Nycole's Baked Mac & Cheese

I've decided it is about time that I get my cooking game up so eventually I can get married and not be a Peggy Bundy! I absolutely love baked mac and cheese so I watched you tube videos all day and none of the recipes completely grabbed me so I just took pieces from like 5 different ones and I did this on my own. It was really good. Next time I'd for sure use just a tad less sharp cheddar just cause its not my fave. I'd use another white cheese.
Here's how I did it! Please let me know if you try it. I'd love to know how it turns out!! Good Luck! 





INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups milk 
• 1 tbsp salt (put a little more when I was tasting)
• 2 eggs
• a little garlic 
• TONS OF CHEESE lol (like 3-4 bags of your choice of cheese) 
• 2 cups of cooked elbow noodles

DIRECTIONS

1. Make a rue (the base to make the cheese sause work). Put your butter and flour together, over medium heat on the stove. Mix them up and get the butter all melted. 
2. Add your milk. Then mix the milk and the rue until the rue is no longer chunky.
3. Add 1 tbsp salt
4. Add about 3-4 bags of shredded cheese (my preference is to have some cheddar, some italian, montery jack, and just having fun trying something different each time). Stir cheese in at medium heat so it doesn't melt too quickly. You want a nice thick sauce. IMPORTANT LEAVE SOME CHEESE FOR A TOP LAYER (you can use a 5th bag).
5. Add 2 eggs. Keep stirring everything together this will make it nice and thick so you'll have more of a casserole dish them a creamy dish.
6. Taste the mix and add garlic and salt to your liking. I know garlic is not a norm, but I love it in this dish.
7. Put your cooked noodles in your casserole dish and then poor the cheese mix on top. Mix everything together. Put a layer of cheese on top and you're all good to go!!  
8. Cook at 350 for about 35 minutes :) (check throughout you want a little brown but not burnt)

This is super cheesy and in no way a health food dish. I wouldn't recommend this too often or your poor little arteries will cry! Best thing about this is that it still tastes good for a few days of leftovers! 

Quick update: I'm on day 4 of eating it and I'm still loving it :) Today is the last day though lol!!

I'm lucky to have my family

Quite often I'm reminded of how amazing my family is because their support for me never ceases when I need it. For example today my grandma paid for a car repair that I needed. I of course will pay her back but how awesome is that that she was there for me all the way in Ohio. My grandmother is an amazing person and I do not know what I would do without her. In fact I think I wouldn't be a whole person anymore. She knows more about me than anyone else and she supports everything I do and loves me unconditionally. I am very excited my grandmother will be coming to Chicago not this Saturday but next and we'll do all sorts of fun Chicago stuff. I'm praying that it's not a bazillion degrees like it is right now!! I cannot stand the hot weather and I do not want my grandma to have to deal with it. No rain either. One year it rained so much when she visited that her train was delayed a day which was fun cause we had another day to hang. What's really cool about this year is that she's visiting for a few days and then we are going back to Ohio together to see her sister and my great aunt Ruth Anne. I have some fun stuff planned for us while she's here. I love showing her a good time and not letting her pay for anything. My grandma is truly amazing and I respect and admire her so much.

My grandfather is really cool, he's the ZZ Tops looking guy in the blue hawaiian type shirt. He took me to so many major concerts in my life and exposed me to a lot of great artists and opened my mind to seeing things in life differently. Man we saw Tom Petty, Aerosmith (twice), Rolling Stones, Bush, Ozzfest, Smoking Grooves Tour (twice), Alanis Morisette, wow I could go on forever. The first concert we saw was Willie Nelson at the Lorain County Fair. We even waited till after and like climbed a fence to meet him and get his autograph. I have his autograph somewhere on a red bandana. Seriously my grandpa is so cool!! He rocks at Jeopardy, has to be the smartest person I know. He knows so much stuff its really cool. When I was little I'd go to Lorenzo's this pizza place in Oberlin, OH with my grandparents and my grandpa and I would play the jukebox and play name that tune. I use to always play Bad to the Bone, I was religious with that song...loved it. Oh speaking of which I use to sing it into my little playstation tape recorder. I hope someone finds those and plays them at my wedding haha. I'd be embarrassed but come on I was a junior rock star, inside I'd be proud!! I look forward to seeing my grandpa in a few weeks.

My mother who is the lovely lady with my sister in the picture, you know the lady with the large hair situation. My mother is half black so she has always had this larger than life hair situation. I mean if she likes it I love it...and by love it I mean my sister and I love to tease her about it. My mother and I have been through it all, we've done more than our fair share of fighting and not talking to each other. We are both stubborn and it doesn't match well. Honestly I will always have a tough time because she will not tell me who my father is. I have always resented that about her a bit even though I hate to admit it and I hate to hold that in. I love my mom of course but will always have hurt. I look forward to seeing her in a few weeks and hanging out. When my mom, sister and I get together we are a bunch of hilarious assholes. We are always joking and laughing and have a great time. My family makes me laugh and keeps me sane while at times making me insane.

My sister, who just turned 19 (which means I'm old) is awesome. I think she's the coolest kid (which she no longer is) and have always admired her talents and strength. We have different fathers and neither of us like her father, total waste of space.She is now living with her boyfriend, so very mature, I'm not even there yet lol!! She finished massage therapy school and works pt. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she passes her test and can start her massage therapy career, so proud of her!! I am super siked to see her when I go home. When we get together its a total force to be reckoned with, we are assholes. We have a plan to go to Walmart and find people to submit to that wonderful Walmart site.

