CLASSIC MACARONI AND TOMATOES
This recipe has been around a very long time and it’s wonderful comfort food. Macaroni and Tomatoes is a classic.
If you plan to make this delicious dish, don’t forget the fried cornbread. It’s the perfect combination and is the ultimate comfort food dish.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
We have loved this recipe since we were small kids! This is a generational recipe that goes way back. Nannie made if for Mom and she still loves it to this day. If you have followed our website for any amount of time you know that we love simple recipes and they don’t get any easier than this one. If you have never tried it, what are you waiting for?!?!
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
There are many different variations of this recipe, but we feel macaroni, tomatoes, and bacon grease are all that is needed. If you can use canned tomatoes, you are in for an even bigger treat. Many people will add cheese and some of their favorite spices. Another misconception is adding ground beef, if you do that you are making goulash.
Some people will insist that you must add sugar to this dish and if that is the way you enjoy it.. then by all means.. go for it. We are not a fan of sugar in this dish, but many perfer it that way. Take a moment and go over the comments on this recipe, with over 150 many people have different versions.
My Mother use to make
this when I was growing up. I didn’t know her exact recipe but when I made this recipe, it tasted just like hers! Brought back so many wonderful memories! Thank you for this recipe! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐TIP
If you remember this dish being sweet, I would start with a teaspoon of white granulated sugar and see how it tastes, then proceed from there.
OTHER CLASSIC DISHES
Macaroni and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 cups macaroni uncooked
- 1 14.5 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes
- 1 14.5 ounce can of whole tomatoes in juice
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease can add more
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prepare macaroni in boiling, salted water according to package directions. Drain.
- Return pasta to cooking pot and add the diced tomatoes and whole tomatoes along with the juice. I just break up the whole tomatoes
- Add bacon grease, salt and pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes.
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i use to make for my kids when growing up 60s my daught still make for her self my sister thought i was nuts but the kids loved recipes go back since im 88 years old memerios
My absolute favorite . Still eat it to this day at 60 yrs old.
Love this still. When i fry pork chops I use that grease in this too
This recipe brought back some beautiful memories of a more simpler time. I ate this as a child so many times!
That is wonderful!
Only thing I do differently is sauté some onion in the bacon grease then add.
Mac & tomato recipe is exactly like my grandma made . Mom seasoned with butter vs bacon drippings. Both are delicious. I’ve eaten this since childhood. Yumm
This is a great old-fashioned classic! Great with ground beef cooked with chopped onions.
Love it .Grandma made it.
Love this recipe. My grandma used to make this a lot. But she always added chopped onions. This is one of those recipes that goes well with cornbread. Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe..Vernon.
This is our version of mac and cheese as we add chunks of colby cheese to it.
My mom made this. She used to throw a slice of cheese in and for some added protein and flavor and let it melt into the mac. My father was a very picky eater and would not eat cheese of any kind. She often had to trick him and he never suspected this had a bit of cheese in it.
I haven’t made this myself in a long time. I tend to make her “American Chop Suey” recipe instead, which I always preferred over this — added ground beef, and I use a can of tomato soup rather than the tomatoes. Now that really brings back memories!!
We add chunks of Colby cheese to it. This our version of a healthy mac and cheese dish.
Sounds wonderful!
Can you use fresh tomatoes? If so, how many ….. looks delicious!
I would think as many as you want in the pasta, it’s a versatile dish, so many 2 tomatoes chopped.
Love this recipe!!
Mama would make this during hard financial times (which was often). She did add a cut up potato and chopped onion. This, and a pan of cornbread, fed the family of 5.
Grew up eating this, in Canada. Southern Canada lol
My Mother use to make this when I was growing up. I didn’t know her exact recipe but when I made this recipe, it tasted just like hers! Brought back so many wonderful memories! Thank you for this recipe!
You’re very welcome! So glad it was like your Mother’s!
