Boxed mac & cheese

No matter how much I LOVE homemade, I still enjoy boxed mac & cheese.

 Mac & cheese with hot dogs, peas, & carrots.

I know it's not fancy or classy, but it's good!

Mac n Cheese

I never knew that mac and cheese could be more than the boxed variety until I was in high school. (I don't know how I survived such a sheltered culinary life.)  This was a low-fat mac and cheese recipe that I adapted from, my favorite site, allrecipes.  Some changes: no onion, and didn't bake it.  It's been so hot here lately that I couldn't bear to use the oven.   It doesn't exactly taste like the mac and cheese that remember from childhood (not really a bad thing), but it's light, creamy, and quite pleasant paired with some grilled Italian sausages and a humongous salad.*








*And a beer.

Back to Breakfasts

Cheese grits and bacon bits

Do people eat grits in the Pacific NW? I don't see them often in grocery stores here. My family loves grits...It has a slightly grainy texture that can also be creamy. Depending on your preference, it can be served as a solid block (like polenta), or porridge form. 

I've noticed the grits purchased here in WA need more water and a longer cooking time than those purchased in the south. Most people cook grits with water only. I like to substitute 1/3 of the water with milk for a creamier result. Although I've heard that grits can be served sweetened, I've never seen it that way. Probably because that would be really freaking gross. Grits come with bacon and eggs in the south, not brown sugar and cinnamon. Why not just eat oatmeal if you want a sweetened porridge?

Lasagna

I have a slight problem. My family LOVES lasagna (and I enjoy making it), but...

it always looks so ugly.

This particular one is really tasty, and I like to substitute healthier alternatives whenever possible (ground turkey, cottage cheese, spinach, etc.). Still, even with all those healthier choices, I'm pretty sure that the benefits were negated by the massive amounts of cheese that my sister requires:

Sweet Cheesus.

Anyone have tips on how to make a better looking lasagna?