Cream Cheese Mac

I try to eat healthy as often as possible.  But sometimes, I just crave mac n cheese.  And sometimes, I remember that I just happened to buy cream cheese the other day and haven't done anything with it.  And think that maybe I should add cream cheese to the mac n cheese.  And darn it, I just remembered that I also have sour cream in my fridge that I should have thrown in because it needs to get used.  Oh well.  I missed out on using the sour cream, but I did use some cream cheese!

By the way, I'm currently eating my second helping.  This stuff is too good.  Maybe I'll run it off in my race on Saturday...It will only be the 2nd 10k course I have ever run.  I've done a 10k in Lewisburg for the past 5 years, but it's the only 10k I've ever done, and while my times for the past 2 years have been decent, I really really want to break 40 minutes. I'm hoping to achieve that this weekend.  New course, flatter course, and hopefully some better competition to help carry me to a PR! 

Anyway.  Cream Cheese Mac.  Deliciousness.

Boil some water and throw in about half a box of elbow macaroni.  In a smaller saucepan, combine 3 tbsp butter, 3-4 tbsp cream cheese, a bunch of heavy cream, 1/4 c wheat flour, and a big handful of shredded cheese. Once everything is all melty and delicious, and the macaroni is cooked, combine in an oven-safe dish.  Oh and by the way, grate a carrot and mix it in with all that.  Then you can pretend it's healthy.  Mix well, sprinkle more cheese over the top, and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  

I enjoyed my mac and cheese on a bed of arugula, topped with a crabby beef burger and some shaved & sauteed parsnips.  And then I drizzled ranch dressing over the whole thing because...I thought it might be too dry without it?  And...go big or go home? 

It was delicious.  

Eating super healthy all the time is overrated. 

and here's a picture of the shaved parsnips before I cooked them

just because

they're awesome

Crabby Beef Burger

1 lb ground beef (93/7 lean)

1 can of shredded crab meat

1 egg

2 tbsp of ranch

tbsp of bbq sauce

1/4 c breadcrumbs

mix it all up, shape into patties, cook 'em up

I put some into ziploc bags and put them in the freezer for later.

1/2 whole wheat bun

arugula

1/2 avocado

 Don't forget the home-made fries!

I love home-made fries...this is the 3rd night in a row I've had them for dinner!

New Year's Eve

This was the 3rd or 4th year in a row for my annual NYE dinner party.  I make all the food, and just ask that guests bring whatever they want to drink.  I've made guacamole and spinach dip every year, but those are probably the only menu items that have stayed consistent.  I feel like my kitchen expertise has grown by leaps and bounds in the last year, and I put a lot of thought into making this year's menu the most spectacular spread of food I have ever accomplished.  

Due to various conflicts, only a handful of people were able to make it this year, but those of us that were there had a great time and agreed that the food was amazing.  

Sweet Potato Cannelloni

filled with crab, onion, celery, cream cheese, alfredo

Cider-BBQ Pulled Pork

pork tenderloin rubbed with flour & cinnamon

slow-cooked in the crockpot for 9 hours

Slider Rolls

choice of plain or cider

Mini-Quiche

choice of bacon or mushroom

Quinoa Salad

with carrot, celery, broccoli, mushroom

olive oil/garlic/ginger 

Cole Slaw

choice of honey & mustard or mayo & ranch

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

spinach, artichoke, cream cheese, alfredo sauce

Guacamole

avocado, lime juice, salt, garlic powder, tomato

Pumpkin-Cheesecake Truffles

choice of dark chocolate or white chocolate

The biggest hit!

I'm told they "melt in your mouth"

I didn't eat any of the white chocolate ones, but I definitely devoured some of the dark.

I'm gonna have a tough time beating this menu next year!  

But I will find a way...of course.

As a side note: as far as I'm concerned, the year ends in June and starts in August.  Which means there are about 5 more months to get through before the year ends. 

But for those of you who go by the number you write at the end of the date...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Post-Derecho

Until a few days ago...I didn't know that "derecho" was anything other than the Spanish word for "straight," meaning, go "straight ahead."  Turns out a "derecho" is also a very devastating kind of storm.  Which roared through Lewisburg on Friday night, felling trees, power lines, and whatever else it came across.  I just happened to be ordering dinner at a sushi restaurant when the power went out. Lucky me, I got my food anyway, because you don't need power to make sushi.

I missed the flying kiddie-pools while waiting out the storm in the restaurant...but I saw them strewn across the parking lot when the 90+ mph winds had died down enough to make going home possible. I did watch some rather spectacular lightning for the next few hours though.

   The power went out around 8 PM on Friday evening, right as the storm started raging.  On Saturday, still power-less, we learned that the water would be shut off at midnight.  Lucky me, it was back on by the time I woke up Sunday morning.  But now, 5 days later, some people are still without water.  I got my power back early Monday morning.  I happen to live on the same grid as the hospital, lucky lucky me.  People on other grids...not so lucky.  Some people are still waiting.  Did I mention it's been about 90 degrees out every day? I didn't want to use the A/C because it just didn't seem fair to all those power-less people. And since the grocery stores didn't have power, I didn't have access to any real food. At least one grocery store was open, but I really didn't want to live on canned food. Yuck.

  I had to clean out my fridge and freezer on Sunday night.  I did manage to eat the fish that I had in the freezer, thanks to some friends with a grill.  Everything else had to go, other than some condiments. And I kept the unopened orange juice...I'm assuming it's still edible?  And some carrots.  They should be fine. 

A very sad sight:

so empty...it's going to cost a lot of money to restock my fridge and freezer.  ugh.

and I suppose I should stock up on some non-perishables as well, so if this ever happens again I will actually have something to eat

I spent all morning Monday debating whether or not to leave town.  On Sunday, I had decided that if I didn't have power on Monday, I would leave.  Well, I had power on Monday.  I was really excited to be able to COOK my lunch.  But...there wasn't much to cook.  I knew pasta was possible.  So I boiled some pasta, and then scavenged the cupboard for something to eat with the pasta.  I found a can of crab meat that I was saving for crab cakes.  And I found a can of green beans that had been left by my roommate who moved out...a year and a half ago.  Lucky me, it was a whole month until their expiration date.  So I made a meal of pasta, crab, and green beans. 

It would have actually been a tasty meal...if it hadn't tasted so strongly of canned green beans.  I've been spoiled rotten by all the fresh green beans I've been eating lately. 

crab, mustard, alfredo sauce

add some pesto

add some fresh basil and oregano

(love that I have these plants!)

ewwwwww it looks like worms

I just kept telling myself that canned veggie was better than no veggie

lunch?

After eating this edible but not tasty meal, I decided no way was I going to live like this until the grocery stores were back up and running.  So I fled town and headed to Pittsburgh to spend time with family and eat real food. 

I only had to drive about 3 hours before I found a gas station that was A) open, and B) didn't have a 2+ hr wait

So this has been my derecho experience.  May you never have one.

On a happier note...check out the gorgeous sunflowers in the garden at school that survived the storm!

these flowers are over 5 ft tall but somehow did not get flattened by the wind

Crabby Crackers

I'm having a fun afternoon in the kitchen

preparing for my annual New Year's Eve dinner party

Appetizer Numero Uno: Crabby Crackers

Ritz Crackers, Homemade Crab Dip, Radish Garnish

Love my new knives...sliced those radishes like soft butter!