Pantry Projects: über mac'n'cheese

 I was supposed to teach my friends how to cook... so, after a year, i'm putting it all out there, so we can finally get started


Part of this also comes from showing my friends that making it yourself is actually cheaper than constantly buying packaged goods


This I dragged outta my pantry and fridge: buncha pasta left over, left-over dry salami, my favorite cheddar (which is the only thing I didn't have on hand), and for this I use coconut milk (if you've ready previous postings). You can use whatever milk you usually use, but if it's a milk alternative, make sure it's plain and unsweetened.. I prefer coconut milk cuz its oils makes it very similar to regular milk

 First, boil pasta per label instructions

strain and put in casserole dish

I'm using bacon grease in my béchamel, cuz i rarely bother to buy butter anymore

use 2 Tbsp butter and ~1/3 cup flour

With heat on med heat, blend

this is called roux

~1 cup milk of your choice

dice up ~3/4 - 1 lb of sharp cheddar - I use proper cheddar that crumbles... modern cheddar has been designed to melt better, or you can use velveeta, but it's comparatively more expensive anymore... it's better to do this before you need it, cuz once the milk heats up in the pan, it thickens pretty quickly

Add the milk to the roux
whisk the roux with the milk

WATCH OUT! even on medium heat, if you're using regular milk, it will start to bubble really fast when it gets hot!! be ready to turn the heat down when it starts foaming... and if it starts rising too quickly, just pick the pan up gently to immediately remove it from heat

stir frequently until it thickens to the likeness of gravy

and you've got béchamel

toss in your cheddar and stir - 

now, if you're using crumbly cheddar, put the heat on really low - if it heats up too much or too fast, it will separate... 

modern melty cheddar, low simmer heat is fine - BOTH : stir frequently until it's melted and smooth

 I've used anything from ground lamb to diced ham,

chopped deli ham slices, hotdogs, sausage, bacon.... 

doesn't matter, it's pig and it's going in... 

HERE's where you'd add some salt and pepper, 

maybe a seasoning blend... i'm not for once 

because of the sharpness and saltiness of my 

cheddar and the seasoning the salami already has

mix gently... pour 1/2 over noodles and fold... 

then the other 1/2 and fold again 

this just keeps it from dripping all over

tomatoes normally go on top, but so far, this meal for 6 cost me ~ $5 for just for the cheese, the rest was already sitting around

UPDATE : So, how does food affect your life?

So, I've been playing around with adding raw veggies and more nuts and fruits to my life... and I have to say, those days where that is primarily what I eat, I feel amazing. if I stop eating veggies, I start feeling like crap:  like I'm running a marathon with my legs tied together; it's just miserable. The easiest way I've found to ingest large amounts of veggies is in juicing and smoothies.

The key to any eating habit (aka diet - but here without the connotation of fads and restrictions for the sake of losing weight) is diversity. It's important to not get settled into only a handful of dishes at the beginning; boredom always sets in and one strays to a diversified pallet after a short while. Once a week at least, experiment with something new, something never tasted before, something that stretches the limits of what 'food' means (for our society, this often means something that is less processed and packaged, and more actual, living, fresh food).

There will always be those things one clings to for comfort food - the best thing to do is to modify those things to meet a new standard. My two are mac 'n cheese and chips and salsa:

1. For me, even though I'm not vegan or vegetarian, I do refrain from eating high starch and boxed products. In more recent years I've also stopped ingesting milk because it started causing me to have cystic acne (I know this because if I refrain from eating dairy I stop getting acne). But, cheese is another matter... I love cheese, and I love kefir. So, the two part to this is that I've had to find a pasta base (rice or whole wheat) that doesn't affect me as much as semolina, AND I've had to find properly cultured cheeses that have broken down the casein protein and fats in dairy that causes my acne (for instance, Cabot's white cheddar). So, to fully enjoy mac 'n cheese without adverse effects, I make my alternative pasta, make a béchamelle from scratch using irish butter, coconut milk and Cabot's or other aged cheddar. which is neither difficult or time consuming.
2. Though there are usually no additives in canned salsa from the store, the veggies have all been cooked, and therefore will cause the stomach to react to it as though it were a foreign substance. Additionally, all tortilla chips are made out of corn, at least until recently. And based on my previous experiences with corn, the hindrance to the digestive system is not limited to whole corn kernels, but also translates into corn meal and flour. So, the easy part was to transition to bean/rice-based tortilla chips that are now available, which are very tasty and don't leave you with that feeling of bloaty fullness. The slightly more involved step was making fresh, home-made salsa -- my first batch was a failure, then I remembered that putting tomatoes in a food processor in general is a no-no because it releases all the water and loses its flavor. Subsequent batches (thanks to my friend making some from an old-style recipe) turned out absolutely flavorful and awesome. The key was to not give up. Another part of my chips 'n salsa binging was the use of sour cream and it's creamy sweet goodness... This I've amended in using avocados splashed with lime juice to top my fresh salsa instead.

Atop the Naan, recipe II

Home-made pico atop extra-sharp cheddar cheesy naan

3 tomatoes diced
1 onion diced
1 jalapeño diced
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp vinegar
salt/pepper
extra-sharp Cabot white cheddar
some pieces of naan

Mix diced veggies, cilantro, and vinegar in a bowl, toss, and allow to sit for 1 day to marinate. When ready to eat, slice sharp cheddar atop naan and toast until cheese is just softened. Top the toasted cheesy naan with the pico and enjoy!



If you're unfamiliar with Cabot: they are a cooperative of Vermont dairy farmers which produce an amazing variety of cheese available at almost every grocery store across the country, even Costco. It's a high-end cheese without the high-end price, found with the specialty cheeses in the deli.
http://www.cabotcheese.coop/

Preparing Veggies I

simple salads: dark leaf base, 2+ tasty veggies, protein / starch, acid, and oil

here:
baby spinach
1/2 bell pepper-julienne
1/2 onion- sliced
toss with 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar and 1Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, pinch sea salt/cracked pepper
topped with roasted red potato and white cheddar wafer

to make cheddar wafers: heat small non-stick pan to low-med, lay single layer of shredded white cheddar. allow to melt, use paper towel to soak up extra oil. once it can be moved with a spatchula, flip for 10 seconds, remove from pan to paper towel, and shape quickly while warm