My grandmother made macaroni and tomatoes during the Great Depression to feed her family of 12. Was a staple in their home. I grew up on this dish and my mother added bacon with the grease and onions. I, in turn, made this for my family without any changes. My children now make this wonderful dish and their children also make this. That is 5 generations. When my great-granddaughter gets old enough my grandson will teach her how to make it. No cheese – just macaroni, tomatoes, bacon and onions.
Love this!! Those are the best memories!!
That is exactly how I make it. Don’t forget the salt and pepper. However I use one can of diced tomatoes and one can of tomato sauce. Makes the “sauce” part richer and clings to the macaroni better.
The picture in the e-mail put a big smile on my face!! My Mom worked most of her life and macaroni and tomatoes was often served for supper because it was quick and easy to make. Even my Sister made it for us once she was old enough to cook. Now, our version wasn’t quite as “fancy” as this recipe – usually just macaroni with a can of stewed tomatoes – unless it was “Week-end Mac” when Mom added fried onions and ground beef. I still make and enjoy both versions to this day.
I love the Week-end Mac.. that is so cute!
I lost my mother-in-law last year on her 100th birthday and the green bean recipe and the macaroni and tomato recipes took me back to summers spent with her and her large extended family . she was a mother to 8 and 23 Grand Children and many great and great, great grandchildren. sometimes in the summer when corn was fresh she would cut some off the cob and add it to the macaroni and tomato dish, I loved it that way the best. Thank you for this great memory today.
Thank you, Cindy for sharing with us, food memories are the BEST!
My mom always made the macaroni and tomatoes with fresh homemade canned tomatoes. On occasion she would toss in several chunks of velveeta cheese for a little cheesiness. So good.
My mother would make a dish similar to this. ( I grew up in norther Canada). The differences are: she always added a few strips of uncooked bacon on the top after she added some cheese to the macaroni and tomatoes. Baked it in the oven until the bacon was done and the cheese melted throughout the dish. Yummy! Haven’t had that in a very long time.
One of my favorite dishes EVER!! I make mine a little different though. I boil crushed tomatoes first, then add the macaroni, a little grease, and a small amount of ketchup to thicken it. I can eat this but itself, but I LOVE it with large yellow lima beans.
Wow, the limas are something I never would have thought of, and I want to try that asap!
Wow, this recipe brings back wonderful memories! My Mom made it every few weeks with large sea shell noodles. I can remember crumbling bacon over the top.
Of course, now that I’ve seen this, it’ll be on the menu this week!
Love, love, love Macaroni and Tomatoes. I have been making and eating it since I was a child. I usually fry up some chicken and serve Macaroni and Tomatoes with it. Total comfort food at its best.
THANK YOU for not adding sugar !!! It seems everyone around here adds sugar and ruins it!!! This has been through 4 genertions of ours so far and we all love it. What a comfort food !! 🙂
We loved this at as kids! Only difference is we did add tomato juice and we called it “Slurpem”.
We loved this growing up one of my favorites my grandmother would make with burgers . Still eat it with burgers , hotdogs , even steak but we just used butter and pepper . Yum
AKA – American Chop Suey. Whatever you knew it by, it was a wonderful childhood memory.
My great grandmother use to make this the beat!!! I always looked forward to it! She used jumbo shells and a tbsp of sugar to hers as well. It is still one of my comfort foods. Now my vegetarian daughter loves to make this as well. Can you imagine a recipe so simple being made by 5 generations of women?
My grandmother made something like this. A family favorite but she put hamburger in it and used tomato juice as the broth. We just called it M-T-H for Macaroni Tomatoes and Hamburger. Great comfort food.
This takes me back to the 70’s, it was a staple when times were tough. Only difference is we added sliced onions. My Dad called it”Poor Man’s Soup”. Apparently, he cooked this while a cook in the Navy. Still make this frequently! Absolute comfort.
One of my mom’s staples. Love it but add bacon the onions were sautéed in. One of my all time favorites. But, my children have no discerning taste and just want macaroni and tomato sauce I don’t understand it. Plain Jane they call it, why bother?
