The really excellent thing about macaroni and cheese is that once you make a batch — especially if it’s really good and most of the people in the household like the same kind — you won’t have to worry about leftovers lingering for days in the fridge.  It will be gone faster than you can grate your cheddar!  So today, in honor of macaroni and cheese, here is an infographic that features 10 facts about this traditional favorite food that you quite possibly never knew:

If you have not had a rib roast before, then you are missing out on some of the best flavored beef out there.  When cooked correctly a rib roast in moist, tender, and full of flavor.  Cooking it the right way does not have to be difficult either.  You just have to set the temperature and cook it indirectly.  My one recommendation that you must follow is to cook it medium rare.  Overcooking such a delicious and expensive piece of meat is not only unintelligent, but it is a pure waste of money.  I mean, these things cost upwards of $9.00 a pound on sale, so why would you destroy something that pricey?

One of the recipes that my husband swears by is the one in the video below from the BBQ Pit Boys.  It is easy and absolutely delicious.  So, if you are as obsessed with beef as my husband is, maybe a rib roast for the holidays is the best option for you too!

Thanksgiving is obviously most well known for the turkey.  The day even earned the nickname “Turkey Day.”  Turkeys are very interesting birds.  The can run fairly quickly, they can fly fast, and they have amazing hearing and vision.  They also taste delicious.  There are many ways to cook the bird and families all across the United States will put their culinary skills to work and cook up a turkey with all the fixings on the side.

This Thanksgiving, while you are enjoying your tasty foods, be sure to remember the real reason we get all these tasty foods to eat and be thankful for them.  In the meantime learn some more about Thanksgiving foods below.

One of my favorite ingredients to spice up my guacamole is chili powder.  Many folks don’t think to add chili powder if they are already adding jalapenos or other peppers, but this spice can round out your guacamole flavor without overpowering the taste of the avocados.  If you want to add some serious kick to your recipe, stir in a splash of tobasco sauce and keep adding until the fire in your mouth is sufficient.  On the other hand, some people enjoy their guacamole creamy and cool instead of spicy and unforgiving.  If that’s your taste, add a spoonful or two of sour cream and use a mixer to cream your dip perfectly smooth.  But no matter whether you have a high tolerance for spicy or no tolerance, you must never forget the fresh lime.  Some folks may tell you that bottled lime works just as well, but that simply isn’t the case.  The more fresh ingredients you add to your guacamole, the fresher the entire dish will taste to guests.

If you are looking for a classic guacamole recipe that everyone seems to enjoy, look no further that your neighborhood Q’doba restaurant.  If you aren’t familiar with the semi-fast food joint, it specializes in burritos and nachos prepared right in front of you and customized to order.  The establishment is well-known for its’ guacamole that has been a secret recipe to many, until now.  Here’s what you’ll need:

4 Perfectly ripe avocados

¼ Red onion

1 Jalapeno

1 Lime, juiced

A pinch of salt

Once you have your avocados mashed properly, chop your onion and jalapeno and blend them into the mixture.  Then add your lime juice and salt and stir until it tastes perfect.  This is a classic recipe that is guaranteed to please your family at the dinner table or all of your party guests on the weekend.  For even more dip recipes and ideas, check out programming such as Food Network through your local Dish Network packages.

Everybody knows that Panera Bread makes the most wicked, creamy, delicious macaroni and cheese currently available to Earthlings.  Unfortunately, it is also among the most expensive substances known to man.  If you only had the ultimate, gooey, cheesy top secret recipe yourself, just think how great it would be to be able to reconstruct the art that is Panera Bread macaroni and cheese in your own kitchen!  Well, it’s possible, or darn near it, thanks to our technicians who spend a good part of the weekend creating the ultimate copy-cat recipe for this coveted dish.  

You’ll need:

16 ounces of medium pasta shells

5 ounces vermont white cheddar cheese

6 slices of white american cheese

4 1/2 TBSP flour

5 TBSP butter

1 1/4 c milk

1 cup heavy cream

salt

white pepper

This is easy!  First, cook that pasta for about 11- 12 minutes on a high boil, and drain without rinsing.   Next, put the flour and butter into a large Pyrex dish and microwave on high for one minute, then whisk.  Repeat once, then slowly start adding the milk and heavy cream, whisking the whole while, until it’s all well blended.  You will then need to place this back into the microwave on high for one minute, about 4 times total.  Between each minute, whisk vigorously.  You will notice that the fourth time you remove it from the microwave, the white sauce (called a roux) will have become thick and creamy.

