not so MANIC MONDAY

"mamas in the kitchen with the mac n' cheese..."

FLASHBACK january 24, 2014
another mandatory friday night means we need to come  up with another dish for dinner. that means i get to try another pinterest recipe!! i find the perfect side dish involving 4 of my favorite things: beer, bacon, cheese, and pasta!!

TODAY
it's a comfort food kind of day. and my mandatory friday night side would actually make a delicious main course for a simple monday dinner. you should give this pinterest success a try!!

BEER BACON MAC AND CHEESE

ingredients:

12 oz thick cut bacon
2 tbs unsalted butter
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground chile de arbol (or cayenne to taste)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 c beer (i used great lakes christmas ale)
1/2 c chicken broth
2 c milk
1 tsp worcestshire sauce
1 8oz bag of shredded mild cheddar cheese
16 oz dry elbow pasta

boil pasta until al dente. drain and set aside. 
cut bacon into bite size pieces. fry, over medium heat, until crispy. set aside and reserve 2 tbs of the drippings, discarding the rest. 
melt butter in skillet with reserved bacon drippings. whisk in flour. allow to cook a minute or two to cook off flour taste. add spices and beer. bring to a bubble for about 3 minutes. add milk. when it comes to a bubble, add worcestshire, bacon, and cheese. whisk to combine.
add pasta. stir to combine. allow to cook over low heat for about 5 minutes.
pour into casserole dish. sprinkle with chives (optional). serves 4-6.

  

                         

enjoy!!!

bonus: kathy brought another successful pinterest recipe to mandatory friday night. click here to try CAKE BATTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. they were delicious!!!

FLASHBACK 2737 bc

BECAUSE IT'S TOTALLY WORTH REPEATING...
"you get tea when it's raining, tea when it's snowing. tea when the weather's fine..."
rumor has it that tea is discovered by chinese emperor, shan nong. supposedly, this emperor likes to boil his drinking water...which, if you watch survivorman at all, you know this is a good idea...and, one day, while strolling thru the gardens, a few tea leaves fall in his mug. KABOOM!! tea inventor! (all of this MUST be true...i read it on the internet. here and also here. )
FLASH FORWARD today
today is a brrrrrr chilly rabbit sort of day. a day where you get hypothermia just looking out the window. it's the perfect day for snuggling in with a great read...or a horrible lifetime movie...and sipping on a nice...hot...cup of tea. and what a perfect month to do that...it just happens to be national hot tea month!

             

^i'm telling you...brrrr chilly rabbit!^

so, you don't know the first thing about hot tea? or how to enjoy it? the following is a list of the different types and their health benefits. yes. i said HEALTH benefits!

• GREEN TEA: this is made with steamed tea leaves. it contains the most ECGC, an antioxidant known as as a flavanoid. green tea's antioxidants are thought to interfere with the growth of some cancers. specifically: bladder, breast, lung, colorectal, and stomach cancers. it is, also, thought to help burn fat. BONUS!!! plus, it's delicious. 
• BLACK TEA: this is made with fermented tea leaves. it contains the most caffeine. studies show that black tea may protect lungs from the damage caused by cigarette smoke. don't ask me how...i'm not gonna do that much research. also. it's delicious.
• WHITE TEA: this is uncured and unfermented. again, it's antioxidants have been credited with preventing cancers. it is, also, thought to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. ummmm...i have never ever tried white tea, so it might suck. but i imagine it's delicious!
• OOLONG TEA: this is a semi~fermented tea. it has been credited to lower bad cholesterol levels. and, it has been marketed as a weight loss supplement but no studies have substantiated this claim. again...delicious!

the best way to enjoy hot tea? well...some people add sugar. some people add cream. some people float a nice slice of lemon. there is NO wrong way. i, personally, enjoy a flavored tea, with a bit of splenda , while snuggled on the couch, covered in my nightmare before christmas blanket. 

                                   

BECAUSE IT'S THURSDAY?

"puff the magic dragon lived by the sea...."

dragon: a mythical monster like a giant reptile. in european tradition the dragon is typically fire-breathing and tends to symbolize chaos or evil, whereas in east asia it is usually a beneficent symbol of fertility, associated with water and the heavens.










just a quick list of my favorite dragons in honor of "appreciate a dragon" day:

1. puff the magic dragon

2. falkor (the never ending story)

3. elliot (pete's dragon)

4. smaug (j.r.r. tolkien's the hobbit)

5. the hungarian horntail (j.k. rowling's harry potter)

6. maleficent (sleeping beauty)

7. (and my all time favorite) h.r. pufnstuf

have you appreciated a dragon today?