Saturday Afternoon Comfort Food

It's the inevitable that certain customs, practices, even things become archaic with time. Take, for example my kitchen phone that hangs on the wall. It has one of those over sized cords, that you can stretch clear into another room when you are talking. However, with remote madness, and cell phone frenzy, I never use this phone anymore. It's become more of a decoration that I paint around every few years!

How about record albums...I have a whole shelf of these! I can't seem to part with them. I don't play them anymore, but I save them because they contain all of those great posters and pictures in their big, square covers! It would be a shame to lose all of that memorabilia!

Let's forget about some of these "ancient things", and talk about chores! Hats off to the parents who still designate chores...or even a chore...to their kids for the simple reason of teaching responsibility! Responsibility...good work ethic...or even just contributing to the family seem like the intangibles of the past!

I must say, Mama Melisi was real good about teaching responsibility...and designating the chores! Somehow, it was decided that I would be the "dusting girl"! That meant, every Saturday morning, I had to dust the whole house. I HATED this chore! It hung over me like a guillotine! It was the inevitable that I had to dig into that skinny closet, and pull out those old dust cloths...we called them rags! And then I would dust, until every surface in the house was dust-free! It took so long, that new dust accumulated! As if the task wasn't torturous enough, she only supplied me with four rags...it took at least twenty to finish the job! Hence, I would dust, and shake out, dust and shake out. The only thing to look forward to was passing the white glove test!

Honestly, I would have enjoyed doing other chores, like washing the dishes, vacuuming, even cleaning the bathroom...but dusting was the dreadful Saturday morning ritual. Luckily, once that hideous job was done, life went on, and I could enjoy some of the simple pleasures, like watching "Abbott and Costello", or bowling at the Garden State Plaza! Best of all, at rare times there was a wonderful reward awaiting...Saturday afternoon comfort food! I know I've said that Mama Melisi was a healthy cook, but when you needed it most, she made fun food that was quick, delicious, and a real treat!

This week, we're going to reward our bloggers with two easy, but satisfying recipes...Baked Macaroni (Macaroni and Cheese), and Sloppy Joes. The next time you do your least favorite chore, have someone make this for you!

Again, we offer this to you with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Baked Macaroni

Ingredients:

1 lb macaroni (elbows, wide egg noodles, shells or rotini pasta)
8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese cut into pieces
If you have any leftover yellow or white (American) cheese, you can add to the cheddar
1 cup milk
4 oz butter or margarine
Italian flavored bread crumbs
Extra pats of butter or margarine for the top

Cooking Directions:

Cook the pasta of your liking according to the directions on the box
While the pasta is cooking mix the milk, cheese and butter in sauce pan
When the milk is hot, and cheese somewhat melted, mix this into the drained pasta
Spray a 9 x 12 pan (approximate) with pam
Pour the pasta mixed with the milk, butter and cheese into the pan
Spread this in the pan
Sprinkle with some bread crumbs
Place extra pats of butter on the top
Cover with foil, and bake in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for about 20 minutes
Uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef (can use ground chicken or turkey)
1 onion (chopped)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 jar Hamburger Relish (comes in 8 or 10 oz jar)
Hamburger rolls or hard rolls
1/4 cup lite oil

Cooking Directions:

Add the oil to a saute pan
Heat and then add the chopped onion
Saute until golden in color
Add the minced garlic
Again saute a few minutes until golden in color
Add the chopped meat and toss with the onions and garlic
Once the chopped meat is thoroughly cooked, add the jar of hamburger relish
Mix together and heat well
Spoon mixture onto the rolls and enjoy!