the little things that maybe, just maybe, indicate that they are watching over and loving me still.
And I LOVE what a “firecracker” your Granny was! I think we all need a wine- and kahlua drinking, dancing, gambling Granny in our lives!
I boo-hooed the whole time I wrote it, Lisa!!! Truly when I stumbled on this website I just knew my Granny led me here as a little whisper in my ear. I could hear her sayin.. “Lizzie, remember the strawberry candy? I love you..”
HEY CHRISTY,
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BIG NEWS. I’M SO HAPPY
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN NAMED EDITOR AT LARGE FOR
SOUTHERN LIVING MAGAZINE. WHAT A GREAT MAGAZINE
TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH.
LOVE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
Wow Elizabeth!,
No wonder you cried whilst writing this, It is an intensely moving story and I will absolutely have to make this as it contains a lot of my favourite foods. Fish and Chips/fries being at the top..haha.
All my best Sue.
I’m back to tell y’all .. that spaghetti and cheese recipe was fabulous! I made it with shells, since that’s what I had on hand – and split it into two casserole dishes, to share the bounty with my son and his sweet family. I used sharp cheddar for the top – and sprinkled it with paprika for color. Everyone loved it! Next day, we had it again – and it was even better. So if you haven’t made it, yet, by all means .. go ahead! you’ll be glad, and so will your family. YUM!
Made this for my boyfriend for dinner last night. I played with it a bit, and threw in a pound of sautéed ground beef with onions and garlic, diced tomatoes, green chilies, and broccoli. I didn’t have any eggs, and was low on milk so I skipped them. I topped it with red pepper flakes, hot sauce, and breadcrumbs as well as the shredded cheese that the recipe called for. After the cheese melted, and breadcrumbs toasted (about 20 minutes), I pulled my boyfriend’s new favorite dinner out of the oven. Thanks so much for the post! You made 2 very happy tummies in Colorado.
I made this recipe the other night and my family loved it! It makes a huge amount and we ate leftovers for days — and I think it gets better each day!!!!!
Oh, yum! I can’t wait to make this! Thanks Elizabeth for sharing your Granny’s story and her recipe. I didn’t have a grandmother either. I feel like I was cheated somehow. My mother is a terrible grandmother. Her grandkids can’t stand her, so there’s not any cool stories for them to share about her. How sad.
[...] Spaghetti and Cheese ~ from Elizabeth McKenzie [...]
do you cover this????
No, you don’t need to cover it while cooking. Well, at least I didn’t and it turned out great.
I made this recipe again last night and added some left over grilled chicken breasts and some curry powder. It was absolutely wonderfully fantastic!
Thanks Christy for all of the wonderful downhome recipes — made with stuff we probably have in the pantry already!
I am so excited to try this!! I love pasta and I am always looking for new ways to make it. Thank you so much!!
I made this last night and added ground beef. We also sprinkled a little parmesan on top. Next time I think I will add diced tomatoes as well. Thanks for sharing!