Chase has been asking for mac and cheese for the last two days. So we made a yummy baked mac and cheese for dinner. Chase requested it, helped and then ate it too! Amazing.
I thought about writing down the recipe and then scrapped that idea when I realized that it would read something like prepare the macaroni according to package directions. In the meantime and as soon as you get to the point where you realize you are too tired and lazy to make a bechamel for the cheese sauce, in a food processor, combine grated parmesan cheese, whatever cream cheese you have on hand, and the milk in the fridge leftover from lunch and blend until smooth. Well, you get the point. Not much of a recipe.
Avery’s up to a few new things. Clapping her hands and making a few new sounds. I tried to get a video but it’s so stinking hard to catch for some reason. I managed to catch about 3 seconds but somehow now her head is cut off. I’m not a video wiz.
I am still processing your comment that you don’t use processed foods, including bottled tomato sauce! I did a fresh tomato sauce last week as well with the plethora of tomatoes we had on hand, but to never use bottled sauce? Wow! So of course you don’t use the Annie’s mac and cheese for a quick lunch like we do around here in a pinch. You make your own from scratch, which I am sure you are arguing doesn’t take that long– just throw in some cream cheese, milk, etc. I am going to try that soon, but I bet it will take more than 3 minutes. :) It sounds like resentment, but really it is admiration! Do you buy sliced sandwich bread? I bet you don’t buy jarred salsa either, do you? I have to talk to you more about this and maybe take it on for a month…but maybe I should wait until next summer for the most produce to be available, or move to southern California. :)
I did make jarred salsa this year! Avoiding processed foods is really hard. I have been eliminating them slowly as I find recipes that I feel are really tried and true and even then you really can’t avoid them altogether. I’ve managed to move from jarred sauce to canned tomatoes so it’s more like less processed rather than not processed.
I am trying to take advantage of summer produce but it’s a BIG challenge to balance all of the competing factors. Price v. organic v. local… it goes on and on and it’s hard to keep straight which one should have priority. Is it better to buy “big” organic salsa processed somewhere far away potentially in the same facility that processes regular old generic (salmonella laced!) salsa and that has to travel really far rather than buy locally from a farm that maybe only practices IPM? I try to make the best choices but it’s never easy.
I’m trying to put this all down into words for a post all by itself but there’s so much to say.
PS If Chase wants mac and cheese for lunch I just make her noodles with butter and cheese and she doesn’t complain even though I think she knows what mac and cheese could be like because I let her order it at Panera.
PPS Canning is surprisingly easy once you get started. You could even do freezer jam if you don’t want to go through all the trouble.
awww look at those chubby legs! LOVE her!
I’m another one that never uses jarred tomato sauce…once you start making your own its impossible to go back! mmm, no comparison. Especially easy since Scott is the one who makes it ;)
but I have to agree with lauren…I have to admire your constant cooking, crafting and general level of productivity. How do you do it???
You and that cooking husband of yours… rub it in why dontcha!