“Family brings me the most joy during this season of life,” shared Jing Hayes. “We are all as busy as ever, but we make sure to take time to gather as a family, celebrate special occasions, and be together on special holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It brings me much pleasure to linger around the table to catch up with my family while savoring a delicious meal.”
Jing and her husband Jon married in 1996 in Stillwater at Lake Martin. They have had the honor of raising both of their boys in Auburn. Isaac (25) remained in Auburn after obtaining his Master’s degree in Accounting from Auburn University and is currently working as an accountant at Auburn University. Zach (20) is a junior in Mechanical Engineering at Auburn University, but currently resides in Huntsville, co-oping with General Electric.
“Our family loves the outdoors. When our children were younger, we often took them camping,” Jing said. “We also frequented Lake Martin in the summer, boating, fishing, and spending time with each other and family, and friends. We’ve always led an active lifestyle–hiking, biking, traveling, and gardening.”
Jon and Jing are now empty nesters, but continue to explore the great outdoors. They enjoy traveling around the country, biking together, boating, and fishing. While Jon is still employed as an accountant for the City of Opelika, Jing is currently retired and enjoys using her free time cooking. She is a member of the City of Auburn Cooking Club and participates in various cooking small groups offered through their church, Church of the Highlands.
“Dinner has always been important to us. Ever since our kids were little, we made sure to have dinner at the dining table without distractions—no phones, TV, or any other electronic devices,” Jing shared. “I enjoy cooking, so I mostly prepare the meals in our home. Even when life got busy during those years when the kids were growing up, I made sure to have dinner made. It was the least I could do to make our home a safe haven after a long, busy day. Now that Jon and I are empty nesters, we continue to enjoy homemade meals.”
One of the family’s favorite dishes is a Chicken Macaroni Casserole. When Jon and Jing married, his grandmother gifted them a Taste of Home Cookbook that included the recipe.
“The first time I made it, the family immediately loved it,” said Jing. She went on to describe how the dish became a staple for all special occasions the family celebrated, including the holidays. “It’s just not Thanksgiving or Christmas without it. It is our tradition to go to a candlelight service on Christmas Eve, and then we eat this casserole as a Christmas meal together when we get home.”
Chicken Macaroni Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth, divided
- 3/4 pound Velveeta, cubed
- 2 packages (7 ounces each) uncooked elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
- 3 cups cubed cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Snipped fresh parsley, optional
Directions
- In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add cream and 1-1/2 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Remove from the heat; add cheese; stir until melted. Add the macaroni, chicken, pimientos, salt, and pepper. Add additional broth if needed.
- Pour into a 3-qt. Baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.
*A Taste of Home Recipe
