Challenge 7: Mac N Cheese

I totally botched this recipe.

I want to blame it on Husby, though, because he made me half the recipe. I told him that halved recipes never turn out right and that it was impossible to half an egg. But he insisted that two pounds of macaronie was a little excessive for two people

HURRY UP AND EAT TABLE FOOD, LEVI, SO I DON'T HAVE TO HALF RECIPES!



The whole roux thing turned out fine. Flour, butter, vigorous stirring. Cake walk.

Things took a turn when I added milk. Ree specifically called for whole milk. Did I have whole milk? No. So, Husby suggested I use part 2% and part half and half.



This whole disaster was all Husby's fault.



The creamy cheesy sauce LOOKED good in the end, but it did not taste right.

It tasted WEIRD.

It was probably that half an egg Husby made me use. And the half and half with half 2%. I'm sick and tired of halves. I was never good at math.



I thought that maybe once it was covered in a healthy dose of cheese and baked, it would cover up the weirdness and taste like it was supposed to.



It did not.

I'm telling you, I TRIED to eat it, but I couldn't. I strayed from the path set before me and added things that shouldn't have been.

And I halved it.

Don't half it.

It will come back to haunt you.



What a waste.

Should you embark on the Mac and Cheese Mission, do not veer from the recipe. Use whole milk and make the whole batch. Oh, and keep your Husby OUT of the kitchen!!!

Challenge 5: Mashed Potatoes.

Is there ANY bad way to make mashed potatoes? I think not. I love them. I prefer my potatoes mashed over baked, because I feel with baked, you can never get enough butter.

I set out to make these potatoes and while PW said to use 5 lbs, I felt that was a little excessive for the two of us. I didn't need 5 extra pounds of potato on my booty, so I used like 3.

Pounds. Not 3 potatoes.



I boiled them for about 30 minutes, until I could stick a fork in them and it would come right out with no resistance. I used Yukon Gold potatoes which are small, so they cooked up pretty quick.



Hot Potato, Hot Potato, 1-2-3!



Something that makes these potatoes absolutely divine and creamy is the half and half, the cream cheese, and....THE BUTTER!



I've never seasoned my potatoes with season salt (I usually just use salt and pepper), but PW said to, so I did.

And they were GREAT.



Butter anyone?

I love this recipe because you can whip them up ahead of time, throw 'em in the fridge and then heat them through in the oven when ready to serve. This made my life so much easier.



Not healthy. But DELICIOUS!



A pillowy mound of mashed potatoes....just for me.