insulation essentials

Karen finds grace everywhere. Of all the graces in my life, Karen lives by the ethos of experience - try it, push it, live it. She wants to travel everywhere - she wants to try every food - she wants to live every experience she can. She is the most alive of us.

Even her hair is long and wild and crazy. We traveled briefly together in Nepal and the Nepalese loved to touch her hair. They called it happy hair - and that happiness permeates her.

And she finds grace in kitsch - before she went through her paring down phase, she had the coolest collection of snowglobes. She now lives out of town unfortunately - she teaches some unwittingly lucky students at a college up north.

She's donated recipes before to foodnut - her stellar magic nuts which are now a classic in my kitchen - and her less than helpful recipe for homemade cheez whiz that was meant for her recipe cheesy broccoli casserole meant to be eaten with tongue firmly in cheek.

She came into town to help in the cooking marathon to feed my freezer. Here is what she donated to the cause:

"This Mac & Cheese recipe comes from the Best of Bridge books, both "Grand Slam" and "The Best of the Best". Voila...Karenxo"

Gourmet Macaroni & Cheese

2 1/2 cups macaroni (625 ml)
1/4 cup butter (60 ml)
1/4 cup flour (60 ml)
2 cups milk (500 ml)
1 tsp. salt (5 ml)
1 tsp. sugar (5 ml)
1/2 lb. processed cheese, cubed (250 g)
(Velveeta works... yes Nicky there is processed cheese in it... it's good though right?)
2/3 cup sour cream (150 ml)(fat free
is fine)
1 1/3 cups cottage cheese (325 ml)
2 cups grated old cheddar cheese (500 ml)
1 1/2 cups soft breadcrumbs (375 ml)
2 Tbsp. butter (30 ml)
paprika

Instructions:
Cook and drain macaroni and place in a 2 1/2 quart (2.5 L) greased casserole. Melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour; mix well. Add milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Add salt, sugar and cheese. Mix well. Mix sour cream and cottage cheese into sauce. Pour over macaroni. Mix well. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and crumbs over top. Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika. May be frozen at this point. Bake at 350F (180C) for 45-50 minutes. Serves 6.

Culin-oscar-pys - I'm grateful...

I am grateful to cheese.
It's easy I know. But how could I pass over something I eat at least once a day?
Something that comes in so many ways, to be used in so many ways to soothe the soul. So...

Thank you cheese.

To squeaky cheese when we were kids. To grated cheddar on grilled cheese, dipped in ketchup. To pizza's stringy mozzarella. To cream cheese on Montreal bagels. To cheese fondue. To lots of practice making New York cheesecake. To ricotta cheese pancakes with lemon. To swiss cheese on a reuben. To my first warmed, runny brie. To gorgonzola on rare filet mignon.

Who could have guessed bacteria could be so clever?

Much has been written on the supporting cast of bread and wine - but I appreciate them none the less.

GK Chesterton said, "Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese."

The light is blinking and the music is swelling to drown me out...

And to my Mum. For being the first cheese expert in my life. She has loved cheese her whole life as much as her hips have hated it her whole life.

...and to my future cardiologist. I'll bring the baguette.


There's always time to thank food...if you feel the need, click on the culinoscarpy's link in the right sidebar and add your speech there. Thanks to everyone who's written in...
*Oscar quiz site here
* Swiss cheese shot from here.