Mac Attack
It is not always easy to receive comfort, just when you need it. But comfort foods like Macaroni and Cheese have been soothing troubles since childhood.

When you are feeling down and need the instant gratification that can only be found in the warm creamy pasta, you don’t have to turn to Kraft’s blue cardboard box or travel to the 24 hour dinner to satisfy your craving. Many bars and restaurants like Cafeteria (119 Seventh Ave) have tapped into the carb-comfort racket and serve childhood consolation meals like Macaroni and Cheese. However, in almost the same amount of time it takes to fix the packaged version or travel and order a side dish version, you can make your own cheesy baked ambrosia that is richer and more fulfilling.

Growing up I preferred cut up hot dogs in my Velveeta, while my friend likes to add a can of cream of mushroom soup to give extra flavor and texture. Instead of bread crumbs I once crumbled up some potato chips, tossed them with a small amount of melted butter and garlic powder, basil, oregano and black pepper. Yummy!

My Mom's Easy Cheese Macaroni
Called “Cheese Macaroni,” this recipe includes mozzarella; an 8 oz can of tomato sauce and no bread crumbs or paprika. (30 minutes).
Boil pasta until al dente, since the pasta will cook some more while microwaving, yes you heard me, we cheat. Once pasta is ready but firm, put in deep microwaveable container. Melt in 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 1/2 pound of sliced yellow American Land O'Lakes cheese available at the meat counter. Line the slices of cheese underneath the pasta, along the sides of the container and on top. Then stir in ? pound of shredded mozzarella and 8 oz of plain tomato sauce. Stir and then microwave for 5 minutes, stir again and heat for 10 more or until cheese is melted and gooey. You can of course also bake this recipe but the microwave actually combines the cheese well keeping the pasta very moist. Add salt and pepper as desired and mangia!

The Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese
Make sure you have some extra time on your hands for this recipe. Bake time alone is 30 minutes, plus boiling pasta and mixing ingredients.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound penne pasta; 1/2 cup butter; 3 tbsp. minced fresh onion; 1/2 tsp white pepper; 1 1/2 tbsps flour; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1 1/2 cups milk; 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese; 1 cup grated cheddar cheese; 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/3 cup bread crumbs.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water. Drain and reserve when ready. Meanwhile, melt 1/3 cup of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook for two minutes. Add the white pepper and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for three to four minutes. Don't let the flour brown; lower the heat if it does. Add the mustard and milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken. It should be very thick but not gluey. Add more milk if it thickens too much. Once the sauce has simmered for at least 10 minutes, add the cheddar and gruyere cheeses and half the parmesan. Shut off heat and stir them in. Stir the cheeses in as they melt. Return the pan to low heat if necessary. Working quickly, toss the pasta in the cheese sauce. Toss it well so the sauce gets inside the pasta tubes. Place the pasta in an 11- by 14-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the top. Melt the remaining butter, stir it into the breadcrumbs and sprinkle this mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden and toasted.
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Question: Why do people swing their arms while walking up stairs?

Apparently to smack me on the nose while on the step below them, making my commute that much brighter.

Reasons why I've stopped seeing some guys
• Bad kisser, big time, I mean it was like an octopus' suction cups or something

• Had bad breath

• Didn't know what speak easy's are or about prohibition

• Too short

• Smoked

• Selfish

• Cried at movies while my eyes were dry

• Wouldn't call or meet when they said they would

• They were Red Sox fans. Just kidding, actually unfortunately for me, most guys I date are Sox lovers and give me crap for being a Yankees fan a.k.a. a winner ;) At least they like baseball though, better than no interest in the sport.

Do you have any real interesting ones???

PS: My partially exposed breasts are now in the blogger Boobiethon for breast cancer. Donate or send your photo.


News: My former press ethics graduate professor at NYU wrote the following article Me Against My Students. You'd have to be an idiot to try and plagerize in his class, afterall he's the Forbes reporter who caught Stephen Glass' fabricated articles.

