"If there's two things that I hate...

...it's havin' to cook and tryin' to date." -- Jason Isbell

Last night, like most nights, I was in no mood to make anything fancy for dinner, so I turned to one of my go-to meals: macaroni and cheese.  However, my preferred mac and cheese has a very simple twist that gives a new spin on a meal that is a true warhorse for all bachelors (and perhaps the single ladies as well).

Sriracha

Sriracha is a Thai chili hot sauce that is markedly spicier than say, Frank's Red Hot, and has a great flavor to it as well.  It's hard to miss, as it prominently features a rooster on the bottle, and is fairly commonplace at grocery stores (if not, go to a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or other store of that ilk).  Its combination of heat and taste is tops and compliments the flavor of whatever you're making--a little bit goes a long way.  I can't recommend it highly enough and it's incredibly versatile--I use it all the time to make canned vegetables far more interesting.

Another easy addition to mac and cheese that ups the "comfort food" level are cut-up hot dogs.  My personal favorite, Berks Foods' Fiesta Franks, also add a kick to the dish, as they're made with jalapenos and cheese.  When it's all done, it looks something like this:

So there you have it: two easy ways to make a great dish even better.


~J.J. Gittes