– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young – - Why am I even surprised?

– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young –

I believe I’ve mentioned before, that I absolutely love macaroni and cheese, and could practically live on it. However, there are only two kinds I will eat and trust me, I’ve tried them all.

The Kraft boxed macaroni and cheese is delicious, and a throwback to growing up, when it was a cheap and easy meal. Of course, I don’t follow the directions on the package, I make it better, by adding a little more milk in the roux than called for, a ladle or two from the starchy boiling macaroni water, and some salt.

I also add a few drops of olive oil into the macaroni before it boils; it not only keeps the macaroni from sticking together, but gives it a lot of flavor.

My favorite is the Banquet frozen meal – just the macaroni and cheese, not with meat or anything else – that you pop in the microwave and eat. Over the years, I’ve perfected just how to fix it.

First, you poke a few holes in the plastic film, then microwave for 3 minutes. Pull back the film, sprinkle some salt over the macaroni and cheese, stir it, replace the film, then put it back in the microwave for another 3 minutes.

After that, take it out, remove the film and discard, stir once more, then microwave for 1 minute. When the bell dings, leave it sitting in the microwave for 1 minute, then it’s ready, in all its cheesy, gooey glory.

Well, that’s all very well and good, until you drop said meal upside down on the floor. That’s what happened to be over Christmas break. I had one of the frozen meals left, because there are only two places I can find them anymore (Hansen’s IGA in Stanley, and Woodman’s in Eau Claire), so I hadn’t gotten anywhere to stock up.

All day, I planned that the meal would be my “treat” to finish off my supper of steak and breadsticks, and I could hardly wait. At last, the main part of my meal was cooked and eaten, and I put the macaroni and cheese in the microwave.

Everything went as normal and when I pulled the macaroni tray out of the microwave, it was scorching hot on the bottom. As is my custom, I either place it on a paper plate or a dinner plate, so I can comfortable carry/hold it whilst eating.

Yeah, the bad thing about that, is the tray slides all over the plate, but I’ve done this for so many years, I’m very careful with it. After all, I didn’t want a repeat of that one time, when I was coming around the corner of the kitchen into the dining room and the tray flew off the plate, landing upside down on the floor.

That, too, was my last one I had at that time. Fortunately, we could still find them at the store here in town, so a quick trip there rectified my empty tummy. Back to this Christmas break. As I carried the plate with the tray on it, I thought to myself, gee, sure would hate to drop this like that other time.

I had no sooner finished my thought, than I sat down on the couch to watch TV while I ate, but instead of setting the plate down, then sitting down, I attempted to sit down with the plate in one hand and my water glass in the other. You can guess what happened.

The tray shot off the plate, somehow did a somersault in the air and landed upside down on the floor and my phone charger cord.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If any neighbors were home and listening, that’s what they heard. After my scream of heartbreak and dismay, I just sat there and looked at the mess, mourning my last meal of macaroni and cheese. Why am I even surprised when something like that happens?

Finally, I roused myself and cleaned up the cooling mess. It took me a couple weeks, but I eventually made it to Hansen’s and cleared the shelf (they were even on sale). I stocked up, so that should last me a week or two, wink, wink.

I might have gone overboard, because the clerk who checked me out commented, “Oh, wow, that’s one, two, three....10...wow. That’s a lot.”

I wanted to tell her, “Well, lady, with me around, you always need a spare for every one you intend to eat!”