F'ugly duckling

F'ugly duckling

In real life we can't all be winners. Some dishes are destined to be tried and never repeated but like they say about love at least it was tried. So begins the story of the f'ugly Mac and cheese.

Once upon a time there was a lactose intolerant girl who due to her impulse shopping habits had a refrigerator full of mix and match cheeses. She decided it was time for them along with all the other random bits of food in her refrigerator to join together in what was to be called the refrigerator Mac and cheese adventure.

For every adventure there is a misadventure.. that is to say a moment of bad luck which in this story came from not planning and a little bit of carelessness. The first misstep was the very first tester bite, which happened to be a bite of a freshly cooked noodle to test for tenderness.  Within seconds deliciousness turns into tragedy as it was quickly discovered that the pretty curled noodle contained a pocket of hot water that scalded the tongue leaving it useless.



Ingredients:
Favorite pasta for mixing with lots of cheese - 1 lbs apx..
Contents of refrigerator/pantry:
Broccoli -- bit of broccoli
1 med Beet 
Corn on cob -- cut from cob
Purple potatoes-- because purple is so pretty
Carrots---orange is a good color
Apples-- why the heck not
Onion
Fresh peas
Flour
Cheese tons of glorious cheese and other dairy because lactose intolerant girl hates to give into digestive bullying
---Manchego
---Brie
---fresh mozzarella
---Pecorino Romano (aptly named roman sheep, cause it's cheese that comes from sheep)
---some hard cheese with a burgundy rind missing its label
---some cheddar type cheese you can get at whole foods that's mixed with onion (I can eat this cheese like I can breath air)
---Gruyere
--Jarlsberg
---milk
---butter

Chop previously mentioned veggies into bite sized portions of your liking. Toss with salt, mitmita (if that's not in your pantry paprika or red chillies for a kick or back pepper for less kicking) or really whatever your favorite vegetable roasting spices.  Cook these approximately for 35-40 min at 350 deg F. 

While the vegetables are roasting-- keep busy, idle hands are the devils work ;)

Add salt to a pot of water that is substantial enough for selected quantity of noodles.  Boil water and add stupid noodles that will burn you later when you test them. If you've ever wondered why we add salt to the water it's because not only is salt delicious but if you add enough it can help make the pasta cook more evenly. To not risk burning tongue, time noodles as per the directions on the box and trust that the box knows best. 

Cut cheeses, (we're not in grade school anymore it's not that funny).  Take butter melt on medium in a large sauce pan, mix with flour, proceed to brown flour in butter.  If you want to sound fancy this is what people from Louisiana call making a roux.  Roux acts as a thickener and makes a meal seem more hardy, besides that nobody wants runny mac and cheese.    Once the flour is browned add milk, heat gently on med/low till it's thicker but not like gravy thick.  Add cheese and stir till all melted and full of intolerance.

Mix cheese sauce, with pasta and fold in veggies.. realize that this may have been a much prettier dish without the beets...

So concludes the story of how you get fuchsia mac and cheese

I may look like a duck but I taste like a swan... on a good note this would be a great dish for a breast cancer awareness month shindig