2/06/12

Hooker Catlin's Macaroni & Cheese

Remember that scene at the end of Dirty Dancing when Baby’s dad is apologizing to Patrick Swayze and he says, “When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong.”? (whoa... there’s actually a clip of that)

Well, just call me Baby’s daddy (not to be confused with Baby Daddy) because I owe Hooker Catlin an apology for trash-talking her macaroni and cheese.

I mean COME ON!  Who ever heard of putting cottage cheese and sour cream in macaroni and cheese?  Evidently a lot of you based on the feedback on the Facebook page.  But not this Southern girl.

She told me how it was really good but I wasn’t really listening because I couldn’t get past the cottage cheese and sour cream.  I’d seen a few recipes that called for cottage cheese – and that’s not even what threw me off – I couldn’t wrap my brain around the sour cream.

Anyway, I’ve been seriously harassing her about it.  I’d even taken to calling it Mock & Cheese just for good measure.  So she threw down the gauntlet and told me she was bringing it over Super Bowl Sunday (which is how it is we even ended up eating a meal vs. having appetizers but now I’m just rambling).

Y’all.  It’s really good.  And when I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong!  And nobody puts Baby in a corner! Wait. What?


Hooker Catlin’s Macaroni & Cheese
1 12-oz. box elbow macaroni
1 stick (½ cup) butter
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
24 oz. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Cook elbow macaroni per package instructions for ad dente preparation (salting the water liberally).  Drain pasta thoroughly then add back to pot.  Mix in butter and stir until butter is melted and thoroughly incorporated.

In a large mixing bowl combine cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, salt and pepper and mix well.  Fold in all but about 2 cups of cheddar cheese and mix well.  Fold in cooked elbow macaroni and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

Pour mixture into a 13x9 baking dish and top with remaining shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.


P.S... We've almost had 16 cat fights trying to get this recipe to you.  Evidently hookers don't understand about measurements.


Me: So, 1 cup of sour cream and 1 cup of cottage cheese...

HC:  No... you use half a thing of each.

Me: Yeah, well, you bought a pint of each so half would be a cup.

HC: People don't know that. Just say to use a half a thing.

Me: (bangs face into wall): ...



Me: How much cheese exactly?

HC: The biggest bag you can buy.

Me:  I'm going to start shoving bamboo shivs under my nails.

HC:  What? You just buy that really big bag.

Me: How many little cup pictures were on the front of your bag?

HC:  I don't know!  Oh, and I had two bags.

Me: You're killing me.

HC:  It was 1 16-oz. bag and 1 8-oz. bag.

Me:  OK.  I can work with that.

HC:  You're kinda acting like a douche (OK, she didn't actually say that but I know her and she was SO thinking it).



Me: How much salt and pepper?

HC: To taste. Till it TASTES good (implied duh).

Me: I can't write that.  I have to give a measurement.

HC: (after making it): OK, there's 1/2 tablespoon of each.

Me: Do you actually have a 1/2-tablespoon measure because that's pretty uncommon?

HC: No, I only have one measuring spoon which is a tablespoon and I only filled it up halfway.

Me: OK, that's 1 1/2 teaspoons.

HC: Whatever.

Me: Don't you 'whatever' me!

HC: Whore.

Me: Your mama's a whore.

HC: Ohmuhgod my order from Children's Place was just delivered!

Me: Oooooh, yay! 


5 comments:

  1. We'll do this recipe because I love Macaroni & Cheese even if Tom thinks every meal should start and end with salad.

    But we'll use the ricotta in the back of the ice box that never found a home (usually fills in nicely for cottage cheese, we'll find out), whole milk yogurt because "it's good for you," and we already have that, plus, we happen to have bow tie pasta in the pantry and we ain't making a trip for elbow macaroni. Although we will put it on the list for market day.

    But here's the big question: Really, Caitlin? A BAG of shredded cheese? Criminy, what a waste of money that could be better applied towards the wine budget. Whuddya think that food processor is for? Just buy a brick and grate it! Cheaper, fresher, better. Anyway, that's what we'll do. Will post photo result to Facebook. If it doesn't work, we'll drink more wine while eating and never know the difference, but we'll make a note to do it Caitlin's way. Except for the already-shredded cheese part. (I LOVE Macaroni & Cheese! I'm going to dream about this.) -- Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the conversation between you two!!! You hookers crack me up! I really needed that today:):) I love Cat's mac and cheese!!!!!!!! MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmm:):) Scrumptious:)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Its the greatest we have been you using it for years... HC loved it with the Nawlins Fried Turkey

    ReplyDelete
  4. My husband HATES the texture of cottage cheese, but I think this sounds wonderful! After baking, can you still tell that there is cottage cheese in it, does it keep it's texture? Was thinking I could sneak it in and maybe he wouldn't notice.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes my friend Caitlin!!!! Making this today with Christmas dinner. Love it!!

    ReplyDelete

Hi there! While I’m not able to respond to every comment, I try hard to answer any questions that haven’t been addressed in the post, recipe or in other comments.

I can tell you now 1) I have no idea if you can substitute Minute Rice or brown rice in my recipes because I’ve never used them and 2) If I know how to convert a recipe to a Crock Pot version, I will make a note about it (otherwise, I don’t know).

And though I may not respond to them all, I do read each and every comment and I LOVE to hear from you guys! Thanks, y’all! - Mandy