He'd eat my recipe. A slight thanks to Rachel Ray for the recommendation on making a roux, and Maruzze for the Gruyere suggestion. Here's the recipe, with a little explanation mixed in. This must be shared.
First, boil some water in a pot for a full box/bag of oricchette or small shells. While you're waiting for those to cook, prepare your sauce.
Start with a medium sauce pan, with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. Get it nice and hot so the butter melts and drop in 1/4 cup of chopped onions. Cook them on a medium low heat so you sweat the onions creating a nice sweet texture. When you get a little bit of bubbling with the oil, whisk in 1 tbsp of paprika, 1/2 tbsp (1.5 tsp) of either cayenne or chipotle pepper, and 3 tbsp of flour. This will create an orange roux. Get the roux bubbling, add in 1/2 cup of sour cream and about 3 cups of skim milk. Raise the heat, and bring to a quick boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. Let thicken 3-5 minutes.
Once your basic sauce has thickened, add 2 cups mild cheddar cheese, shredded, and 1 cup of gruyere chease, also shredded. Allow to melt into sauce for 1-2 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350.
Take your cooked pasta, drain but do not rinse, and combine with melted cheese sauce. Once thorougly combined, put in 8x8 baking pan. Top with breadcrumbs and thick cut bacon. Put foil over baking pan and bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350.
Once baked, allow to cool, and serve.
Believe me, this is worth it.
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Random Musings 2: Eclectic Bugaloo
Here's a few Top 7 lists to chew on. Why 7? It's a biblical number. It's more decisive than 5. It's completely arbitrary, just like the lists. These are in no particular order
Top 7 Awesome Smells
1) Libraries: C'mon, there's something awesome about the smell of musty paper and rows upon rows of books.
2) Playdough: Try to contest this one
3) Pumpkin Spice Donut: See Also: Pumpkin Spice Beer, Pumpkin Spice Anything
4) Fresh Basil (still on plant): Mix with lemon for orgasmic scent
5) Beer mash: Before it's beer, it's a mushy brown mash of grains and boiling water that smells like a cross between bread and awesome.
6) Ice Hockey Rink: Seriously, go smell it. I don't know what the chemical is, but it's amazing.
7) New York City: Olfactory Overload
Top 7 Books that NEED to be written (and some that could never be)
1) Comprehensive History of the Eisenhower Interstate System: You could circle the world dozens of times with the pavement laid down in the 1950's and 1960's. It has to be worth a read.
2) Comprehensive History of the NYC Subway System: 700 miles of track under granite, swamp, and even river. The ultimate engineering marvel of the world.
3) Presidents and Polygraphs: Ask US Presidents questions while hooked up to a Polygraph. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Enjoy.
4) A Muslim's View of the Crusades: Go back in time, kidnap a Muslim leader during the invasions, let him write an autobiography.
5) Christ - The Autobiography: Would the holes in his hands keep him from properly holding a pen?
6) The History of Comfort Foods: The story behind who came up with foods like PB&J and Mac n Cheese. Seriously, just think about the combinations of food we eat.
7) The List Book: A book listing the greatest lists of all time. Who doesn't like lists? Communists, that' who.
Top 7 Candies Old People Like
1) Black Licorice: It's like beer. You can't enjoy it under a certain age.
2) Worther's Original: Awesomeness comes in a coffee flavored hunk of sugar.
3) Sugar-Free Lifesavers: Try the mixed berry ones.
4) After Dinner Mints: Those weird chalky mints you get at restaurants and grandparents houses have some great value
5) NECCO Wafers: Addictive despite how horrible they are
6) Spice Drops: The look of disappointment when a little kid thinks he's getting fruity candy and bites into a purple spice drop that tastes like licorice and mint makes these worthwhile.
7) Butterscotch Candies: If you haven't gotten and enjoyed one of these from someone over 50 you either don't have grandparents or don't hang out with pedophiles.
