What is an Infidel Gourmet on a reeeeeaaaallly tight budget to do when there's bills to pay and voracious mini-Infidels to feed? Well, this Infidel Gourmet turned her hope-filled eyes towards the savior of many a cheap family meal: The Casserole.I picked up a bag of dry elbow macaroni at the grocery store thinking we could couple it with some of our extensive cheese collection living in the refrigerator, and then I saw it.........A no-fail recipe printed on the bag listing out ingredients that I already had stocked at home. Score! I hurried home to try out Mexican Starburst Casserole which was sure to delight the taste buds of even the most fickle of my mini-Infidels. If you're under 18 and reading this: No, the recipe does NOT have actual Starburst candies in it-Mexican or otherwise. Sorry to disappoint you. If you're Mexican and reading this: No, the recipe does NOT have actual Mexicans in it either.
Anyway, I added a few more spices because it's obvious the chefs who created this dish wanted to cater to the milquetoast Yankee Cracker palette. Many of you are saying, "But Infidel, aren't YOU a milquetoast Yankee Cracker?" Yes, I am. But living in Texas for 20 years has refined and conditioned my palette to accept the spicier things in life. The final casserole entree resembled chili poured over macaroni and topped with cheese. It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't too good, either.
We try not to say disparaging things in front of our many chillens, so my sexi-Mexi Papi reserved his criticism about the meal until we had a moment alone. Papi kept insisting that real Mezzicans don't eat casseroles with macaroni thrown into it. And I kept saying, "Are you calling the fine people at the macaroni company, liars? They said it's a Mexican Casserole, and I totally believe them." Papi raised his voice and emphatically yelled, "I don't care what the macaroni people say, I'm telling you that Mexicans do NOT eat this casserole!!!"
I'm a lover, not a fighter. So I smiled the biggest dimpled smile I could muster and softly said, "Yeah? Well I know of at least one Mexican who ate that casserole!"
48 comments:
WAHOOO I am first!!! BTW I am still laughing very heartly at the thing about the startburst and mexicans that is hillarious. K well I will have to try it. post the recipe okay. ROck on the poor living recipes.
Ah man. I thought I was 1st. :(
(Ok, I'm done pouting.)
Way to handle your man Elastic! I wonder if Samoans eat that casserole. Hmmm....
Ah, you and the quick wit of yours!
I am so freakin' hungry now! Mmm...cheesy goodness!
I just had lunch but I'm hungry again!
I'm glad no paisanos were harmed when making this casserole! :op
So... any chance of turning this creation into a yard decoration? Feed the pinkos maybe?
...Did I say pinkos? I meant pinkies. Definitely pinkies.
What? No recipe?
Are we supposed to guess?
Velveeta...cucumbers...and eggs. Was I close?
I can't believe you didn't put real starbursts in it. Fake starbursts just aren't as flavorful.
yep, my hub is a milquetoast Yankee Cracker too.Here's a meal the MIL would make.
Boil water. add potatoes then any kind of meat. boil till barely done- do not add salt or any typw seasoning. Serve.
After growing up with that my hubs loves anything I cook
Jean-uh's step dad grew up eating milquetoast and always wanted us to make him some
All that talk of being a milquetoast cracker made me think of the words to that old Billy Joel song:
"H-Town girl, she ain't living in a milquetoast world....."
Ain't it always the case that such "spicy" recipes need the addition of at least three scotch bonnet chilis per person to give them a bit of a kick?
Mezzicans don't eat such macaroni casseroles.
How dare they!? I challenge those macaroni companies to a duel!
I'll show them with my Mexi Judo moves.
No starbursts in??? Well then I am not making it! :P Hmmmm, cheesy, casserole, sounds good enough to me!
There's no Mexican in it? Awwwww. I love me a good Mexican.
P.S. Found you through Segullah ;)
so what exactly ARE the starbursts, then in the casserole? are they just trying to make it sound fancy? cheesy pasta with chili sounds really good to me right now, though. you're such a smooth talker to your sexi-mexi! i loved chatting it up with you yesterday, even if it was only for a short time!
remind me not to argue with you, Lady. who can withstand that logic and charm?
And your mini-infidels are much better reared than mine. None of them will touch bell pepper, and then half are vegetarians to boot.
