1 - Mac and cheese
Or at least a twist on the dish. It started with a wicked mornay sauce and penne. I got a sudden craving for baked cheese as I was making it. And then, on a whim, I checked the fridge and found some maple ham. Everything was mixed together in a casserole pan and then I topped it all off with a bit more cheese and Italian breadcrumbs. It. Was. Amazing.
This was the elevated version of the sometimes-monotonous flavour of mac and cheese; the layers of flavours: cheese sauce, fragrant baked cheese, sweet maple ham, and Italian breadcrumbs. I'll try to keep this in mind the next time I make another batch of mac and cheese.
2 - Bread, eggs, and bacon breakfast
Our family rarely eats breakfast. The first meals that we eat are closer to snacks than anything. We do have pancake breakfasts on occasion. But our first meal of the day usually consists of eating some yogurt with cereal, toast, baked goods, and/or oatmeal with milk or hot caffeinated beverage (be it coffee, hot chocolate, Ovaltine, Milo, or milk tea). Nothing substantial.
I picked up some Portuguese rolls from the Lisbon Bakery (2563 Baseline Road), popped some bacon in the oven, and poached some eggs. The thing that took the longest to prepare was the bacon. I have no idea why I don't eat this kind of breakfast more often. I used a aluminum foil-lined tray to bake the bacon for two reasons: firstly, I didn't feel like standing over the stove as the bacon cooked in a pan; secondly, I didn't feel like cleaning the stovetop post-bacon-cooking.
Fluffy carbs from the Lisbon Bakery made a great vehicle for the eggs to my mouth. Mmm! A strong cup of G7 Instant Coffee rounded out the meal.
3 - Club sandwiches
Thinking back, I haven't eaten many club sandwiches at all. My first taste of a club sandwich came in an emergency room. It was late. I was sick. My mom was given a voucher to the (now closed) coffee shop and came back with a club sandwich and chocolate milk. I was really hungry and managed a few bites of the odd sandwich before falling asleep from exhaustion. The sandwich was comforting because it wasn't jello, popsicle, or ice chips.
I've tried to make club sandwiches at home but it just doesn't taste the same. I don't like to order simple sandwiches when I go out because it's so easy to make at home. But I ordered the triple decker turkey club at O'Connor's Irish Pub last week. I didn't regret my choice one bit.
Before that, VN and I shared a plate of sweet potato fries. These were the best sweet potato fries I've had. I find that the fries that most establishments serve are too thin. Because their fries were larger than the typical sweet potato fries that are served, there was more soft sweet potato to enjoy. The ratio between the interior and crisp exterior were just right.
These three dishes made me quite happy. I'm debating whether I want to add these into my food rotation or to only enjoy them once in a while. Do you have any nostalgic foods that you'd want to rediscover?