BTW love your recipes , thanks.
Thank you for the kind comment! We love this classic as well.
mac and maters is a staple for us and I make it just like this with a couple of tweaks. Season the tomatoes in a separate pad and add a pat of real butter. (Why you ask. .Because my Mom did) Just parboil the mac, drain then add in the hot maters. Cover and bring to a simmer. The mac will continue cookin in the mater juice. IF there are leftovers I make goulash a couple of days later
I have been making this for years, but use butter/olive oil instead of bacon grease. (I don’t always have.) I also add some fresh basil (when I have) or a little garlic sometimes. Comfort food for us!
I use stewed tomatoes. Gives it a little bit of sweetness. Soo good
Love this! My mother in law, a fine Virginia lady always made this. She called it Depression Macaroni. Using just the bacon grease instead of the actual bacon stretched the bacon into two meals when times were lean. It was always made with her home canned tomatoes and I remember her version having celery seeds and a touch of sugar. I made it for lunch with a jar of tomatoes that I canned this past week. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.
Thank you, Karen, for your great rating and wonderful comment. Have a good week ahead.
I made this six years ago when my grandson was born while he was in the hospital and loved it! This showed up in my Facebook stream today so I just made it again remembering those times and the little things. I also made cornbread to go with it because I learned that on the south they go together! Thank you for the excellent recipe and sharing your culture with others! Even us westerners who live in the north!
Thank you so much for the kind comment! So glad this was such a hit. Have a wonderful week 🙂
We make it with stewed tomatoes(with bell peppers and onions) and mix chunked cheddar into it and a layer of cheddar on top. Baked until the cheese is good and melted. sometimes use it as a main dish or a midday snack during the summer as its is good right out of the refrigerator also. Great recipe!
The true down south version was as above but on most southern tables it also included a soft cheder cheese. Today most folks use Velveeta for a creamy texture to taste.
Never heard of putting velveeta cheese in macaroni and tomatoes. We used to put it in regular macaroni and cheese but not macaroni and tomatoes but to each his own taste.
Funny thing, that we did put tomatoes on Mac n Cheese, but not cooked into it. Sometimes, stewed tomatoes, sometimes just canned whole toms. But, my mom always used Velveeta as a base, because it emulsified the other cheeses.
Im from the South, been eating this since I was a child and I’ve never heard of putting cheese in macaroni and tomatoes. Macaroni and cheese? Yes. Macaroni and tomatoes? No. We love it exactly how this recipe is written. Thank you for bringing back memories from my childhood!
Growing up in Southeastern Kentucky coal mine camps. This was a delicacy.
By adding cheese, makes it a different meal/ side dish all together. But, it sounds interesting . Maybe? You should call it ” Mac & Cheese “.
We don’t use bacon grease but we do add crumbled up colby cheese to it. I will use the full moon version when I can get it.
This is exactly how this dish should be made!! Love all your recipes.
We didn’t use bacon grease, but we used a little sugar to cut the acid from tomatoes. I will definitely use bacon grease from now on! Sounds great!
We did too!
Me too
My mama used a pinch of sugar too! Plus a tiny bit of vegetable oil….but I’ve no doubt she was taught to use bacon grease.
My mother in law used to make this frequently. I tried on several occasions and my son said it just wasn’t the same. I wish I knew her secret.
The secret is sugar. In a full recipe, about 1/2 tsp.
So good made with fresh tomatoes out of the garden…..no comparison!! But in a pinch canned will do….:)
Grew up with this dish. I just used whole canned tomatoes or diced with butter and salt. Sprinkle pamasaun cheese and eat
I made this one day this past week and was it good. My mother would make it when I was a child.
I grew up on macaroni and tomatoes and also hamburger gravy over torn, white bread and mashed potatoes. They were part of mom’s dinner rotation. Whenever I need comfort food, macaroni and tomatoes are at the top of my list. I love how simple it is and how it makes me feel like I’m home.
