Thanksgiving Recipe for Grammas

2 boxes of Macaroni and Cheese - any brand will do, but the old fashioned kind works best here.
1 lb of butter or margarine - the stick kind is the easiest to measure (you may have some left over)
2 aprons - one for your grandchild, one for you
1 broom and dustpan
several dishcloths
LOTS OF MILK

1. Use 1 box of Macaroni and Cheese and put the water that will cook the noodles on to boil. Read the package instructions to know how much water.

2. Get a step stool for the child to stand on. Put aprons on both of you! This is an important step!

3. Let the child open the box. They will usually try to insist on this step, anyway.

4. Get the broom and sweep up the spilled noodles.

5. Get the second box of Macaroni and Cheese and this time YOU open it. My granddaughter lets me do this step myself.

6. Measure the necessary butter or margarine and milk according to package instructions. While your grandchild holds the measuring cup, you pour the milk.

7. Wet one of the dishrags and wipe up spilled milk.

8. Repeat Step 6.

9. Optional - repeat steps 7 & 8 as many times as necessary to get the appropriate quantity of milk.

I just want to interject a comment from my granddaughter at this point:

"Gee, Gramma, it's a good thing you live on a farm. We have plenty of milk!"

What I didn't tell her was the only dairy cow in the pasture was a male.

Now: The water should be boiling for the noodles, unless, of course, you need to add more water for all that has boiled away. When the water is ready, YOU pour the noodles into the pan.

This saves the last of the noodles and the possibility of a scalded hand!

Next: Have your grandchild get an unbreakable bowl. This may require lifting him/her to a high cabinet.

Next: Give into child's insistence that she/he pour the ingredients into the bowl.

Then: Replace the butter or margarine that missed the bowl and ended up on the counter.

Then: Repeat Steps 6 through 9 from "How to Make It" module above.

Next: YOU strain the noodles from the pan and add them to the bowl. This is an important step.

Now to finish Gramma's Best Macaroni and Cheese.

First, assist your grandchild with stirring the noodles and the dairy products together.

Second, wet another dishcloth and clean up all that spilled out of the bowl.

Third, allow grandchild to open the package of dry cheese.

Fourth, sweep up the dry cheese.

Fifth, get the second package of dry cheese (from the extra box of Macaroni and Cheese.)

Sixth, ASSIST him/her to open and pour the dry cheese into the bowl.

FINALLY(!!!) You get a second spoon and you both stir the macaroni and cheese together, while talking about how good this will be when you eat it.

Now that you are ready to eat the macaroni and cheese, let me offer a great suggestion for how to eat it.

Definitely leave both your aprons on. Then stand at the counter with your stirring spoons and you both eat away. (Feeding each other works well, too, although a bit messy.)

This was a memory my granddaughter kept with her. Every Thanksgiving (and every time we got together) she asked to make "Gramma's Best Macaroni and Cheese".

I must admit I looked forward to it myself.

If executed properly, this recipe can entertain your grandchild for HOURS.

I look forward to these hours of entertainment with my new granddaughter when she's old enough.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING