Whisk until combined. After the sauce thickens a bit – add the shredded cheese – stir until melted.Īdd the drained pasta to the pot. Cook this for a minute or two – until the flour is cooked. Make the roux with the butter and flour – add salt and pepper and fresh nutmeg (just a tiny amount). NOTE: I always reserve a cup or two of starchy pasta water – just in case you need it to loosen up the sauce. To make the sauce:ĭash or two of garlic or onion powder (your preference - or saute a 1/4 cup of onion and add to your roux – Jim doesn’t like onions – so I can’t do this)Ĩ to 12 oz of shredded cheddar (or a combination of cheeses of your liking – I use cheddar, colby, parmesan and/or whatever else is on hand). Set aside the drained pasta as you make the sauce. It stops the cooking process and it just works better for me - it prevents the pasta from all morphing together. I rinse the pasta when I use it for macaroni and cheese. I decided to re-create it at home and we all found that I did a better job than Applebee’s.įor this recipe I used one box of penne – I cooked it for three minutes less than the al dente instructions. But the third time – it was just okay – they are not being consistent. The last three visits to Applebee’s (over the course of two months) – Jim and I ordered their Honey Pepper Chicken and Macaroni and Cheese. I couldn’t go somewhere fancy if I wanted to – and truthfully – most places disappoint me. Jim is a very picky eater (no fish, veggies, fruit, onions, mushrooms - need I go on?). We can always find something there we all like.įood snobs – look away.
Most mornings, I cook a hot meal for Andrew and on the weekend – all three meals but occasionally we’ll go out for Chinese or Applebee’s. While I love certain menu items from chain restaurants, I’m also an advocate for making better choices and eating at home.Īlthough the media sometimes bashes fast food restaurants and ridicules us for eating our favorite discontinued fast food items, there are some healthy options consumers can check out.Applebee’s is one of our stops if we are out for the day. Fast food chains clamor to offer us limitless options. Making healthier choices when eating out isn’t difficult either. Discontinuing items allows us to try something new. Food conglomerates have operating costs of their restaurants down to the french fry count in the box. What it boils down to are profit and demand. It’s almost like these restaurants bait us with deliciousness, and suddenly they take it off the menu.
They’re looking for the ‘it’ factor in the next burger, potato chip, chalupa, and chicken wing. I’m also here to tell you that while we have some irrational fond memories of these items, maybe they’re discontinued for a reason.īig contenders like MacDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Arby’s, KFC, Jack, and Ceasar spend an enormous amount of money in the test kitchen. If only we could have just one more bite. A handful lingers in our memory as we lick our lips in anticipation. Fast food items define a culture some have staying power while others go up in flames.
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