Week 7 Saturday (2/22/14)

Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location:  Fancy Mac and Cheese

         Found in: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From my Frontier

                           Pages 132 - 135      Copyright:  2012  Harper Collins

I figured out that there are 334 calories per serving, if 18 servings are made. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

         Fancy Mac and Cheese is one name, Ree, but I would call it A Pasta and Cheese Dream.  I love this adult Macaroni and cheese. It is rich and has so many cheeses that all compliment each other. I also think that peppered bacon is now a must in this household.  I even had it with my breakfast eggs this morning.  I have no idea if kids would like this dish,  but adults would go wild for this rich, decadent side dish or even a as meal.  This is a definite keeper!

Today’s critics: 

       Deb Klos:  - creamy and smooth without a definite "cheesy" taste; loved the salty compliments of the bacon and onions; Yummy!  Thanks for sharing,

         Brandy:  - To die for: bacon, blue cheese, and pasta...do I need to say more? Absolutely delish

        

Random Reflections

         As I write this, I am sitting in the car dealership in West Chicago waiting for my van to have an oil change and new front brakes. This vehicle needs to last until next April before I purchase a new car.  I want to go into retirement with new wheels. My current car is a 2001 so I definitely have gotten my money’s worth. I am really good at delayed gratification because my previous car, a little Honda CRX two-seater, lasted 13 years, too.

         The next car I am currently interested in is the Ford Flex.  I love this vehicle because it is roomy and can fit my dog crate in the rear. It is a beautiful car, even though it is shaped kind of like a rectangular box. I love the three skylights and the features they offer. I think I really like the blue car with a tan leather interior. But for now, I will drive my old geezer car and be thankful it gets me everywhere I want to go each day.

The rear view

The side view

It's just soooooo pretty!

Helpful Home Hints

         Insulating the garage would be a wonderful thing to do in the future for me. This would help me avoid exploding pop cans in the dead of winter and losing yard chemicals and sprays that go bad after the winter months.

         I would like to staple up insulation and then put peg board over it so everything can be put away neatly.  I love it when I see that someone has drawn paint outlines of where everything goes.  Now there is an organizer.

         This is on my list of things to do during the first year of retirement.  Even the garage needs a little TLC.  Is your garage insulated?  I wonder of much of a difference it really makes.  I also must investigate if a new garage door is needed to really keep it warm.  Oh well, these are things to consider later.  After all Scarlett – tomorrow is another day.