You can file this one under: puzzlement of the day. Or "but it's not the same!"

[cosmolinguist]

I don't think it's fair that my boyfriend, with the same recipe, can make macaroni and cheese that consistently tastes better, in some undefinable way, than what I make.

It's not a huge difference. Mine's still quite edible. But not the same.

New puzzlement: Why are repeats of stupid Law & Order on instead of The West Wing? Didn't this happen last week, too (I don't remember; I was away from my television last Wednesday night, but I seem to remember hearing that I didn't miss anything)? What's up with that? I mean, sure I can still watch South Park tonight, but it's not the same!

All right, all right, no more whining about things I cannot change. I'll go back to studying for my grammar final.

Comments

It could be worse.

[emmycantbemeeko.livejournal.com]

I am incapable of making mac n cheese from the box.

Something always goes horribly wrong.

These days I stick to frozen Lean Cuisine mac n cheese.

Re: It could be worse.

[cosmolinguist]

It isn't even from a box! The boy has rendered me incapable of enjoying that kind of mac and cheese (which was probably my favorite thing to eat when I was younger) because his from-scratch kind os so much better...

But yes, at least I can say nothing goes horribly wrong. :-D

And I'm glad to hear that there are alternative ways to get mac and cheese for those who are lacking abilities in this area.

Re: It could be worse.

[5-rings.livejournal.com]

Mac n cheese in a box involves a lot of stirring, which means more time in the kitchen and less time chatting online, eh Em? ;-)

[tenbaset.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, I make consistently worse (filter) coffee than anyone I know, and it's not as if there's much variation in filter coffee reciepies.

(Ingredients: Water. Ground Coffee.)

[cosmolinguist]

This is true. :-) And yet, I swear there is a knack to coffee-making. Two of my roommates love coffee and drink a ton of it, all the time. But one of them refuses to actually make the coffee herself; something always goes wrong (like the coffee maker randomly shooting water everywhere when it's supposed to be done brewing the coffee, for instance). My best friend Ali makes great coffee, but it's different from the way her roommate makes it, even though they're using the same coffee, and the same machine, and everything. I don't get it. Oh well; vive le difference!

[tenbaset.livejournal.com]

Depends on the type of coffee maker - conventional boring filter coffee makers have no room for error, but the espresso makers have all kinds of knobs and there is quite a knack and technique to using them.

(Can't extract too much coffee out of the grinds. Or too little either. Otherwise it's not good. :-)

[paninogirl.livejournal.com]

There's the obvious solution to this issue:

Keep him around for life. :) If you can't make mac and cheese as well, make sure he's around to make it for you. :)

Muwhahahaha...

[kratkrat.livejournal.com]

What's your recipe? My home-baked mac-n-cheese is one of the few things I do well, such that I share it with others and have had people request it of me. But I'm always looking for other ways to do it.

[cosmolinguist]

Easy. For two cups of macaroni:

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon pepper (preferably white, but any kind will do)
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Cup milk

Melt the butter.
Mix the dry ingredients into the butter.
Mix in the milk.
Boil for one minute.

Add any amount of cheese you like, and maybe a teaspoon or two of dry mustard, and a teaspoon of worchestershire sauce.

[hyuri.livejournal.com]

Differences in which way you err on ingredient quantities, or timing the cooking process, perhaps?

[5-rings.livejournal.com]

I think tonight's South Park made up for your West Wing shortage.

[cosmolinguist]

I thought so as well; it was quite enjoyable.

[grafospasmo.livejournal.com]

the secret to mac and cheese (at least the homemade from scratch style) is in the quality of the cheese -- the better the cheese (and a blend of different cheeses is always best), the better the mac and cheese. The cheaper (like store brand) tend to be less likely to have the same melting abilities, thus the cheese tends to have less flavor, etc. I make mine with a blend of american (both orange and white), monterey jack, pepper jack, mexican cheddar and a couple of others -- which I grate myself. Plus I used a thick herb and chicken soup (adding only half the required liquid), add chicken, shrimp, a variety of diced peppers (red, green, etc), garlic, ground cilantro, a pinch of salt and pepper. I cook my pasta with garlic, drain and then add the cheeses while the pasta is still blazing hot, stir it in so it melts, then I add pour the herb and chicken mixture over the pasta and cheese, mix it altogether and serve with a side of garlic bread...

And it you use the best cheese possible, it all stays pretty consistent taste wise.

[grashupfer.livejournal.com]

Hi.

[cosmolinguist]

Hi. I tend to add people randomly; hope you don't mind. :-)

[grashupfer.livejournal.com]

I don't mind at all. Anyone who likes cartoons (as you seem to) can't be half bad. :)

[cosmolinguist]

And how! I sat around watching cartoons all afternoon, actually, since I have nothing better to do now that finals are over but my parents can't come to pick me up until tomorrow. :-)

[grashupfer.livejournal.com]

Cartoons are on the high end of the quality scale of what is on TV these days. Pleased to meet ya.

[parakleta.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's because geeky guys have a natural talent for mac and cheese... it's a survival mechanism developed at an early age...