chili macaroni cheese

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I found this recipe on a blog called  
What Katie Ate.

a Ton of hungry boys and girls came home to the house early from school to sled and play touch football,
so what better to fill them with but with great winter comfort food.

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1/4 cups macaroni pasta

1 1/2 cups milk

20g butter

1/4 cup cream

1.5 cups cheddar cheese (I like to use a good, bitey vintage cheddar)

1/2 cup Pecorino cheese

1/4 cup chili cheese

Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Olive Oil

Preheat your oven to 250˚C (480˚F)

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1. Cook the macaroni pasta as per the packet instructions. I prefer to slightly under cook it by one or two minutes as I feel once fully baked, the texture is nicer. Drain and toss in a tablespoon or two of olive oil and keep warm.

2. In a saucepan, gently warm the milk, cream and butter and bring to a slow simmer, seasoning well with a good pinch of salt and pepper.

3. In a bowl, mix all cheese varieties together, then add half into the milk and butter mixture, combine well and add into the cooked pasta, making sure the pasta is well coated.

4. Grease the inside of a baking dish with butter and into which add the coated pasta, then pour in the remaining milky cheese mixture.

5. Sprinkle the top of the dish with the remaining cheese.

6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until browned and bubbling. I like to add a further handful of grated cheddar cheese and place under the grill for 5 minutes until crispy.

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So It's snowing again and all I want to do is drive down to the Bakery on the corner and devour a  big huge slice of cake.  It really doesn't matter what kind, I'm not picky at all.

I'll just jump into a larger hoody so I can be guilt free.  During the winter I find myself saying YES to dessert a lot more then Summer or Spring.  I came across "Say NO with Sass" by Connie Bennitt.  Im in the process of memorizing All seven smart, sassy retorts to defuse the situation when the waitress comes by when your completely defenseless and throws that dessert menu right in front of you

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1. "There's a full moon out. If I have some of your dessert, I'll turn into a Sugarwolf and start snapping at you."
2. "Thanks, but I'm just a dessert voyeur. I like to watch."
3. "Dessert? No thanks. I'm the designated driver."
4. "I'd love some, but your dessert is just a beast waiting to happen."
5. "No thanks. I'm already sweet enough."
6. "I better pass. People are still talking about the last time someone fed me sugar. I jumped up on a table, started singing ‘She's a Maniac’ out of key, toppled an antique lamp and hit on my mother's boyfriend."
7. "No thanks. As they say, sugar on the lips goes straight to the hips.

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Hot Stack of Flap-Jacks please...

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This Morning I woke up with the intense craving for a phenomenal

stack of hot-cakes, yes with some hot coffee and sweet milk...or maybe freshly squeezed OJ.

anyways there is snow on the ground and it's freezing outside in Westchester today.  I think a trip to Carbo land is exactly what I need.

 The Best pancake recipe ever, is Barefoot Contessa

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes.

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• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Unsalted butter
• 2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
• Pure maple syrup

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Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Auld Lang Syne

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Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne. 

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The song Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung by most of us on the stroke of midnight each New Years Eve however in Scotland, where Auld Lang Syne originates it is also sung on Burns Night, January 25th, to celebrate the life of the author and famous poet Robert Burns.***

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"You may be whatever you resolve to be. Determine to be something in the world, and you will be something. "I cannot," never accomplished anything; "I will try," has wrought wonders."

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I resolve to:

stay better in touch with friends

travel more ( i think another trip to Ireland)

read more of the classics
meditate

 create more paintings 
be grateful and at peace with what I have 
complain less

be a better listener.

be happy.

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HAPPY NEW

YEAR!!!!