I’m with you. I’m gonna make some right now
Never made it but a friend does Love it
I like adding a can of Rotel tomatoes instead of one of the other cans. Makes it a little spicy.
I love macaroni,tomatoes and bacon. Cook bacon, drain and save. Add a can of diced tomatoes to the pot, salt, pepper, a tsp. of sugar. Add uncooked macaroni and reserved bacon that has been chopped or torn into smaller pieces. Cook until pasta is done. Delicious!
Love your posts, Jean
Thank you, Jean! Have a great week ahead and happy you enjoy the recipes.
We add a little broken up colby cheese to it.
Growing up, I thought my mom was the only one that cooked this. None of my friends had ever heard of it. Mom cooked it with macaroni, tomatoes, bacon grease, wieners, salt, and pepper. There were 7 children in my family and that was how she could make a pack of wieners feed us all. My oldest son and oldest granddaughter love it too, so I have to cook it for them occasionally. A few years ago, I cook it for my husband, (boyfriend at the time), who had never heard of it…he loves it. I am so glad because it is my comfort food.
I did too. I thought my Grandmother made it up. I’m going to try it with the bacon grease too.
I also grew up on. macoroni and tomatoes. My comfort food too. I make it just like your recipe. I usually make salmon patties with it. Just like your recipe too.
I grew up eating this and still do – and I’m almost 60! My granny was the best at cookin’ this. I always thought it was a southern dish. However, in our many travels with the Army I made friends with a delightful yankee girl from upstate New York. She said they cook it up there also but they add green peppers and onions to it. What-da-ya-know, I like that yankee recipe too!
I fix this like my mom did. Sautee onions in butter when tender add leftover Mac n cheese and then cook til heated thru. Yum!!
Loved this as a child. My children loved it . And we all still love it today. I eat this all the time. But I only put tomato juice and salt in. We grew up very poor and this was our meals many times. Good with cornbread or crackers.
At the age of 69 I grew up eating this but my mother used tomato juice instead of the tomato. Have actually tried it with tomatoes but still prefer juice. Love it, children and grandchildren all love eating it.❤️
How do you fix this with just tomato juice my grandsons do not like tomatoes.
I made this for lunch today!! I LOVE IT, was raised up Country!!
Thank you. My grandma used to make this for me when i was little. This brought back such loving memories
My mom made this – only she used butter not bacon grease and only the whole tomatoes not the petite. , my uncle called it Irish macaroni and had to tell his Italian wife how to make it.
My pap used to make it for me, he didn’t have a lot of money, and he pretty much raised me, it was a common meal with him and I, everytime I make it I still remember some of the talks him and I had
Ate this all the time growing up and still do. One of my favorite foods. My mom and grandma fixed theirs with fatback grease instead of bacon grease. That’s how I fix mine too. Yum Yum
I add hamburger in mine and I don’t use bacon grease I use tomato soup . But I have loved this and was my favorite growing up .
I use Longhorn Colby cheese in mine with about 1/4 cup of milk
My favorite dish for over 40 years. However, I have tweaked it a bit over the years. I no longer use bacon grease but I add a cup of V8 Juice for some added spunk and in winter months I add a couple of heaping tablespoons of salsa. My grandkids love it too. It’s become a family tradition.
I have been eating this since I was in grade school, I’m now 63, My Mom made it with a can of stewed tomatoes. Always added sugar to it. One of my favorite meals.
Exactly how my Mom made it and how I make it for myself. Hubby grew up with something similar, they added cooked ground beef and called it Blood, Guts and Worms… there were 3 boys in the house…
This was and still is my favorite dish!!! When I was 6 I ate so much I actually got sick on them! I can remember my Mom telling me “I would probably never eat them again”. Hah! This dish was my dish when I wash young and supporting my self with little money! Still love them to this day, and I have passed that love on to my children!