Always a bridesmaid ... part 2
I'm back from the wedding and it was absolutely beautiful. The inn was amazing, very New England and right on the lake. The setting and classic wedding dress made for a princess fairytale like ceremony.

Thankfully after all the tailoring my bridesmaid dress fit to the T, so no wardrobe malfunctions, phew.

As a gift, the bride's brother made a website for his sister's wedding, which will soon have photos here, but I've uploaded a few myself so you can take a look at how pretty it all was.



News: Nicolas Cage named his son after Superman's birth name Kal-el. I'm a Superman fan but what a freak (read more)

Always a bridesmaid ...
well actually I'm always a maid of honor (once for my mother's wedding and again for our friend Kathy) but this Saturday will be the first time I'm a bridesmaid. The dress I'm wearing is burgandy and gold. Unfortunately it arrived a few sizes too big, so it had to be tailored. I won't know if it fits for sure until I head up to the wedding. Hopefully there won't be a wardrobe malfunction of Superbowl proportions.

The wedding is for my college friend Nicki and it's in Meredeth, New Hampshire at The Inns and Spa at Mill Falls on Lake Winnipesaukee. I've never been, so I'm looking forward to seeing this massive lake and hopefully some changing colored leaves and foliage during my 4.5 hour drive.

Psst...does anyone else think it's ironic to be married in a state thats motto is "Live Free or Die" ?

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
Caught an advanced screening again yesterday at Lincoln Center, for The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson.

It's based on a true story and book, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less.

Evelyn Ryan (Moore) is a devoted housewife and mother of ten in the 1950s. A time period perfect for Moore since she looks so classic and has played a 50s housewife in Far From Heaven and The Hours. Her husband (Harrelson) can't seem to make ends meet, especially since most of his paycheck goes to liquor. The mortgage payments and putting food on the table falls to Evelyn, defying conventions of the day. She continually finds a way to keep her family together by applying her resourcefulness and wit to winning poetry contests and writing jingles for prize competitions. She wins a supermarket shopping spree and other contests that provided washing machines and other appliances the family couldn't afford, and even delivered cash to pay the milk man.

Harrelson who I've admired ever since his play appearances in Rainmaker and An Average Day, does a good job playing a jealous and hapless 50s husband. Although it gets really annoying that they call each other mom and dad, I hate that, but it's a true story so I guess they have to ;). People in the audience got so annoyed at the father's destructive character that there were numerous hisses and yells at the screen. I even heard two women mutter, "I'd kill him!" Thus he does a good job playing the loser dad.

Moore meanwhile is good in anything, so I don't even have to go there. Her character though is so perfect that I often got annoyed at her turn-the-other-cheek persona, however it's also very admirable as is her wit and endurance.

The film starts a little weird with Moore talking directly to the camera, but I enjoyed the television commercial like feel to the audience address. Overall the film is sentimental and aims to pull at the heartstrings, but "cute" and enjoyable none the less.

I felt bad that I invited a male friend to this women's film, but I brought him some candy from work and didn't seem to mind as much ;) Thanks Jesse.

DVD Review: 3rd Rock From the Sun--The Complete First Season.

I totally forgot how adorable and creative this show is. I always enjoyed it but I didn't watch every episode, since they kept changing what day it was on and so forth. Anyway, since receiving the first season on DVD, I've been popping through the different episodes like they were potato chips and laughing out loud. Jane Curtain plays such a straight lace neurotic, John Lithgow is brilliant maintaining that shocked child-eyed wonder throughout too. I kept looking forward to see what trouble the aliens would get into next and how they would embarrass poor Dr. Mary Albright and their secretary Nina. The first season is really endearing and I'm glad I got a chance to refresh my memory with these episodes.

Also, the coolest part is that the DVD talks, yes talks. Like some action figure there is a button on the box set and when pressed it has Dick saying "You are ... judgmental and completely self-absorbed, won't you be my friend?" I loved the idea of making the DVD more than just a DVD, too cool.

DVD Show Season Score: A+
DVD Sound & Vision: B
DVD Packaging/Layout: A
DVD Special Features Score: B
DVD Show Collection Overall Score: A-