Now, add the cheeses. You should crate or crumble the Vermont white cheddar, and the American cheese is easy to melt into the hot roux you have just removed from the microwave.  It should all melt without much trouble, but if it doesn’t for some reason feel free to microwave it a little more.  Add some salt and white pepper, and stir it all up until everything is very smooth and well blended, then pour this creamy, cheesy sauce over the hot pasta shells, and voila!  The only thing that could make this comfort food any more cozy is the peaceful feeling of knowing your home is protected by adt home security.

With food trucks becoming so popular though, are people really aware of what is takes to operate a food truck restaurant?  The infographic that I found shows the reality of having a food truck.  Some of the important factors that food truck restaurants have to consider are location, permits, and gas prices.  There are of course other factors that will help in determining how successful a food truck restaurant will be, and there are some really creative ways for food trucks to spread the word and get more customers.  Take a look at the infographic and tune in to watch “The Great Food Truck Race” on the Food Network.

I love going to a fair.  The lights of the rides, the sounds from vendors, contests, the animals, and even handing out free college scholarships.  Okay if you have ever been to the fair then you know that I left out the very best part of it, the food!  Oh how I love fair food.  I have seen fried sticks of butter served at fairs as a food before, and honestly it sounds pretty tasty to me.

Fair foods are unique in that you cannot possibly eat them except for that one day each year otherwise you would have some serious problems.  The thing is that recently my doctor told me that I was going to have to start watching what I eat, so I was fearful that this year’s fair trip was going to be a major bust.  I found the below infographic and it reveals fair foods that are actually pretty decent to eat.  It even shows those that are not so healthy and how long you need to walk to burn off the calories.

If you are planning on going to a fair soon, then I recommend you have a look at this and make sure that you know what you’re getting into before going.  Whether you plan on going all greasy or just having one treat, I hope your fair experience is super fun!

I found a video on making a very simple but really delicious french toast.  I gave it a try over the weekend, and it was so tasty!  You don’t need a whole lot of ingredients or kitchen tools, so I think that you will really like this.

What You’ll Need:

2 eggs slightly beaten

1/2 c. plain or vanilla yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon cinammon

4 slices of bread

4 tablespoons softened butter

I came across an infographic about my favorite food treat, and I wanted to share it with all you foodies.  If you love bacon, then you probably can remember times in your life that involved a crisp slice of bacon.  Just me?  Oh…well, check out the infographic anyway.  It can’t hurt for you to learn more.

Ingredients:

12 ounces canned crushed tomato

6 ounces tomato paste

Splash dry red wine

3/4 cups white button mushrooms, sliced

Fresh Basil (optional)

2 medium-large yellow summer squash

8 ounces low-fat cottage cheese

8 ounces ricotta cheese (part-skim)

2-3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons oregano

1 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preparation:

To get started, you will need to prepare the sauce.  Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a saucepan on medium heat.  Toss in the sliced mushrooms after the oil is heated.  Cook the mushrooms for about five minutes then add in the crushed tomatoes.  Stir in the tomato paste and add a splash of dry red wine.  Stir the sauce and add in the basil (this is optional, and I typically just tear the leaves).  Let the sauce simmer while you are preparing the other parts of the lasagna, stirring occasionally.

You will now need to prepare the squash.  Cut each squash into fairly thin long strips.  Sprinkle a bit of salt onto the pieces and let them sit in a colandar  so that they can drain.

For the cheese mixture I recommend using a food processor or blender (your choice, but I prefer the food processor)  First add in the garlic cloves and chop them up–garlic is a personal preference as far as the amount is concern, I like a lot!  After the garlic is chopped, add in the ricotta and cottage cheese.  Then toss in the oregano.  Blend or process the mixture until it is all combined thoroughly.

After all preparation, it is time to layer up the lasagna.  I like to use a square eight inch baking dish and use olive oil to grease the pan.  Start the first layer as a thin layer of the sauce, then add the squash strips.  Next add the ricotta and cottage cheese mixture, top with a little mozzarella.  Do this layering one more time, but do not put on the mozzarella just yet.  Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 325° for 45 minutes.  At that point, remove the foil add the remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

This recipe yields 4-6 servings.