Top 7 Flags of the World
1) Britain' Union Jack: Even the French like this.
2) Libya: These fuckers were too lazy to actually design something, so they hung a plain green sheet.
3) Macedonia: Yellow sun with a red background sorta like a twisted old Japanese rising sun. Awesomeness.
4) Bhutan: Anyone who can get a dragon on their flag is okay by me.
5) Nazi Germany: Yeah, fuck the Nazi's and everything they did. And fuck them for ruining what was an awesome logo.
6) Sri Lanka: What's better than a dragon than a lion-dragon thingy holding a knife! Bonus points for the crazy colors.
7) Nepal: Apparently the rectangular fabric store was closed the day it was designed.
Top 7 Never-Printed Family Circus Plots
1) The one where Jeffy gets kidnapped by the creepy neighbor.
2) The one where Bill beats Thelma and the kids for ruining his life.
3) The one where Dolly accidentally puts the car in reverse, running over the family dog.
4) The one where the kids age.
5) The one that shows a minority.
6) The one where Thelma admits that P.J. was a failed abortion.
7) The one that's actually funny.
Top 7 Overrated Rock Bands
1) Aerosmith: I don't want to walk this way or that.
2) The Doors: Die Jim Morrison. Well, at least you did that right.
3) U2: Bono's toned it back a bit in recent years, but have they really done much good since the 1980's?
4) Nirvana: Everyone (including me) has had a Nirvana phase. Some great stuff, but how many shit bands did they influence? And ask yourself this: If Cobain hadn't died, how many more albums could he do that sounded like they did without people getting sick of them.
5) Pink Floyd: Sorry, but 3 great albums don't excuse all the crap.
6) The Eagles: A few great hits, a LOT of crap.
7) Van Halen: How they ever got as popular as they did will never cease to amaze.
Top 7 Shows That Were Cancelled Too Soon
1) Firefly
2) Animaniacs
3) Andy Richter Controls the Universe
4) The Chevy Chase Show: A week, guys, really?!
5) Enterprise: It was just getting good.
6) Reading Rainbow: Fuck you, illiterate youth!
7) Eek the Cat: Meet Halley, Acorn, Steven Junior, Gunther, and my lovely wife, SUUUUUZAN
Top 7 Awesome Smells
1) Libraries: C'mon, there's something awesome about the smell of musty paper and rows upon rows of books.
2) Playdough: Try to contest this one
3) Pumpkin Spice Donut: See Also: Pumpkin Spice Beer, Pumpkin Spice Anything
4) Fresh Basil (still on plant): Mix with lemon for orgasmic scent
5) Beer mash: Before it's beer, it's a mushy brown mash of grains and boiling water that smells like a cross between bread and awesome.
6) Ice Hockey Rink: Seriously, go smell it. I don't know what the chemical is, but it's amazing.
7) New York City: Olfactory Overload
Top 7 Books that NEED to be written (and some that could never be)
1) Comprehensive History of the Eisenhower Interstate System: You could circle the world dozens of times with the pavement laid down in the 1950's and 1960's. It has to be worth a read.
2) Comprehensive History of the NYC Subway System: 700 miles of track under granite, swamp, and even river. The ultimate engineering marvel of the world.
3) Presidents and Polygraphs: Ask US Presidents questions while hooked up to a Polygraph. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Enjoy.
4) A Muslim's View of the Crusades: Go back in time, kidnap a Muslim leader during the invasions, let him write an autobiography.
5) Christ - The Autobiography: Would the holes in his hands keep him from properly holding a pen?
6) The History of Comfort Foods: The story behind who came up with foods like PB&J and Mac n Cheese. Seriously, just think about the combinations of food we eat.
7) The List Book: A book listing the greatest lists of all time. Who doesn't like lists? Communists, that' who.
Top 7 Candies Old People Like
1) Black Licorice: It's like beer. You can't enjoy it under a certain age.
2) Worther's Original: Awesomeness comes in a coffee flavored hunk of sugar.
