Thursday, February 15, 2007

You say sir-REE-brum, I say SER-uh-brum

Either way you say it, mine about to start hurting for the next three months.

See, my supervisor has placed me in a position of accepting the project management duties for a VERY LARGE PROJECT INDEED, and it's starting up. Oh, yes, the engines have been primed, the tanks filled with fuel, the preflight checks are completed, and I've got my finger on the starter button.

AndnowI'mscaredtotakeoff.

Anybody else do this kind of thing? Be all confident and "sure I can do that!", but when the time comes to sheep or get off the pot you find yourself clinging to the pot like it's your most favorite-ist thing in the whole wide world?

This project is kicking me out of my comfy rut, and I'm not at all certain I like the turn of events. I told a coworker this morning that "Corporate Tiff" is going to have to make a comeback, and her first response was "Uh-oh, that sounds like a bad thing. Am I going to like her?" My reply was "I don't know."

It's been a while since Corporate Tiff's been on the scene, y'all, and to be quite frank, she scares me a little. She's all on the ball and organized and focused and serious and businessy and dresees waaaaay better than regular Tiff. Why, today, Corporate Tiff made the wardrobe decisions, and now I've got on socks and black boots and actual trousers that zip and have FLARE (instead of the lazy person pull-on too big things I normally wear) and MAKEUP. I'll know it's really serious when I start reaching for the panythose.....I don't think I've worn them in the three years or so since CorpTee made her last appearance.

Heaven help us all, because pantyhose make me hella cranky.

==============================

So, let's change the topic, shall we?

Let's change the topic to something cozy and comfy and yummy.

MAC AND CHEESE!!!! YAY!!!!

I do love me some mac and cheese. Yeah, I know, I'm supposed to be trying to lose weight, but jeepers, when it's cold out and everybody in the house is sick with some variant of snot-producing ick, then it's time to whip out the dairy-coated pasta dishes and dig in, preferably whilst wearing an old sweatshirt and fleece lounge pants and watching reruns of "Family Affair" or "The Andy Griffith Show."

Therefore, my recipe for the world's most excellent and easy M&C. Oh! "Easy" is not meant to imply "instant." It does imply simplicity, which isn't always fast. For instance, there is NO CHOPPING REQUIRED for this dish. How cool is THAT?

For enough M&C to feed 6 people, you'll need:

10-12 ounces elbow mac
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
2 cups shredded cheese
ALSO NOW WITH MILK!!! - 2.5 cups.......thanks wordnerd, for the co-rekshun
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
tine baby pinch nutmeg (trust me)
a stove
some water
patience

OK - start a cupla gallons of water to a boil. Once boiling, throw in about a teaspoon of salt. Bring back to a boil, chuck in mac, stir.

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir. Congratulations, you just made a roux! (you say "roo," OK?) Cook the roux for a minute over medium heat, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and add a little of the milk to temper the mixture. Stir like crazy so the roux is smooth. Add the rest of the milk, stir, and put back on heat.

Put the cheese into the milk mix, stirring every so often to be sure it's not sticking to the bottom of the pot. (Also, give that mac another stir and see if it's done.)

Bring the cheese mix to a slow boil, and seasonings, cook for 2 minutes until thick.

Drain cooked pasta, dump into a casserole dish, pour cheese sauce on top. Nuke for a cupla minutes to get the sauce all bubbly-licious. Let cool to somewhat less than molten temps, and eat.

(I add hot dogs sometimes....total yum.)

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