October 2013 – Page 3 – Loving Food, Fashion, & Life

Making McDonald's French Fries

Posted on October 17, 2013 by LFFL

Made with Idaho russet potatoes, canola oil, and salt.

So I made these from a “How to Make Perfect McDonald’s-Style French Fries at Home” recipe. Let me just say—I don’t think so.

Don’t get me wrong, the fries were good and all. I mean, any fries you can make at home are always good—but McDonald’s fries? Come on, now. Either that or I just really didn’t follow the instructions properly, but I’m sure I did.

Recipe for—McDonald’s-Style French Fries (David Myers)
6 Idaho russet potatoes
Peanut oil
Sea salt (Myers prefers Sel Gris, a fine light grey French salt)

Peel and square off potato ends. Cut into 3/8” batons. Soak for two hours changing water after an hour. Dry thoroughly with paper towels. Heat about an inch of oil (or enough to cover potatoes) in a large, heavy bottomed pot to 290 degrees. Blanch potatoes gently for about 2 minutes until cooked through but still completely pale. Place on a paper-towel lined sheet pan and cool in the refrigerator to stop cooking process.

Re-heat oil to 370 degrees. Cook fries until golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. If necessary, agitate gently with a spatula to prevent sticking. Remove from pan and toss with salt to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

So, if you have nothing else to do today, see how close you can come to making actual McDonald’s French fries and let’s see how they turn out.

Take-Away Life Lesson: Never give up hope getting your fries to taste like McDonald’s fries.

Macaroni & Cheese Pools

Posted on October 16, 2013 by LFFL

Made with wide egg noodles, butter, heavy cream, milk, flour, Fontina cheese, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese, diced cooked ham, fresh Italian parsley, and salt & pepper.

This is my favorite macaroni & cheese ever—or at least so far. This is my go-to macaroni & cheese dish. The cheeses are perfection together and my taste buds know nothing better.

Recipe for—Macaroni & Cheese

Made with ziti pasta, milk, heavy cream, minced garlic cloves, Gruyère cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, butter, and salt & pepper.

Unfortunately, I could no longer find this recipe available on Colin Cowie’s website.

Macaroni & Cheese (The Neelys)

Macaroni & Cheese (Paula Deen)

Made with cavatappi pasta, butter, flour, milk, dry mustard, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, crushed potato chips, crumbled cooked bacon, and salt & pepper (on the left).

Recipe for—Macaroni & Cheese

Made with whole wheat elbow macaroni, cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, eggs, sour cream, Dijon mustard, salt, cayenne pepper, and Parmesan cheese (on the right).

Recipe for—Macaroni & Cheese

Macaroni & Cheese (Kraft Recipes)

Macaroni & Cheese (Art Smith)

Made with Velveeta macaroni & cheese dinner, cheddar cheese, sour cream, red pepper, Ritz crackers, and melted butter (on the left).

Recipe for—Macaroni & Cheese

Made with penne pasta, butter, flour, milk, extra-sharp cheddar cheese, hot sauce, Parmesan cheese, and salt & pepper (on the right).

Recipe for—Macaroni & Cheese

So, if you have nothing else to do today, make loads of different kinds of mac & cheeses until you find your favorites.

Take-Away Life Lesson: Make sure you have plenty of fiber close by to offset all the cheese you’ll be eating.

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I Can’t Get Enough Of Macaroni & Cheese

Swai Fish & Veggies

Posted on October 15, 2013 by LFFL

Made with Swai fish fillet and fish seasoning, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, stuffing, greens & spinach with onions, and tartar sauce made with mayonnaise and sweet pickle relish.

So, if you have nothing else to do today, make some good old southern comfort food for yourself.

Take-Away Life Lesson: If you forget to buy tartar sauce, you can always make your own if you have mayonnaise and pickle relish lying around.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Posted on October 14, 2013 by LFFL

Made with ground beef, cooked & crumbled turkey bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, eggs, toasted bread crumbs, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, salt & pepper, and French fried onions.

Oh, man, you should smell the house!

Recipe for—Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

So, if you have nothing else to do today, fill your house with meatloaf bacon cheeseburger smells.

Take-Away Life Lesson: No need for air fresheners when you can have fabulous food smells wafting throughout the house.

Baked Spaghetti

Posted on October 13, 2013 by LFFL

Made with angel hair pasta, ground beef, canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onion, green bell pepper, chopped garlic cloves, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, seasoning salt, sugar, bay leaves, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, garlic powder, and salt & pepper.

Ahhhhh, the cheese melted beautifully.

Ground beef

Cooked spaghetti

Ready for the oven

Recipe for—Baked Spaghetti

So, if you have nothing else to do today, try baking spaghetti this time instead of making it the old-fashioned way.

Take-Away Life Lesson: Baked spaghetti makes the best leftovers.

Creamy Mushroom Cheeseburger

Posted on October 12, 2013 by LFFL

Made with ground beef, steak seasoning, smoked cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, French fried onion pieces, and whole wheat hamburger bun; topped with creamy mushrooms made with shallots, minced garlic, cremini mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, beef broth, Mascarpone cheese, chives, and salt & pepper.

Oh, yeah, look at that burger.

Recipe for—Creamy Mushroom Cheeseburger

So, if you have nothing else to do today, mix up some fun and new toppings to add to your hamburger.

Take-Away Life Lesson: Getting creative in the kitchen can make your burger taste different from the standard.