My mom used pasta and added cream of mushroom soup, and browned hamburger meat for a cheap filling dis.
So love macaroni & tomatoes. One of my favorites. My grandmothers & mother (southern cooks) all made this. I make it too. So very good.
Mama made this lot’s!!! only thing is she added potatoes and of course onions and garlic too. we ate it along with fried spam….yummy!!!!
Memories. When we added hamburg and celery, onion we called it goulash. Otherwise it was just mac and tomatoes. It has to be elbow mac. We have had it in the family for 5 generations. All love it.
OMG!!I grew up with this I still love it and my daughters love it AND my grand babies love it !
So easy to fix! SOOOO GOOD!
I am now almost 49 and we grew up on the hamburger and onion added version! My dad said it is called “Flapadilly”. I just lost my dad in March, but right up util he wasn’t able to get around, he would make this for me whenever I asked, no matter how sick he felt. It was one of “our things”. Sure do miss you daddy!!! …and your flapadilly, lol.
I am not from the south, but I grew up on macaroni and tomatoes, as did my mother, my children, my grandchildren and now my great grand children. We make it close to the same way, except we use our home canned tomatoes and not the store bought kind. In fact, that dish was one of the reasons I wanted to learn how to can tomatoes.:)
My grandmother would cut up bacon into 1″ squares, and fry them, then add to the tomatoes and elbows. Comfort food right there! 🙂
My mom made something similar, only she used stew beef cooked in the pressure cooker, then added the tomatoes and macaroni. I’m from the south, also.
You know I thought I came up with it , never dreamed other people liked it too
My Mom would make this for our lunch for our big family. We never had a lot of money. When the garden came in she would fix this with fresh tomatoes, pepper, and onions. She could not afford cheese. She add beaten eggs add to hot macaroni to add protein. Yummy. For my children I added hamburger and cheese. We called it macaroni goulash.
Thank you for your rating and kind comment Pat. We love this dish and have made it for years. So good.
My mother in law would make this. But, she would fry bacon (limp) for the grease and add the bacon in also.
I make it this way also !!! So good !!
I add onions and celery to mine. I love it
We alway fried chopped bacon and onions then added cooked Thin spaghetti, tomatoes, salt and pepper. always delicious!!
I grew up eating this and it was one of my favorites. My grandmother put a little butter on top. I went without butter, but one of my sisters loved the butter.
This how we always had it as well butter instead of bacon grease and it is delicious!!!!
Well dang!! After reading all of the comments, I am craving Macaroni and Tomatoes, and it’s 12:07AM I will probably add sauted onions.
My mom used to fix this for my siblings and I when we were little. I remember her adding hamburger, was always a treat. If she didn’t have any hamburger she would add sugar in place of the salt, pepper and bacon grease. She also used whole tomatoes and squished them with her hands. Yummilicious!!! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
My mother always made this, alittle different but always good and filling, especially when you have alot to feed!
This is one of my favorite dishes. My mother called it macaroni soup.
I love all your recipes. They are good and easy to make.
We were also brought up on this and I am a Canadian the only thing different was we added cheddar cheese to it as well.
That’s how we like it too. In fact we had it for dinner a few days ago. Delicious!
We mixed cheddar and sharp and sugar and topped it with more cheddar and sharp it is so good!!!
Love all of your recipes. Thanks for sharing them. This was one of my favorite dishes for my mother to fix. The only thing she did different was to cook the tomatoes with bacon grease salt and pepper for a 15 to 20 min in a seperate pan then add the cooked pasta and let them simmer for 5 to 10 min.before serving.
my mother used make this for me when I was young I had forgotten about it now I can make it thank you so much.
I love it. Mom fixed it when I was a kid. Usually had it with salmon cakes. She didn’t use bacon grease, but brown finely chopped onion in butter and then added it to the macaroni and tomatoes. Yummy.
We call it Roni Red!
We had this on a regular basis when I was growing up in the 70’s. My mother added cooked sausage pieces to the dish.