It's 5:24, and I still have no idea what we're eating for dinner.
I'm sorry the casserole didn't turn out like you had hoped, but look at all that cheese! Every once in awhile I will think I've put too much cheese on something and hubby will say "that's impossible!" :)
Oh, and I understand how you can work up to spicier foods. When I got married, I had to put a little ketchup in my mild salsa. I've now worked up to Medium because hubby likes things spicy and now I do too! :D
EWBL-
I love your stories, you know that...
but looking at all that cheese, all I can think is..."dang I would be constipated for a week!"
Haha, I'm laughing at Jean Knee's comment! :D
I was crushed to learn that there are no Mexicans or Starburst candies in your Mexican Starburst Casserole. That ruined it for me...I feel completely gypped.
Way to handle the Papi! :D
Hee hee. That's tellin' 'em.
You know what, I'm tired of taking crap from Papi whenever we're on the phone. You tell him next time you make this casserole, Millie said to gobble it down and be grateful, or she and her chicken are flying down there on their broom.
Millie- Papi says, and I quote, "OOOOOHHH scared of YOU!" I think he realy means it. He was shaking and everything. Well, shaking from laughter. But shaking is shaking, right?
NORA!- Look at the part that says Mexican Starburst Casserole. I did put a linkie there so that all of my blog friends may rejoice in the splendor of the mexican casserole with me. Livin life the Infidel way.....
tori- Awwww, Tori, you'll always be number one with me. Well, number one for the times when I think about speculums. They have Samoan cookies, who needs a frickin casserole when you got your own cookie?!!!?
kimberly- I threw cheese into the middle of it too. Yeah, layers of cheesy goodness.
BEE- This is a Paisano friendly household. That is until the subject of immigration comes up. That's makes things spicier around here than even a spicy Mexican Casserole.
RAJ- My pinkos are on a special diet because they got pink eye.
carrot- Of course I posted the recipe. When it comes to sharing mexican casserole, no blog friends get left behind or forgotten.
stacey- the starburst is supposed to come from cutting the corners of processed cheese slices for the top. Processed cheese? That not how we Infidels roll, dawg.
jean knee- He must be Oirish. We had boiled cabbage and corned beef every St. Patrick's Day, but that's it. I come from German people. We eat a lot of sausage. We look like sausages too.
jams- Look at you making up lyrics to songs. I have influenced you over the past 18 months! I have the recipe linked to the blog post. Very bland. No salt, pepper, garlic, or cumin. How can you cook mexican without cumin??!!?
NCS- As more and more Mexicans come to the United States the melding of cuisines will become more common. We already have Mexican pizza and mexican lasagna and dulce de leche ice cream......the conquistadores have won. Winning the kitchen battle wins you the war.
amanda- Pretty much you can't go wrong when you top stuff with a whole bag of shredded cheese. It also helps disguise vegetables kids don't like to eat.
millie- Do you love you a BAD Mexican, too? You should be more selective about the mexicans you love, millie. I'm concerned now. Should I start an instructional program on the difference between good and bad mexicans?
aubrey- I've never been on an IM before! Just trying to think, type, and read was more mental challenge than I've had since my Rubik's Cube days. I loved getting the inside scoop on stuff the rest of the bloggy world will have to wait until next week to hear about. Inside track, baby!
dis organized- I only appear that way. Know what I usually do for dinner? I get my homeschooled daughters to cook because I've convinced them that they learn math, reading, following instructions, etc. by cooking for the family. Plus, they complete goals for their Young Women and Faith In God programs for church. They get something. The family gets fed. I don't have to do nothing. It's win-win-win!
suzanne- We're to the point now that we go through gallons of Tabasco sauce a year. Even my 4 year old puts Tabasco on her stuff. See how spicy we are? Spicier than the spice channel! Spicier than all the spice girls combined, too!
toni- My grandpa owned an Indiana dairy farm. I'm genetically engineered to be far more lactose superior than the average human being. When you think of all the genetic crap I got like varicose veins, greasy skin, hairy arms, well, I deserve to get something beneficial out of the mix. I can eat half a gallon of Blue Bell and not even get diarrhea. Jealous?
nancy- Papi loves him a sassy woman. He may frown, and sigh, and shake his head, but I know deep down, under all the layers of Mexican Casserole, that he can't live without the sass.
jennifer!- I've won the battle of the Mexican Casserole War. I want a T-shirt delcaring my victory on it.
