I grouped these together because I made them together. I decided I needed to try at least 3 recipes, including at least one spectacular one, to claim I can make a killer mac and cheese or soup. I hit killer on attempt number 2 for both, but attempt number 3 for the mac and cheese was also killer.
Attempt #1
Shrimp and Mushroom Laska and Macaroni and Cheese, both from Jane Hornby's What to Cook and How to Cook It, a cookbook given to me my my dad for Christmas this year. The laska looked awesome in the pictures but then a little scary in the pan. The mac & cheese looked awesome all around. Looks can be deceiving. The laska, a curry-type soup, was really good but could have used a little more spice. The mac & cheese was baked and a bit dry. Soup #1 = killer. Mac & chese #1 = not. My testers for this round were Ed Cruz and Beth Spitelli. From my memory, Beth & I both liked the soup, esp if it had a little more spice - even though Beth didn't remind me she doesn't like shrimp and just ate around them - and Ed was neutral.
Attempt #2
French Onion Soup and Macaroni and Cheese, soup from an online recipe given to me by Lisa Morrison, and the mac & cheese from a Rachel Ray cookbook given to me by my Momma. I don't think my house has ever known a smell as lovely as the onions sauteing. Amazing. Now I saute onions regularly. Just for the smell. Okay, I eat them too. The soup was more of an onion soup because I didn't have the proper bowls, so I couldn't melt the cheese on top. We just put it in the soup. Then I baked some croutons, some with cheese on top. The biggest problem was that I figured I only needed about half an hour to make the soup - which was true - but I didn't read the last step which read, "saute for 2 hours." So while Ed & I watched the Oscars, we ate the soup, but it wasn't quite as amazing as it should have been. After Ed
left, Chris Zann and Holly Munk stopped by, and by then, the soup was really good. The mac and cheese went a little smoother and was quite killer. I wasn't what I had envisioned as it had tomatoes and mushrooms in it, but it was really, really good. Soup #2 = killer (eventually). Mac & cheese #2 = killer. My samplers were Ed Cruz, Chris Zann, Holly Munk, and we think Beth Spitelli, but our memories are confusing us as she wasn't there to watch the Oscars but she and I remember her trying the mac & cheese. Weird.
left, Chris Zann and Holly Munk stopped by, and by then, the soup was really good. The mac and cheese went a little smoother and was quite killer. I wasn't what I had envisioned as it had tomatoes and mushrooms in it, but it was really, really good. Soup #2 = killer (eventually). Mac & cheese #2 = killer. My samplers were Ed Cruz, Chris Zann, Holly Munk, and we think Beth Spitelli, but our memories are confusing us as she wasn't there to watch the Oscars but she and I remember her trying the mac & cheese. Weird.
Attempt #3
Tomato & Spinach Soup and K Rob's Portobella-Stuffed Mac & Cheese. The soup was a simple Rachel Ray and was actually quite good. I would make it instead of canned tomato soup. I'll probably mess with it and try other things in it too. Then I got an originial K Rob recipe, actually convincing him to write one down. It was awesome. Beth & my favorite mac & cheese, and I love portobellas. The only issue I had was that most of the mushrooms collapsed, so I only had a few pretty, truly stuffed mushrooms. I'll have to ask him what I did wrong and try again because it was a really nice touch without being too complicated. Yum. Soup #3 = good. Mac & cheese #3 = killer. My samplers this time were Ed Cruz, Beth Spitelli, Chris Zann, and Holly Munk.
I'm happily becoming a much better cook!
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