We invited Le Parret over for a casual lunch of chicken, macaroni and cheese. You should have seen the effort he made to remain polite when he saw me frying the chicken, distaste written all over his face. When I put it on the table, all crispy and brown, he faintly admitted that the chicken might be edible, although it was certainly not the French way of preparing chicken. After the first bite, he grudgingly conceded that it was fabulous and had two more pieces 😀 On one hand he gets on my nerves but on the other hand you want to applaud his insistence on quality food. France is gradually following in the footsteps of America the Great in a quest for food that is abundant, cheap, fast and filling, no matter how it’s grown, treated and raised. M. Parret would die first or, at least, lose a lot of weight before he would accept this kind of compromise. So that’s why I continue to give him my food 😉
This is my favorite way to make macaroni and cheese; 3 cheeses, creme fraiche, onion, bell pepper, elbow macaroni and bread crumbs. Never fails.
Over the last year I’ve had this insatiable craving for watermelon. Could this be a black thing?
Anyway, I mixed yellow and red watermelon with blueberries. Nice.
Macaroni and Cheese
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp butter
1 lb small elbow macaroni, cooked
1/2 cup reblochon cheese, grated
1/2 cup beaufort cheese, grated
1 cup comte cheese, grated
1 1/2 cup creme fraiche
Bread crumbs
Saute the onion and bell pepper in the butter until the onion is soft, then toss with the hot macaroni. Add the reblochon, the beaufort, 1/2 cup of the comte and the creme fraiche. Stir to blend well. Pour the mixture into a baking pan and top with the rest of the comte, then the bread crumbs.
Bake in a 425 F oven for about 30 minutes.
i love that song and never saw him perform it! this is just great! thanks so much!
You are welcome Jaz. This rendition of summertime has been running through my head for days but I couldn’t remember who sang it. Eureka!
I’m feeling weak today, after visiting a marvelous trade drinks show all afternoon yesterday. Your macaroni and cheese is just the kind of comfort food I need 😉
Thank you Mad. This mac and cheese will restore your strength 🙂
My my! That fried chicken looks seriously ‘va-va-voom’ 🙂
Thanks for your ‘never fails’ version of macaroni recipe. Will give it a try soon.
Thank you Nusrat.
As soon as you put three cheeses like those in a Mac and cheese you are on a winner. Very nice indeed my friend 😜
Thank you food. You’re right about the cheeses 🙂
Very brave giving fried chicken to a Frenchman
As long as it came out of my cast iron skillet and not a bucket, I couldn’t lose.
This made me smile as whenever I cook anything not at all Spanish for my Spanish family they all regard it with great suspicion until they actually taste it, then grudgingly admit it’s good but back it up with statements which reinforce that “The Spanish Way” is better 😉
I know 🙂
Ha, ha! And, ooh, that m&c looks good.
That’s my very favorite recipe for mac and cheese.
Fried chicken, when done right, can be high end fabulous. With your cooking I can see why he went for more!
Thank you Virginia.
Reblogged this on ABCOJAYKING.
Well done Mr Parrett for keeping up standards !! Someone has to 🙂
He’s definitely shouldered the burden 😀
What a fabulous idea to use creme fraiche in mac and cheese. I’ll bet it would be fantastic in a squash casserole, too…may have to try that. I’ve been on a watermelon kick lately, too. Made salad of one twice in the last week with fresh mint overtaking my garden, feta, salt and pepper…not original but very good. 🙂 I think it’s the heat driving me to watermelon.
Certainly not a black thing 😀
Just a retired old guy searching food blogs for cooking tips and interesting foods..
Found you through a comment section of another blog, bookmarked for future browsing and here I am..
Love what I’m seeing and reading…and then… a Billy Stewart video…my, my..I was in high school back then and rock and roll and rhythm and blues fueled our California sock hops and all of our dates (hated when the battery in the old Chevy died from playing the radio too long with the motor off).. but we loved the music..
and now its all about food and your presentations are wonderful… :O)
Ross
Glad you found me. I adored your comment! I’m just a retired old lady trying to stay interested 😉
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