Ok that was a serious family rant, but they are great. That is why I got my last tattoo it signifies the importance of each of these individuals. My leg looks all weird in the pic but I absolutely LOVE this tattoo. It feels very Angelina Jolie bad ass to me ;)

XI XXI- My bday

VII II- Callie's bday

X VI- Moms bday

VIII XXII- Grandmas bday
IX XX- Grandpas bday

Big Brother: New Season

Alright so here is the new cast. Hottie of the season I'm going to say is Brendon, but why are there never sexy black men...epic fail!! Two IL folks so I'll try to like and cheer for them. I think being on Big Brother would be fun, I should try out for that someday. I'd probably be the bitch of the house :)

Seasons cast:

• Rachel Reilly, 26 – VIP Cocktail Waitress – Las Vegas, NV
• Kristen Bitting, 24 – Boutique Manager – Philadelphia, PA
• Britney Haynes, 22 – Hotel Sales Manager – Huntington, AR
• Monet Stunson, 24 – Model – Glen Carbon, IL
• Brendon Villegas, 30 – High School Swim Coach – Riverside, CA
• Andrew Gordon, 39 – Podiatrist – Miami, FL
• Enzo Palumbo, 32 – Insurance Adjuster – Bayonne, NJ
• Kathy Hillis, 40 – Deputy Sheriff – Texarkana, AR
• Annie Whittington, 27 – Bartender – Tampa, FL
• Matt Hoffman, 32 – Web Designer – Elgin, IL
• Lane Elenburg, 24 – Oil Rig Salesman – Decatur, TX
• Ragan Fox, 34 – College Professor – Los Angeles, CA
• Hayden Moss, 24 – College Student, Athlete – Tempe, AZ

So far my faves are: Annie, Brendon, and Matt

My least faves: So far I like everyone, although the redhead seems pretty clueless.

Some information snagged from: Big Brother Network

Myth Busting: Online classes are NOT easy!!

I cannot tell you how many times I have read or heard that online classes are easy. So NOT true!! In fact I'd say it is much harder than regular classes on campus. I have done both so I have the inside track. I got my Bachelors in the classroom and am getting my Masters online.

In a classroom you have the benefit of listening to your teacher teach you the important topics, reading is secondary, teachers have office hours, study groups with classmates and typically there are study guides to help you review. In the world of online learning you don't ever hear your teacher teach, you teach yourself by reading. So far I have had 3-4 books to read per class which is a lot in just 8 weeks. Online you don't have study groups to benefit from. You have weekly papers and daily discussion forums. There are a lot of points and you've got to do everything well to succeed. You have to be so self disciplined and dedicated to wanting to succeed.

I have successfully completed semester 1 with a 4.0 to show for it. I'm very excited about that. I enjoy online learning because you have opportunities to learn through your classmates experiences. Each week you must participate in discussion forums Monday thru Thursday. In those discussions everyone relates the learning to their real life which makes what we read that much more useful.

I would highly recommend online learning to people who can focus on their own. You have to be self sufficient and be able to self motivate. It is not cheap so make sure it is for you.

Dear Chicago

Dear Chicago,

Why is nothing 24 hours? You're so boring sometimes! There are very few restaurants, like no stores, some gyms and that is about it. I also feel like bars should be open later. Ohhhh...and my biggest gripe sidewalk seating at bars should be open past like 10:30pm. What a buzz kill when you have to go inside.

Chicago, I <3 but="" it="" lets="" p="" step="" up="" you="">
xoxo

Nycole                                                                            

Taste of Chicago is a crazy time

On the way to the Taste Wednesday we passed the giant eyeball being worked on. This thing is pretty insane but really pretty cool!! I <3 Chicago weirdness!

Then the next bit of randomness was this. Honestly the Taste of Chicago is pretty cool, mainly because I love people watching. Wednesday was fun. Hairbangers Ball was not as good as they were at our schools fundraiser.

Saw this license plate on the way to the taste. I like! I also super like the car lol!!

First day I went to the Taste the crowd was not bad at all. Second day it was horrible. I went to get a funnel cake, because the Taste is not a complete experience without one and there were about 100 people in line!! One crazy chic who started bitching at my friend because he slightly bumped her. People like that are the reason why people are getting killed everyday in this city. People who got something to prove, like they are the toughest thing around!

Not only are some of the people just rude for no reason, but a god 1/2 of them are totally random as hell! I was sitting there enjoying my funnel cake with my friend and I see a teenager sitting her weird self in a baby stroller. I doubt highly that any baby appreciates your funky butt in their chair. Then there is this girl who is wearing a micro mini walking into the Taste. I saw so many poorly fitting clothes in just two days then I have seen maybe ever. I am inspired to do a Fashion Hell Nos blog. I wish parents would start to look at what their kids wore when they left the house, or not let them buy poorly fitting clothes in the first place.

I heart the Evoque

 

Beautiful new car that I will own someday!

Enough said. Before I own this though I want to own a Terrain which is super cute and I have to still rock the GMC brand which is a family thing. When you have a close family member work for a company all their life you totally rep that brand. I have been loving and driving General Motors since 15 1/2!!I hate those little rack things on the top though, I don't want that!