I got up on the first alarm this morning. No snoozing for me! I wanted to get an early start, because I had a lot to do around the apartment, in preparation for Halloween tomorrow. I’m still getting everything ready!
I didn’t hit Starbucks, because I left the house later than usual, so I spoke to Eric on the phone and drove straight to work. I made the instant International Foods Mocha, even though it’s not very satisfying. I figure I’ll get my Starbucks, or the coffee cart, tomorrow.
I had another great day at work. Have I mentioned how much fun it is in HR? The girls are SO nice to me. The work is so pleasant, and I enjoy every single project. I get to meet new people all the time, because all the new hires, the consultants, the temps and the candidates come through HR, or I go meet them at reception. I get to take people’s pictures for their IDs, and break the ice with them. I love this job!
The temp I’ve been working with has seen that I always offer to help with the filing and other jobs, so today she offered to help me, and I thought it was really great. We really are a good team, but next week is her last week (unless they decide to keep her on, too!), because the woman she’s sitting in for will be back on the 10th.
She looked at the cafeteria menu for today and mentioned they were having macaroni and cheese. I expressed my love for mac & cheese and she suggested that we go check it out. She emailed me a Food Network recipe she used at Thanksgiving last year and plans to make again this year. The recipe seems like enough to serve an army and she said she halved every ingredient.
I looked at the recipe, knew it would be heaven, and also realized it’s what you’d call a “heart attack on a plate.” Tons of butter, half-n-half, and SEVEN different cheeses. Yummy! I am putting the recipe here, for those of you who dare to try it:
• 2 pounds elbow macaroni
• 12 eggs
• 1 cup cubed Velveeta cheese
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter , melted
• 6 cups half-and-half, divided
• 4 cups grated sharp yellow Cheddar, divided
• 2 cups grated extra-sharp white Cheddar
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated Asiago
• 1 cup grated Gruyere
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack
• 1 cup grated Muenster
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until slightly al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy.
Add the Velveeta, butter and 2 cups of the half-and-half to the large bowl of eggs. Add the warm macaroni tossing until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining half-and-half, 3 cups of the sharp yellow Cheddar, the remaining grated cheeses, and salt and pepper, tossing until completely combined in the large bowl.
Pour the mixture into 9 by 13-inch casserole or baking dishes (approximately 3 (3-quart) baking dishes) and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of sharp yellow cheese and bake until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more.
Serve hot.
12 eggs? Two sticks of butter? Oy vey! Anyway, we went up to the cafeteria and got a serving of mac & cheese. We both agreed it was good, but nothing to write home about. I kind of felt guilty later for eating such a carb-laden meal when it wasn’t super-yummy. If I am going to eat something that’s going to leave me full of self-loathing, it has to be something that causes vocalizations with every bite. If you’re not following me, that means that every bite should elicit an “Ohhhh!” or an “Mmmmm” or a “My mouth is having a party!” as my mother loves to say! Otherwise, it’s just not worth it!
I left work at 4:30pm and called and spoke to Eric on the way to my Thursday afternoon appointment. Eric was out with two friends tonight – Mark and John. They contacted him and asked him to hang out for a couple of drinks. I only spoke to him for a few minutes, but he was having a great time and told me he’d call when he got home.
I really look forward to my Thursday afternoons. I find it very helpful and comforting.
When I got home I immediately got to work getting my costume together for tomorrow and baking cookies. The cookies are an important part of my costume, because I’m supposed to be a 1950s housewife, and weren’t all 1950s housewives always baking cookies?
Actually it was suggested to me by Sergio and I thought it was a fantastic idea! I bought three types of Nestle Tollhouse cookies that you just break apart and bake – oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, and peanut butter. The oatmeal raisin kind of fell apart and the chocolate chip got a little burned on the bottom, but the peanut butter were perfection!
Eric called while I was baking. He had a great time tonight and went on and on about what great guys John and Mark are. Well, I already knew that! He said they suggested getting together once a week, just to hang out. I think Eric was happy to hang out with the guys, but I know he is uncomfortable hanging out with couples we used to socialize with. He feels it's not right to do that without me. I kind of understand, but I know our friends love him and want to see him, so it's kind of frustrating. Anyway, he had a great night and that made me very happy!
After I hung up with Eric, I covered my big round decoupaged clock tray with press-n-seal and layered all the cookies on the sheet. There are a LOT of cookies!
So, here’s my costume: A black lace skirt with a cream satin underlay with a crinoline underneath. It’s not really vintage, but at least it fits and it looks vintage. I’m not sure yet if I’ll wear a black lace top or a black t-shirt on top, but it doesn’t really matter, because the gold/green/black apron covers up almost the entire top. It is sleeveless and wraps around tying at the waist and goes down to just below my hips. I just want to be comfortable under the apron.
I have three different pearl bracelets and a small pearl choker that really looks real (because the pearls are so small). I have green and gold vingage dangle earrings, black stockings with seams up the back and black open toed pumps. I am also wearing a vintage purse, but no one will see that, except when I’m coming and going! The piece de resistance is a vintage hankie in the pocket of my apron! Down to the last detail, I tell you!
I will wear my hair up and back with the clip-on long blonde curls, which makes it look like it’s in a high ponytail. It’s totally 50s, but doesn’t really go with the outfit – it’s more like how a girl wearing a poodle skirt would wear her hair, rather than a housewife with pearls, but it’ll have to do!
After I was done, I watched UGLY BETTY. Kimmie Keegan is gone, thank goodness. Betty’s nemesis was just too easy to hate, but not the girl you love to hate.
So far my only plans for the entire weekend are my massage on Saturday and a date with another girl in HR on Sunday. We’re going to see THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, which is a new movie starring Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson. I loved the book SO SO SO much and I’m so happy to get to see the movie. Melissa read the book, too, so she was excited to see the movie. It’ll be fun to see her outside the office. She’s really smart and has a great sense of humor.
I’m really excited about tomorrow. I’m going to wear false eyelashes for the first time in at least a year. I need to get up extra early tomorrow if I’m going to get this all pulled together and get to work by 8:00am. Wish me luck and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!