I'm fairly skeptical of any macaroni recipe clames. But I eat them anyway...and so does everyone else in Sketchydom (population 6). I've yet to be challenged on my dinner preparations. Mainly because the rule around here is you complain tonight, you cook tomorrow.
Well I'm still commenting. That "Blogging Without Obligation" button doesn't work. It's just for looks. I wish I could come over and help you get all your work done. ))Elastic(( (That's a big bosomy hug, por vu.
Hey wait a second! What's with all the rainbow bracelets? Are you wrestling with your sexuality, and that's why you'r not taking comments?
*gasp* PROCESSED cheese?????
I'm sorry,I need to go lie down.
LOL! It does look all starbursty! But I think it is nice that you only talk bad about the food after the kids are gone. I get "It was okay."
"Yankee Cracker palette"
hee...now there's a name for it :)
What?! You're closing comments? Oh alright. Don't respond to this--just know that some stranger cares that you get a break soon. (Very soon, so that you can post again soon. Soon. But no pressure.)
You are a blogging over-achiever when it comes to commenting on your commenters comments.
PUBLIC NOTICE: I, Annie, hereby relieve the Elasticwaistbandlady of the self-imposed obligation of commenting on my comments. I already know you love me. So let it be written. So let it be done.
Way to show him girl!
haha you crack me up. I honestly looked at the casserole and my mouth started to water...It looks pretty good to me. I love me some good cheesy goodness.
I hereby bestoweth the honoreth of yet another awardeth uponeth thee!
Come by and check it out when you have a minute! :D
It's a wonder you have time to breed dreathe uh breathe! :o)
How old is your oldest? Cuz the way I figure my momma had five kids me being the first born had to help with the rest of the rugrats. HEY! I think that's why she had me!
Elastic--you went about this macaroni masterpiece all wrong. Here's what you do: boil up a box of the cheap mac & cheese, add the margerine (since we're not concerned with nutrition in this meal--only filling tummies), milk, and that orange powdery stuff if you're brave. Then dump in a can of chili beans...and Starburst, for that splash of color. Voila! You've got dinner. And my kids even like it (with the Starburts separate, of course).
Mexicans eat casseroles? Who knew!
Anything topped with melty cheesy goodness is alright with me.
Hey, glad to meet you!
Macaroni goes in everything...least it does here.
Your mortal food disgusts and enrages me.
You should sue the recipe site, EWL. Your Papi is more than right: I'm afraid this recipe will lead to many divorces. Internationalism is beautiful, but shouldn't be experimented on innocent stomachs and husbands. Those who create such recipes, should try on lab rats first (but the greens would be very effective in opposing it and having the site down). I am outraged, and I'm afraid so was your family.
Redwine, the casserole nazi
Way to tell that Papi.
See?!? That last comment was so insipid it does not DESERVE a comment, so scrap it! Don't bother! I think it's enough to know that you are out there somewhere, living under the same stars as me.
Though the stars are bigger in Texas, aren't they?
I hope one doesn't fall on you or anything. I'd sure miss you.
And SPAM CUPCAKES? That is thoroughly nasty. Eww. Vomit-Tron factor of 12.
And HOLEEEEE CRAPOLA! IS THAT ME GETTIN' A LINK IN YOUR SIDEBAR?!?!
*takes a moment to faint*
Wow.
*sniff*
I'm not going to ever wash these eyes, that saw my blog *sniff* linked on yours.
*sniff*
Redwine! Where did your blog go? I went to see you and nothing. nada. zip. ailch. Only silence and the occasional chirping of crickets.
Well, can't most sins of internationalism be solved by throwing macaroni at it?
I think you should have added the starbursts. I bet they just forgot to add it to the list of ingredients. That would have made it taste good. As well as a couple of mexicans.
I made a chow mein noodle casserole from my once a month cooking group, and I thought it was the nastiest stuff ever, and my husband was in heaven. There is just no accounting for taste sometimes.
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