Snow Day!

 This is what we woke up to this morning...

We had a little snow with a coating of ice over the top of it. It was cold enough that it didn't cling to the trees and the power stayed on. The road is snow and ice covered. We haven't seen a plow truck, therefore our mail box is still standing. You may remember that every time it has snowed the plow truck has taken out our mail box. 

Our neighboring farm always looks so idyllic with a little snow cover. The farm help worked quite late yesterday preparing for the impending storm. This morning it looked like all the cows were still snug in their barn.

Last night I made a yummy mac & cheese. This is my own recipe where I make a standard cheese sauce with cheddar and monterey jack cheese, then add sauteed onion, cumin, and red pepper flakes. When I mix it in the pasta I add a couple cans of Rotel tomatoes. Top with seasoned panko bread crumbs and bake until bubbly. Collard greens rounded out the meal. It was the perfect dinner to enjoy snuggled up on the sofa, streaming episodes of HBO's "Six Feet Under", and hearing the sounds of sleet falling on the metal roof.

Food for thought

Every so often I revert back to childhood and buy a box of glow in the dark orange, mac & cheese. Might I add that it tastes even better in a wood fired bowl! Jeff thinks it's disgusting, which is fine with me. I won't have to share.

While waiting for the macaroni to boil, my thoughts drifted to last spring when I was cooking for my Dad after my mother died. He is a picky eater (he doesn't think so) therefore making meals was a challenge. I knew he liked mac & cheese so I decided to make the real deal with lots of good cheese in  a creamy sauce, baked in the oven with a panko topping. I asked him what vegetable he would like with his mac & cheese and his reply was, "Your mother and I always had hard boiled eggs with it".

Huh, what? Hard boiled eggs?? I told him that hard boiled eggs weren't a vegetable! He didn't care, that's what he wanted. He had his eggs and I had a salad.

Since my mother's passing, my sister takes Dad grocery shopping and cooks him dinner once a week. She usually makes something that he can heat up another night. He finds cooking a real chore. At first we were appalled at what he chose to eat... lots of hot dogs and beans, keilbasa, SPAM, and frozen dinners. We have finally accepted that at least he is eating. He is going to be 88 years old in another week and he may as well eat what he wants. Aside from being lonely and eating lots of processed meats, he is in pretty good health and is doing ok on his own. He takes care of his own apartment and walks to the library and church when the weather is good. I wish I lived closer so I could visit more often and give my sister a break. Hopefully I can get there in the spring.

I think I haven't posted a photo of piggy bank in at least a week... so here is your serving of pork for the day...

Happy Sunday!

food that warms the body, heart, and soul...

casserole on left by John Zentner, plate by Kari Therrien, small casserole by Kate Johnston

When fall arrives I am always happy to take out that old favorite sweater to snuggle into and I am also excited to spend time with my favorite handmade casserole dishes and make some warm, hearty dinners. This week I was in the mood for macaroni and cheese. My favorite recipe is a four cheese recipe from Emeril Lagasse, you can find the recipe here. This week I modified it slightly to make it more affordable. This isn't an inexpensive dish to make. I substituted muenster for the fontina and used a little less parmesan. Jeff likes ham in his mac & cheese so I included it this time. It was the ultimate comfort food!

I have a few casseroles of different sizes and this one is my absolute favorite. JZ made it the last year he was able to work and it's the perfect size, 2 quarts. The cover fits perfectly and the interior is glazed with tenmoku, a good durable surface that is easy to clean. Do you have a favorite recipe that warms your body, heart, and soul? If you do, I hope that handmade pottery adds to the enjoyment.