- Just because a recipe calls for it doesn't mean you have to use it (I hate cilantro but love parsley)
- Do not ever believe the number of servings because it makes a big difference on who you are feeding
- Good cooking does not have to be or should it be difficult
- Not everything has to be made from scratch
- Great ideas come from food magazines but be daring and change them up
- Cooking for family and friends is good for the soul
I am giving you fair warning, I'm not in a very good mood. The farmer's market came to an end this weekend so even though it was raining I sloshed through. Many of the vendors didn't even bother to attend and most of the ones that did, found it just wasn't worth the effort to remain open.
I am also not happy with how early it's getting dark and we haven't even dealt with the ridiculousness of turning the clock back an hour. Why can't we just leave time alone?
So since I'm feeling rather feisty to begin with I may as well do some venting.
When I ask people what do they think of when I say "food", I get a variety of responses. Some people respond with their favorite foods, others respond with special occasions and some just remember time spent with family and friends enjoying a good meal. Not once, ever did anyone say, genetically modified organisims, manipulated DNA, or modified seed.
When I ask about brands of food or food manufacturers, no one has ever come up with Monsanto or DuPont. When asked about DuPont and Monsanto I hear, plastics, herbicides, corian, teflon, and round-up. Oh and yes we must not forget one of Monsanto's truly memorable products, Agent Orange.
There has been a lot of press about Californians wanting their food labeled if it has been genetically modified. Seems simple enough however millions and millions of dollars are being spent by corporations like DuPont and Monsanto saying we really don't need to know if the food has been altered. Well, of course. Who is going to buy a box of "genetically modified Kellogg's corn flakes?" Sounds yummy.
Naturally, the company that produces the "modified" product doesn't want it labeled. If the consumer knows the food has been prepared with manipulated DNA products, guess what----no sale. So lets just keep everyone in the dark.
Since I am not a dietician, physician or nutritionist, I am not going to get into the long term effects or what harm may or may not be done. I will say that it scares me that most of these products do not require pre- safety requirements and how are we ever going to track their effects if they are never labeled?
What I will tell you is going to be affected by all this is taste. Any baby boomer or older will tell you that many foods no longer taste the same. How was it decided that we are all too ignorant to feed ourselves properly?
If you buy a pork roast from the grocery store and cook it up just the way your Mother did, you're going to be so disappointed because it isn't going to taste anything at all like what you had then. Why? Because it was decided that pork should have less fat ( and generally some water added). The big ad campaign, "the other white meat', seriously? I want pork to taste like pork, not a chicken.
Try frying up a grocery store pork chop. What exactly is that gray ooze that forms around the chop?. How would I know? It's probably something that doesn't require labeling. When my Mother fried up that pork chop the only thing in the pan was pork fat. And it didn't need to be marinated or brined to get it flavorful and juicy.
Someone is working on a square tomato because it will be so much easier to ship. No one seems to pre-occupied with what it is going to taste like. Heirloom tomatoes are generally the oddest looking, strangest colored tomatoes that you can find but you'll never find another tomato that tastes better.
I am not going to get into the corn fructose debate. By taste alone, I will tell you that Pepsi Throwback made with real sugar tastes much better than it's counterpart made with corn fructose. And shouldn't I also be able to decide what size I want to make that Pepsi?
So, yes if I have an option and the ability to make a decision on mutant food being provided to me by Monsanto and DuPont, I'll pass. I'm afraid you might get the Agent Orange mixed in with the orange juice.
I need some comfort food
Mac & Cheeses
1 (16 ounce) package elbow
macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons cream cheese,
softened
4 cups grated Asiago cheese
4 cups grated Vermont Cheddar
cheese
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add macaroni and
cook for 8 minutes (noodles will still be slightly hard). Drain noodles
and transfer to a large bowl with 1/4 cup of butter and toss to coat.
Whisk together the sour cream, egg, and cream cheese; add to the pasta
and mix well. Stir in 3 cups of grated Asiago and 3 cups of grated
Cheddar cheese, reserving the remaining 2 cups of cheese for the
topping.
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high
heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes.
Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate and chop into small
pieces.
Stir 2 tablespoons butter, the onion, and garlic into the bacon
drippings in the pan and cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat
to medium-low, and add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, for
10 to 15 minutes until the onions are very soft and golden brown. Mix
the cooked bacon, parsley, and panko breadcrumbs into the onions, transfer mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
Return the skillet to the heat and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter
over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the mixture
becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Gradually
whisk the milk into the flour mixture and bring to a simmer over medium
heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Stir in
the ground mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Remove sauce
from heat and let cool for five minutes. Pour the sauce over the macaroni mixture, stirring well. Transfer to a
greased 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of Cheddar
cheese. Top cheese with the onion breadcrumb mixture.
Bake in preheated oven until bubbling, hot and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.