3) Sugar-Free Lifesavers: Try the mixed berry ones.
4) After Dinner Mints: Those weird chalky mints you get at restaurants and grandparents houses have some great value
5) NECCO Wafers: Addictive despite how horrible they are
6) Spice Drops: The look of disappointment when a little kid thinks he's getting fruity candy and bites into a purple spice drop that tastes like licorice and mint makes these worthwhile.
7) Butterscotch Candies: If you haven't gotten and enjoyed one of these from someone over 50 you either don't have grandparents or don't hang out with pedophiles.
Top 7 Flags of the World
1) Britain' Union Jack: Even the French like this.
2) Libya: These fuckers were too lazy to actually design something, so they hung a plain green sheet.
3) Macedonia: Yellow sun with a red background sorta like a twisted old Japanese rising sun. Awesomeness.
4) Bhutan: Anyone who can get a dragon on their flag is okay by me.
5) Nazi Germany: Yeah, fuck the Nazi's and everything they did. And fuck them for ruining what was an awesome logo.
6) Sri Lanka: What's better than a dragon than a lion-dragon thingy holding a knife! Bonus points for the crazy colors.
7) Nepal: Apparently the rectangular fabric store was closed the day it was designed.
Top 7 Never-Printed Family Circus Plots
1) The one where Jeffy gets kidnapped by the creepy neighbor.
2) The one where Bill beats Thelma and the kids for ruining his life.
3) The one where Dolly accidentally puts the car in reverse, running over the family dog.
4) The one where the kids age.
5) The one that shows a minority.
6) The one where Thelma admits that P.J. was a failed abortion.
7) The one that's actually funny.
Top 7 Overrated Rock Bands
1) Aerosmith: I don't want to walk this way or that.
2) The Doors: Die Jim Morrison. Well, at least you did that right.
3) U2: Bono's toned it back a bit in recent years, but have they really done much good since the 1980's?
4) Nirvana: Everyone (including me) has had a Nirvana phase. Some great stuff, but how many shit bands did they influence? And ask yourself this: If Cobain hadn't died, how many more albums could he do that sounded like they did without people getting sick of them.
5) Pink Floyd: Sorry, but 3 great albums don't excuse all the crap.
6) The Eagles: A few great hits, a LOT of crap.
7) Van Halen: How they ever got as popular as they did will never cease to amaze.
Top 7 Shows That Were Cancelled Too Soon
1) Firefly
2) Animaniacs
3) Andy Richter Controls the Universe
4) The Chevy Chase Show: A week, guys, really?!
5) Enterprise: It was just getting good.
6) Reading Rainbow: Fuck you, illiterate youth!
7) Eek the Cat: Meet Halley, Acorn, Steven Junior, Gunther, and my lovely wife, SUUUUUZAN
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Worth Its Salt
Just a quick writeup today, but I beg you to consider this question: What do you think is the most widely used grocery product in America? I don't have an answer for this, but if I could go door to door and look in every one's pantries, cupboards, refrigerators, freezers, or anywhere else food might be stored, I'd be willing to bet that one particular product is found in more homes than almost any other. I don't think it's Coca-Cola, Heinz Ketchup, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, or even the timeless American classic, Wonder Bread. No, I believe it's this:
Morton Salt.
What? Salt?
Before about 150 years ago, to be "worth one's salt" meant that person was exceptionally valuable, just like salt, because of its extreme rarity. However with the discovery of processes to get salt from the earth, the price of salt dropped to where it is now one of the cheapest commodities in the world. Salt is now so cheap, in fact, that you rarely find that grocery stores and chains like Wal-Mart and Target even bother to produce generic versions. Even baking soda, flour, or sugar can claim that mark.
With this in mind, picture a container of salt. What does it look like? Probably the one above. Even as someone with experience in cooking, I had a difficult time thinking of more than 2 more brands of salt. Even my spendthrift former roomate who would almost never buy name brand anything had a container of Morton Salt in our cupboard before any of the other roomates moved in. It might have been the only name brand in the entire house (Even the ever-American Heinz Ketchup was not to be found).