This was always a special treat for us as kids growing up. However my mom would use butter instead of bacon grease and add a small can of tomato juice instead of the whole tomatoes. I still make this for myself as comfort food and my daughter carries on the tradition.
We fix this all the time only we cook sausage cut up and add them to it.
I use to eat this when i was a little girl..moms was the best..my husband is 85 years old and he said he had never eaten this so i made him some last night for dinner and he loved it ,,and to my surprise he went back for thirds..He loved it…I really love to cook for him when he loves what i fix….I added a little celery seed in mine with onions….
This is wonderful!! I had thought only my mama made this! Brings back memories!
My mom would make this for us way back in the 70″ s, I haven’t had this in yrs, I think it’s time to make some. Thank you.
Yum! One of my favorites, right behind cabbage and noodles.
We grew up with very little money in Maine and this was a staple for us and sometimes mom put ground beef in it when we could afford it. Thank you for the memories.
I make it and just add canned diced tomatoes and diced crispy bacon pieces.
Love your recipes…brings back so many memories. My mom made this for nine children. We all loved this dish.
I WAS INTRODUCTED TO THIS DISH BY MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW FROM MAINE WONDERFULLY FILLING AND DELISH TOO
We love this dish and I make it often . I usually add some canned tomatoes and green chilies because my husband likes it spicey . It goes really good with fried Fish !
my mom used to make this macaroni ‘soup’ all the time!
again, this is something my mom made for me as a kid and I still love and make a lot, I don’t use the bacon drippings often though, but I do use butter in it.
We used to make it with sugar, no bacon grease. Probably both are bad for you, but OH SO GOOD!
Same way we had it, I still make it for myself.
Looks yum. Sometimes its the simplest dishes that are the best. Used to make macaroni and milk…little butter and salt. Voila`
I love macaroni n milk!! Butter n pepper is the best!!
My father called mac & milk with butter his “hangover remedy”. Thanks for the memories.
My son and my favorite meaI make it all the time,Love it..
I had to respond to this one,, I can’t seriously believe nobody knows how to make this simple dish.. I’ve made it for years. But I only use the macs, & tomatoes,, NOTHING else goes in it but perhaps a bit of butter, and some salt & pepper to taste…
I grew up in the south and I have never heard of this recipe,but it looks delicious and I am actually going to make it tonight. Especially after reading all the comments!!
Good grief, this took me back many years ago when my mother made this. We loved it. So simple, so good.
This is an all time favorite!!! I like to spice mine up a bit by using Rotel Tomatoes!!!
I love this. I remember eating this when i was a little one.although i did forget and this makes me want to make it.but i remember that my mom put a little sugar and milk in it.
Ohh, this dish brings back so many childhood memories. We ate tons of this, mainly because we were poor, and it was cheap to make besides being delicious! I think ours was just made with macaroni, tomatoes, salt & pepper and a little margarine (probably couldn’t afford any bacon). It’s been years since I even thought of this dish, but now I have to make some for old times sake! Thanks for the reminder and the recipe.
I have always loved Mac and tomatoes. I always add 1 small can of tomato sauce to mine and a pat of butter…
My mom always made this too and I wasn’t sure how, but she also added onions and I think a little sugar. My dad, now 94, still loves this. Will make for him soon. I love your page, I have copied so many receipes…I need to get a printer!! So glad a friend of mine posted your receipes on FB…now I can’t quit cooking! Making, sauerkraut, potatoes and sausage right now!
Can I come over for supper? That sounds soooo good.
Bless you for posting this!!!! My mom made this as well. I lost her in January and I had only asked her once how to make it. I couldn’t remember…I can’t wait to try this to see if it tastes like hers. Sounds like it’s the same ingredients….THANK YOU!!!!!
My husband likes chopped onions sauteed in the grease till clear and add to the macaroni and tomatoes. I also like to make salmon cakes and cornbread with this.
