I'm still here...

I've been busy traveling, the last couple of weekends. I also got sick (could it have been H1N1?..who knows for sure) while back in Minnesota. Lots has happened in my absence. I hope to start blogging again regularly on this blog and my Project365 blog real soon!

The Colony

The first time I learned about the book The Colony by John Tayman was a few years back. I was still living in Minnesota and I was driving from Mankato to Mapleton listening to Fresh Air on NPR. Terry Gross was interviewing the author of the Colony John Tayman. He was talking about a place that I knew very little about...Molokai Hawaii. He was talking about a place where people who were diagnosed with leprosy were sent to die. The thing that shocked me the most was people were being sent there as recent and the 1960's. I finally got my hands on a copy...I learned a lot from this book. The whole idea of sending people into exile because of a disease that is just not understood seems so strange to me but it also seems like something that could happen again. I would recommend this book. It was extremely interesting...the author also used personal accounts to tell the story and that made the book that much more captivating .

Mac and Cheese

I've been craving macaroni and cheese like crazy lately. I'm not real sure what's in blue box mac and cheese...Do you? Plus I've been avoiding eating meals that come right out of a box while I'm pregnant. I have an amazing husband who not only found a great macaroni and cheese recipe but he also made it for me! How cool is that.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 12 ounces strozzapreti or penne pasta
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk, divided
• 2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until it cools to 155°. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper, and bacon; stir. Add pasta; toss. Spoon into a 2-quart broiler-safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes.

You can also check out the recipe here. He substituted hot sauce with cayenne pepper and only put bacon in his half. You can also see he added bread crumbs.