Tuesday, July 30, 2019

MAC AND CHEESE FROM MARSHA

     ********NEXT DAY UPDATE ********   

     Make sure you read the update at the end of this blog

***********************************

     My father always told me that the secret in life is knowing where the books are.  He never experienced YOU TUBE.

     You can go there and learn anything. 

     If you like to play with old radios (like I do) it's the place to go.



     When I bought my retirement home I knew NOTHING about Lawn Sprinklers. Now I know more than I need to. 

        
     Or you can waste your life looking at stupid Russians crashing into walls or watching so called comedians who all think they are  David Letterman. 

     But I prefer to LEARN and broaden my horizons.

     But these pages are all about the cooking, and again we turn to our friends at YOU TUBE.



     Today we are making good old Mac and Cheese. This one comes from Marsha.

 Marsha, Marsha, Marsha

     NO,  NOT THAT MARSHA !! 
     This Marsha 




Here's what we need. 


 (you don't need the teapot)


16 OZ Box of Macaroni 



1 block of Velveeta Cheese (CUT IN SMALLER PIECES)





8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese (SHREDDED)



¼ Block of Monterrey Jack Cheese (SHREDDED)







2 TBL Butter

2 TBL AP Flour

2 Cans of Evaporated Milk
Yes, I still use a "Church Key" although I usually use the other end.



You will also need an adult beverage


     You will also need your helper.
    



Add some salt to your Macaroni water and cook the Mac according to the directions. (turn the box over)

I didn't have 16 ounces of elbow stuff, so we opted for something Penny had on the shelf

 I have not a clue what the label says, but is must be fancy.



Looks like they forgot to 'bend' it.



In a large pan (or double boiler - a saucepan with a detachable upper compartment heated by boiling water in the lower one.) Melt 2 TB of Butter, then add the Flour.



STIR STIR STIR - Do not Burn !!!



When you get a nice roux, ADD the Evaporated Milk a little at a time



STIR STIR STIR



Add ½ of the Shredded Cheddar and ALL of the Velveeta



Cook at 130 degrees until all the cheese is melted.
When melted you can turn it down to simmer until the mac is done.

Insert a rubber spatula into the mixture. Slide your finger across it and this is what you should see. Sauce is now thick enough.


You want to stir every now and then to keep a skin from forming




When Mac is done, drain well, and rinse with COLD water. Add back into the big pot.




Stir in the melted Cheese and stir. 





Spray your casserole dish with PAM




Put Mixture into your casserole dish







On the top, sprinkle the left over Cheddar and all of the Mon Jack Cheese 



Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees

 (yes I forgot the foil- sue me)

When done, let cool for about 15 minutes, then serve.



OK, I learned something today.



I don't care for Velveeta Cheese. (And I though it was just Mom's Mac & Cheese I hated)


I liked the texture, but way TOO Cheezy for me.
 
This is not intended to knock Marshas recipe, or discourage y'all from making it. It is a fine recipe, IF you like more CHEESE than MAC. I just roll on a different highway. 

I even made a recipe from my favorite on line cook that I didn't care for. I am sure thousands of others loved it. 

In reviewing this one, I wonder if I did something wrong. I thought I followed her recipe to the "T" Maybe I wrote something down incorrectly. The Cheese ratio looks way off to me. I think I will do more research on it and give it another try

FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION here in our house. I'll let y'all know.



So I say give this recipe a try. It went well with our KFC knock off fried chicken that we made. More on that, NEXT time on Kill It Cut It Up And Cook it.

Live Long and Prosper. and keep COOKING !!!! 


POTUS 22 & 24 - The early years -   GROVER CLEVELAND


NEXT DAY UPDATE !!!!!

The next day, I re-heated some mac and cheese for lunch and made a great discovery.


The texture AND taste of the entire dish had changed. Gone was the heavy Velveeta taste and it was far less creamy as the day before.

I am sure Alton Brown could do twenty minutes on the hows and whys, all I got is "It was kick ass good"

SO let this be a lesson to ya'll. Never give up and don't be quick to 
throw a recipe in the trash. Sleep on it.

You'll thank me later.



Sunday, July 28, 2019

PEACH COBBLER FROM THE HILLBILLY KITCHEN

I love Peaches. I love them in Jam, Pies, Cobbler, and even right off the damn tree.

So I was thrilled to discover a new on line cook (New for me) 

It's the HILLBILLY KITCHEN



https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC547XA_zfSXKLaqe-GAiXCg

Check her out !!!!! She has a ton of great recipes.

This recipe is for Peach Cobbler. Although we did not pick fresh peaches this year, I was able to score 6 nice large peaches from our local supermarket.


Since my friend was coming over for our weekly dinner, I decided this would make a nice desert. We don't have desert often so this will be a treat.


Let's get our *^^%)(  together

8 X 11 CASSEROLE DISH
1 STICK OF BUTTER
4 CUPS OF PEACHES (FRESH IS BEST – FROZEN IS OK)
¾ CUP OF SUGAR (FOR PEACHES)
¾ CUP SUGAR (FOR THE TOPPING)
1 TBL LEMON JUICE
1 tsp CINNAMON (this is my addition)
1 CUP MILK
1 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
1 TBL BAKING POWDER ¼ tsp SALT

(If You are doing Fresh Peaches)



Cut an “X” in the end OPPOSITE the stem (about ¼ inch deep by 1 inch long)



Place in boiling water for 2 minutes




Take them out and peel off the outer skin

 



Cut them up and put into a bowl




Pre heat Oven to 350 Degrees

Place the peaches in a pan

Add ¾ Cup sugar and Cinnamon



Bring to a boil, then turn to simmer for about 5 minutes

While you are heating the peaches, place the butter in the casserole dish, add the butter and start heating this in the oven.

Butter needs to “sizzle” but DON'T BURN IT.



MAKE THE TOPPING

In a bowl, add the Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Sugar.
Stir, stir, stir.....



When Peaches are cooked & butter is “sizzling”, add the milk to the Flour mixture 


Stir, stir, stir.

The mixture should look like pancake batter

Pour the stirred batter into the dish with the hot butter.


Add some Peach juice, 



then add the peaches.



Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes



Time for a beer !!!

 

SERVE WITH ICE CREAM

 I forgot to take a picture

So I had no choice but to have some more. See the sacrifices I make for y'all ?

This took little time to prepare, and was EASY !!!! But most importantly,  IT WAS GOOD !!!

Live Long and Prosper !! And keep COOKING !!

I forgot the cute animal picture

"I know I heard Dad say something about a mouse??"