Mad Tongue, Happy Tongue

Yeah, I know that sounds dirty, but I am going to disappoint you with this post if you are expecting something naughty.  :)

This has been a sort of busy week for me and, for some reason, I am just "over it" with my daytime job.  There is no particular reason, but little things that normally just roll off my back are getting to me.  I even got so frustrated earlier this week that I took about 75% of the things off my wall and packed them up.  It made me feel better. 

There were a number of points where I literally had to bite my tongue to not say something uncharacteristic for me.  So I doodled it... which also made me feel better. :)

Most of my friends will tell you that I don't swear or curse often unless it's to make a humorous point or if I am really upset.  I rarely get really upset.  I did this day, though. :P  Inside my head, it sounded like something sailors would have been embarassed to hear.

Other than trying duck for the first time over at a friend's house on Tuesday, not much going on on the cooking front. The duck, btw, was AMAZING!  It was like a cross between chicken and beef and I could have eaten half of it if they would have let me.  :)  I should have asked to take a picture of it before I put it all in my face with happy slurps.

I'm still eating and loving my overnight oats.  It's hard to pass up dessert for breakfast!


I love how purple it turns out when I add lots of frozen blueberries!

 I made hamburgers (organic beef mixed with carmelized onions, my homemade BBQ sauce, and shredded Cheddar topped with more of said ingredients) last night and served them on my homemade buns with leftover mac & cheese from Saturday and leftover carrots from Sunday. 

They were so freaking good and I am so glad I made an extra one for lunch today. :)

I still had a lot of leftover mac & cheese so I had that as a side today.  Actually, I've had mac & cheese and carrots for lunch all week other than today.

For the macaroni and cheese, I basically follow Alton Brown's recipe.  Not completely, of course.  That would be wrong. :)

Sashi's Macaroni & Cheese

• 13oz pkg whole wheat elbow macaroni
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp powdered mustard
• 3 c skim milk
• 1/2 lb uncured bacon, fried, drained and diced
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 large egg
• 16 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 tsp salt
• Fresh black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook pasta until al dente.
3. Meanwhile, in a separate pot over medium heat, melt 3 Tbsp of the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep stirring for about five minutes. It should be lump free and golden brown. Stir in the milk, garlic powder, and paprika. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Temper in the egg*. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese until wet and mixed. Do not try to keep stirring to make it into a smooth cheese sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni and bacon into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
5. Melt the remaining 3 Tbsp butter in a small pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for 15 minutes before serving.
6. Tempering an egg: break the egg into a small bowl. Quickly whisk about 1 Tbsp of the hot sauce from the pan in with the eggs. Do this with 1 or 2 more tablespoons until the egg is well mixed and warm. Add the mixture to the pan. If you do not temper the egg and add it directly into the pot, you will just result in bits of cooked egg in your mac & cheese since the sauce will cook it. Tempering it first helps make a creamier sauce in the oven. I learned this the hard way. :)

You probably haven't really noticed my understated little glass bowls I use for the oats and now for the mac & cheese, huh?  I have to tell you, these are some of the best things I have purchased.

They hold 16 oz/2 cups and have a nice plastic lid that stays in place really well.  The lid is not microwaveable but I okay with that.  I just use a paper towel in the microwave and put the lid on it to carry it to my desk.  They were only $19.95 for a set of 12 bowls with lids from Crate & Barrel.  I have 2 sets. :)  I use these for just about everything leftover related because they are just the perfect size.  Even with BPA-free plastic now, I still prefer to heat things up in glass.

While I do have a metal spoon at my desk, I also have this set of silverware that I got in the clearance section of World Market a while back:

In the top half are the 2 handles plus the spoon attachment.  The bottom half has the knife, fork, and even chopsticks. :)  They are really sturdy and hold together well yet snap apart easily when you are ready.  I have a set in my bag and by where I sit in the living room because, yes, I am that lazy when late night snacking and cannot be bothered to get that forgotten utensil in the kitchen 20 feet away.

They have these on Amazon but you may be able to fiund them cheaper in stores.  For my Aussie friends, you especially may be able to find them locally since they are a product of New Zealand which, if my geometry lessons were correct, is a touch closer to you than to me. ;)