Still not convinced? Think about this: Most people drink soda, but some prefer Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper, or even Tab if you're into that stuff. There are those people who don't drink it at all. Ketchup? Sure, every kid in America likes it, but there are those dirty rat bastards (oh hell, even this house), that will go with Hunts instead of Heinz, for reasons beyond me. Baking soda? Eh, generic brands are 1/2 the price. French's yellow mustard; not for those who prefer brown mustard! See what I'm saying? Even those companies with huge market shares have competition. Even in a house with a low-sodium diet such as mine has 3 different types of Morton Salt on hand.
What's the point of this post? Not much, really. Obviously Morton doesn't have the advertising power that Coke, Budweiser, Heinz, or any of the other big time brands does, but I challenge anyone to go to the grocery store and see what brands of salt are out there and I dare anyone to come back without telling me they saw a vast majority of the salt was Morton. Don't wanna take a trip to the store? Okay, go look now, I'd bet 90% of you will come back having seen that girl in the rain suit and umbrella.
Did you look? I'll wait...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Okay, I've waited long enough? Am I right? Thought so.
What's my point? I'm not sure, but to think about this: Morton Salt is as pervasive in the average American household as the moustached man of Orwell's 1984 reality. It really is a remarkable feat, in days of mass marketing, people buying glamorous brands, and nearly unlimited consumer protection. Perhaps Mr. Morton really is worth his own weight. But of course, you'll have to take this whole post with a grain of salt.
Morton Salt.
What? Salt?
Before about 150 years ago, to be "worth one's salt" meant that person was exceptionally valuable, just like salt, because of its extreme rarity. However with the discovery of processes to get salt from the earth, the price of salt dropped to where it is now one of the cheapest commodities in the world. Salt is now so cheap, in fact, that you rarely find that grocery stores and chains like Wal-Mart and Target even bother to produce generic versions. Even baking soda, flour, or sugar can claim that mark.
With this in mind, picture a container of salt. What does it look like? Probably the one above. Even as someone with experience in cooking, I had a difficult time thinking of more than 2 more brands of salt. Even my spendthrift former roomate who would almost never buy name brand anything had a container of Morton Salt in our cupboard before any of the other roomates moved in. It might have been the only name brand in the entire house (Even the ever-American Heinz Ketchup was not to be found).
Still not convinced? Think about this: Most people drink soda, but some prefer Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper, or even Tab if you're into that stuff. There are those people who don't drink it at all. Ketchup? Sure, every kid in America likes it, but there are those dirty rat bastards (oh hell, even this house), that will go with Hunts instead of Heinz, for reasons beyond me. Baking soda? Eh, generic brands are 1/2 the price. French's yellow mustard; not for those who prefer brown mustard! See what I'm saying? Even those companies with huge market shares have competition. Even in a house with a low-sodium diet such as mine has 3 different types of Morton Salt on hand.
What's the point of this post? Not much, really. Obviously Morton doesn't have the advertising power that Coke, Budweiser, Heinz, or any of the other big time brands does, but I challenge anyone to go to the grocery store and see what brands of salt are out there and I dare anyone to come back without telling me they saw a vast majority of the salt was Morton. Don't wanna take a trip to the store? Okay, go look now, I'd bet 90% of you will come back having seen that girl in the rain suit and umbrella.
Did you look? I'll wait...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Okay, I've waited long enough? Am I right? Thought so.
What's my point? I'm not sure, but to think about this: Morton Salt is as pervasive in the average American household as the moustached man of Orwell's 1984 reality. It really is a remarkable feat, in days of mass marketing, people buying glamorous brands, and nearly unlimited consumer protection. Perhaps Mr. Morton really is worth his own weight. But of course, you'll have to take this whole post with a grain of salt.
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