January 19, 2004

  • ANYWAY, back to the land of books and papers and PC's.   Winter is usually my more serious quarter, what with the cold weather keeping me in to study--well, at least in theory.    I'm taking Geography 101.   The prof's a famous archaeologist who's been all over the world and a most captivating lecturer.    (He has to be to keep me awake for early morning class.)   Today he passed around a well-worn baggy containing a sour yellowish lump of dried mare's milk.    Talk about deja vu!  I couldn't believe it was the same stuff I spaced out on once after reading an article in one of Auntie's vintage National Geographics about how some equine-dependent nomadic tribes kill a foal and make a leather canteen of its hide in order to siphon milk from its mother.    A genuine horse lover, it broke my heart.    So here it was, kumiss, just as yuchy as I'd imagined.    Thank you, Dr. S.!!


    Other news:   Twelfth Night came and, uh, went.   (This Lord of Misrule thing's never what you expect.)  Thea is all settled in--all her junk, that is.   (Like it, too.   Besides some real gurlie girl finds, the lass has a suuuper comp, man!!!  Oooh, this is gonna be fun.)  Saj is having a house warming once the holidays are out of everybody's system.    Chelle met a really cute greaser at the gas station getting Mummy's car smogged;  we call him  Mick cuz he looks just like Him.  Jeremy's been really putting the pressure on after getting wind of Brett's graduation, talking about marriage and everything.   And  I  loosened a big back filling munching out on, of all things, fucking toasted miniature marshmallows.    Yeah, ever since being denied a sterno-operated s'mores maker on account of their being a fire hazard (Brett heard they're aimed towards people with a deep-seated guilt complex who long for scouting days.  "Let them set the table cloth on fire; they deserve it!"), I've been hit with the urge.    So I broiled a bunch, and they were good.    Then I went back for another round the next day, but for some mysterious twist of fate decided to bake them.    Wrong!   They overheated and metamorphosed into some hard indestructible plasticine.   I thought:  Wow.   There's much more to "junk food" then they let on.   No wonder marshmallows are such a big joke.   But Ghost Busters knew.   Donna thinks the store-bought ones must sneak in some kind of synthetic sugar and stuff.   I mean, the shit wouldn't even melt.   I made the mistake of chewing it.  It got harder and harder and then, OUCH!   Damaged filling.    A real bummer cuz, like all Angeleans, I dread the dentist like the plague.    The real reason why they all wear caps?  They wait until their teeth are all rotten and just have 'em wittled down!   Tah dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    Here's something safer and much more nutritious, our old Winter standyby:


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    CREAMY OLD-FASHIONED MACARONI AND CHEESE


    This is just like Stouffers--even better with the extra cheese topping.


    2 cups milk (nonfat okay)
    2 tablespoons cornstarch
    1/2 teaspoon each salt and Hungarian paprika
    1/8 teaspoon each garlic powder and ground white pepper
    8 ounces uncooked medium or large elbow macaroni
    10 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups lightly packed) coarsely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
    garlic and onion powders
    2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese


    Butter a 7- by 11-inch baking dish and set aside.  In medium saucepan, whisk cornstarch with a few tablespoons of the milk until smooth; stir in remaining milk, plus the salt, paprika, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil; reduce heat and simmer a few more minutes, stirring constantly.  Meanwhile, boil macaroni in large saucepan according to package directions in salted water until tender.  Casserole will not be baked, so try to prepare sauce and pasta so they are ready at the same time.  Do not rinse macaroni.  While it is draining, remove sauce from heat and add all but a 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese; stir until completely melted.


    Working quickly to avoid heat loss, transfer pasta to baking dish; pour sauce over it and mix in thoroughly.  Sprinkle lightly with garlic and onion powders.  Arrange reserved cheddar cheese evenly over the top, followed by Parmesan.  Broil about 6 inches away from heat until top is lightly browned.  Serve immediately.  Makes 6-8 portions.