Spicy Macaroni & Cheese
I don’t think it will surprise any of you to discover that I stalk Pioneer Woman. When I found this recipe for Spicy Mac & Cheese I was thrilled, ecstatic, obsessed even. I made a quick run to the grocery store for a block of pepperjack cheese and a couple of steaks and then started chopping. The recipe sounded delicious, onion and bell peppers and green chilies…well, I was kind of disappointed. This dish wasn’t particularly spicy, and it wasn’t particularly cheesy. What kind of Mac & Cheese is this? I suppose it is possible that I am incapable of measuring, but I doubt I’ll be retrying this recipe, just in case.
Luckily, the steaks were delicious. I don’t have a back patio with a BBQ, but I have learned to master the oven-broiled steak. All you need is a lot of salt and pepper and a bit of tinfoil. Line a 8×8 pan with foil, throw on your well seasoned steak and put into an oven preheated to 500 degrees. Make sure you watch your steak, flip it after about 5 or 6 minutes and then take out when it is done to your liking. “Spicy” Mac & “Cheese” recipe after the break.
Yellow Curry
So, I have this List for this year, things that I want to do. It’s not exactly like resolutions, because I think a resolution is something you need to work on all year long. At any rate, one of the things on my List is to learn how to make Thai food. So I went to an Asian grocery store and here is my first attempt. This dish was actually much easier than I thought and absolutely delicious.
Buttermilk Craisen Scones
I am not one of those frou-frou people who is obsessed with scones and fancy coffees, but the idea of making my own scones made me feel all Sophisticated and stuff. So I tried it. Um….scones don’t have nearly as much sugar as I need in a pastry. I liked the idea of the scones, but I think I need to try them again with chocolate, maybe Nutella. Mmmm, yes, definitely Nutella.
At any rate, here’s the recipe if you are one of those frou-frou people who like unsweetened pastries. Although, if you’d like me honest opinion, I think you could double the sugar and the craisens and slather on some lemon-glaze to make these more palatable.
Oatmeal Raisinet Cookies
My grandpa was obsessed with oatmeal cookies, so my grandma always made sure to have a fresh batch of oatmeal cookies in the kitchen. For this reason, I always associate oatmeal cookies with my grandparents. Granted, my grandpa always ate his oatmeal cookies with peanut butter spread on the back and topped off with a slice of cheddar cheese. I haven’t tried that concoction yet, I guess I’m not quite that brave. At any rate, I guess I was having a sentimental moment, because I was craving oatmeal cookies.
This recipe did not disappoint; in fact, I’ve made them twice in the last three days. And I’ve eaten them all in the last three days. I’ve made them with raisinets and with chocolate chips, both are delicious. Mix them up, eat a good bunch of the dough–the dough is always the best part–and them eat the rest with a big glass of cold milk.
Veggie-Potato Soup with Bacon
It is supposed to be spring, according to everyone but that damn Groundhog. Last week was lovely, sixty degrees and sunny…Ah, that’s the stuff dreamy spring’s are made of. Until Friday when we received 3 inches of snow. And the boiler in my apartment building broke. And apparently the closest replacement is in Chicago. And it’s snowing again and we still have no heat and the windows are leaky and the cold is seeping in from the floor and the walls and the windows and my landlord says there isn’t anything to be done.
Except make soup. After taking stock of what was in the fridge I decided that this would be Leftover Soup…but then I found the last of the bacon and after one bit I decided this dish needed a proper title. Leftover Soup with Bacon is a very nice and all, but it will have to wait for another day. I must say, I was thrilled with how fantastic this turned out, the bacon makes the veggies a bit smoky, the half-and-half and cheese make everything so creamy and delicious…I will definitely be making this again and again, hopefully without a side of freezing-cold apartment.
heidikins cooks 