I thought my mom invited this dish because this is the first recipe I have seen for it. We had this often with fried streak o’lean and corn bread. Brings back lots of memories. Thanks for sharing.
post fried cornbread please..sounds wonderful
Betty, Here is the link to the fried cornbread recipe. Enjoy! https://thesouthernladycooks.com/2010/07/23/southern-cornmeal-hoecakes/
Love fried cornbread! I eat mine like a sandwich with butter and
thin slices of onion with a glass of buttermilk.
Sounds like a wonderful combination. I’m thinking even cold on those hot summer days when you want tasty, but not hot. I think this will be on my menu for the upcoming weekend with some steaks, and corn on the cob cooked on the grill. Thanks Judy. Always trying to figure out new stuff for my two guys.
Wow I didn’t know other people ate this!! LOL!! I was raised on this except we use butter instead of bacon grease. Definitely comfort food at its best! 🙂
I had forgotten about this one. Thanks for the reminder!
I did this tonight with Mexican style tomatoes (green chilies).
Make you slap your Mama!
Cornbread, mac/tomatoes, yum, yum!
Bill Clay, in8angst
I use our home canned tomatoes with the macaroni, too. Just tastes better and more like Mom and Grandma used to make (smile). We love salmon patties too. But often times I vary the tomatoes and macaroni with a little sugar or some spices like basil and oregano. Another favorite of mine is breaded tomatoes. A quart of home canned tomatoes with a tbsp of butter, a little sugar and some crumbled up bread, just enough to thicken up the tomatoes. Have to watch myself with this one, too, so I’ll leave some for my husband!!! Have an awesome weekend everyone!
My mom used to make this for me and my sister also. She would cook the macaroni and tomatoes with the oregano, basil and some garlic yummmmmy.
My mom made this all the time and now I do too (except for the bacon grease) Love it
Easy and simple delicious comfort meal! Fried cornbread sounds so tasty too! I’ll add other ingredients as well bcoz my family prefers something not too plain. ;P
Oh my goodness, I never thought anyone else did macaroni and tomatoes!! So simple and good. Grew up with this quick and hearty meal. Now hubby and I have this on those nights when it cold outside and want something quick and easy. Love your blog. Takes me back to my childhood and great memories.
My Mom worked at Foulds Macaroni factory as a supervisor during WWII. (Foulds Macaroni makes Creamettes and is located in Libertyville, Illinois. Still there and still in business.) She always made us Creamettes with tomato sauce and a dab of butter on them. This was a staple for lunch in our home for three little girls. To stretch it when we had guests we would throw some hot dogs and smoky links into the pot while the Creamettes were cooking. We all still love Creamettes and eat them often.
I’m telling you, I could live on this stuff. I love it, I don’t think I can get full on it! It’s good anytime, like you said, add cornbread and ta da! One of the best comfort foods on the planet. My favorite way is with tomatoes canned from my garden, it’s like adding a bit of sunshine to it. Thank you for posting!
My Grandmother used to make this for me like 35 years ago.I had forgot all about it.It was really good.Thanks for reminding me.
I thought my family was the only one that had this regularly as a side dish … and as a main course on occasion. Mom would make this (and she always added the bacon grease) along side salmon patties, fried potatoes and cornbread and I continued the tradition with my own kids. They are grown now and when my oldest returns home he always asks for this sometime during the visit.
There is no other way in this world to make this dish. I was raised on it, Cathy was raised on it and my grandchildren were raised on it !! We Hockensmith’s sure know good food ,right Cuz?
Pure comfort food at its best. This is a family favorite…will have to try the bacon grease. Love your site!
I have eaten this as far back as I can remember! Nothing better!… I make mine the exact same way but I add a sprinkle of garlic powder… Umm umm!
I had forgotten all about this dish. My Mom could stretch a dollar at the grocery store. We ate things like this often…Have a great weekend…Balisha
My mother made macaroni and tomatoes when I was young. She used her homemade canned tomatoes. So good!