The problem with trying new recipes....

I love trying new recipes. I really do. That's the entire reason this blog was started. I am not a good "experimental" cook. Nor do things come to me easily. Like no joke, I just started adding spices (besides garlic and onions) to my ground beef when I cook it. I am not joking when I say that I am a SUPER cooking nubsauce. So when I cook, unless its something I have cooked a hundred times before or something quick throw together...its a recipe. Let's face it, cooking the same things all the time is just downright boring. And I try to limit that. We have no set rotation. I have no set menu each week (other then what I make). Honestly, every two weeks its 90% brand new stuff. Which is awesome in this house but not so awesome for picky eaters (ahem, Little Man!). 

Trying new recipes, however, can come at a cost. And sometimes, it does. You will find some amazing dinners and then other times you will be like Umm...anyone for takeout? I get my recipes from all over the place too. Some of them are blogs I read, some are Pioneer Woman's, some are Pinterest, Tasty Kitchen, Facebook, Taste of Home. And some of them are from those pesky little Pillsbury, Kraft, Jell-O books that are at the check out counter at the grocery store. Yes, I manage to bring home one or two new ones every single I hit up the commissary. Obsession? Slightly. But I call it material. Now only if I got paid for this blog then I would call it a tax deduction :-P

Anyway, I decided to try this Layered Mac 'n Cheese with Beef recipe I found in a Pillsbury book I have. It looked delicious enough so I went with it. Little Man is obsessed with Mac and Cheese. Like if he could eat it breakfast, lunch and dinner...I think he would. I threw it all together, which was very easy by the way. But as I was cooking, I saw the reviews that the recipe had on Pillsbury.com. A lot of people said it was bland so to add an onion and garlic (which I already do) and maybe some spices. So I did that. 

Nope.

I didn't care for it. In fact, I disliked it so much, I couldn't continue eating it. I hate like half and I was good to go. Little Man had given up long before me so he was just sitting there. Other Chef put Tony Chacere's on it and scarfed it down. Course he's used to eating bland, nasty MRE's so I didn't take his opinion to heart :D 

Verdict: Meh. I mean honestly, if you want to try it, by all means go for it. If you can someone make it taste delicious, let me know and I can try that again! I personally didn't care for it though :( 

Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

2

 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (8 oz)

1

 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1

 teaspoon salt

1/8

 teaspoon pepper

2

 tablespoons butter or margarine

2

 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2

 cups milk

1/2

 cup Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

3

 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (12 oz)

1

 cup soft bread crumbs (about 2 slices bread)

DIRECTIONS

1Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package.2Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, cook beef, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain if desired.3In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Stir in milk; cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly. Stir in broth and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Fold in macaroni.4Spoon 1/3 of the macaroni mixture (about 1 1/3 cups) into casserole; top with half of the beef (about 1 1/2 cups). Layer with another 1/3 of the macaroni mixture, remaining beef and remaining macaroni mixture. Top with bread crumbs.5Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown.