I've seemed to have misplaced my blogging mojo.
Not sure what it's about. It's a busy time of year; I'm too busy reading and running. I'm tired of the computer. So what else is new? It isn't that there isn't anything to say--it is just the simple motivation to open up the Typepad software and say it that seems to be lacking. What with all that's going on--the markets are bursting forth--the SU market is on for the next few Fridays--very cool; lots of foodie events and lots of good food to enjoy. Lots of wine to comment on... And yet...
So here I am with a meandering post about what I cooked today.
I've got a book club meeting tonight--always a food and wine-filled affair. But tonight we're discussing Tender at the Bone--Ruth Reichl's autobiography. I can't believe I hadn't read it till now but I've been eating it up, as they say. In addition to reading the book, we're supposed to bring a dish from our childhood. Easier said than done.
I don't eat the way I used to when I was a child but I have lots of memories of cooking with my Mom and one of the biggest treats we could have for dinner was "real macaroni and cheese". That meant, it didn't come out of a blue box. It meant splurging on real cheddar cheese and cutting cubes of it while waiting for the elbows to cook and then sprinkling the orange dice over the macaroni so that it got all melty and cheesey in the oven. We LOVED this dish.
So I'm bringing some tonight. Trouble is, I'm almost positive that what I made today is not what my Mom used to make. (She's helping people vote today and I couldn't ask her). But I knew to keep it simple--we didn't have much money and the cheese was already a decadant purchase. Nevertheless, I couldn't help myself and I made a little bechemel--but on the cheap the way we would have done it had I known what bechemel was back in the 9th grade. About a cup of milk, a little flour, a dash of nutmeg, salt and pepper, and a handful of diced cheddar thrown in at the end. I even "whisked" in the flour with a fork--kickin' it old school-style.
I boiled up some elbow macaroni, mixed it with some cheddar cut into dice, poured the "bechemel" sauce over it and mixed it gently. Then spooned it into a baking dish (greased with a bit of butter) and added some more cheese on top to bake later. In deference to my new eating habits, I omitted the pats of butter on top.
After that was done--took about 20 minutes--seemed to take FOREVER when I was a kid--I made lunch.
Again, boiled some water for some whole wheat spaghetti, sauteed some just-picked Sungolds in a bit of olive oil till they began to burst, chopped two large garlic cloves--threw that into the pan, added salt and pepper and then mixed in the spaghetti. A warm slice of walnut levain procured from Manhattan the other day made for a simple, delicious, lunch that was so of the moment.
Now I'm off to go find that mojo--I know its around here somewhere...
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