Homemade Mac and Cheese a la 'Gustus

Strictly speaking, it wasn't "Mac" and cheese - it was pasta and cheese. Mini wagon wheel pasta and cheese to be precise. I sort of fudged a recipe I found online - changing the milk to half and half and adding some water, I didn't measure the spices (salt, pepper, nutmeg) or the flour (supposed to be half a cup - I think I added a bit more than that). And instead of the bread crumb topping that it suggested, I used Cheddar Cheese and Jalapeño Cheetos. What? On Daily Challenge, we had a challenge a few days back, that suggested that we try a new herb or spice or use a favorite herb or spice on a different dish. So I suggested Mac and cheese topped with one of my "favorite" spices - Cheetos.

A little side note about Daily Challenge, for anyone who has forgotten. I don't know how I got turned onto the site - but somehow I did. It is from meyouhealth.com. The idea is to do a little something for yourself each day to further your well being. There is a general track, which has challenges from all aspects of one's life - physical, emotional, mental. Then they have lots of other tracks that focus on different areas specifically - Happy Back, Lucky Legs, Self Esteem, Money Matters (I don't think these are the names, I am just going for a sense of the types of tracks available). So the idea is that you do the challenge and then mark it completed. Then there is the option of saying how you did it. Sometimes (often) the accomplishment really needs no explanation (yes, I walked a different route to the bathroom) so it seems kind of silly to write anything. Which got me started being silly most of the time. I like being silly. In case you hadn't noticed. In the course of being silly, somehow I brought Cheetos (which I think is a silly item of merchandise) (note I didn't say food...) into my posts, using them in all sorts of, hmm, less than normal or appropriate ways (do not think "bestiality" since that would make Cheetos an animal and I am a fairly certain they are supposed to be (or once were) vegetable). Which led to the above response. Which prompted at least one of my connections on there to ask for pictures when I made the dish. Which brings us to last night. And to today's post.

Anyway, the "mac and cheese with Cheetos on top" turned out pretty well. Yum and yay!

I could have just made this and added Cheetos, but I didn't!

Who knew there were so many Cheetos choices?

Not sure it looks all that appetizing, but it sure was tasty!!

I did end up going out last night but chickened out asking the bartender to hang out. Maybe I will one day - probably won't - but it could happen. Had a lovely time, though, chatting with her and with two other women (one was a new server there and one was a professor from Hobart and William Smith I have seen out and about a few times) (Geneva, as she pointed out, is very small - in a mostly good way...). Yippee!