Lazy Leftover Late Lunch Recipe

Corned Beef Sandwiches and Browned Butter Mac and Cheese

All the big-girl jewelry blogs have recipes. They say the regular readers (and I know I have some other than the spambot; Google Analytics reveals you!) like it. This is my very special version of that: Partly because I use the "food" setting on my somewhat-trusty Polariod i1036 for jewelry photos and I'm idly curious to see if it works as well for, you know, food. Partly because I am a slave to "How to Get Blog Traffic" tip lists. Partly because I feel like blogging today, and as soon as the temperatures hit the 90s, M decided she was craving about four different kinds of hot food, and I needed something semi-quick and cheap for in between the corned beef and the Alton Brown-recipe borscht.

And this manner of prepping mac and cheese is actually better, and it may be de rigeur somewhere, but it's different from how I learned it.

In this recipe:
Protein
Starch
Optional veggies
A pseudo-gourmet take on Kraft
Prep time: 10-20 minutes
Serves 2 hungry people
Suitable for hearty late lunch

Recipe after the jump!




Ingredients:
-1 box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese*
-milk and butter/margarine to prepare above
-4 slices of bread
-leftover corned beef and cabbage**
-mustard

*Generic, store and off-brands work just as well for me, but y'know, maybe someone can taste the difference.  I like the shapes or shells rather than the elbow macaroni.  They have a slightly different texture.
**Toss the store-bought corned beef, half a sliced green cabbage, potatoes if desired, and some water into a crock pot on low heat overnight.  Presto: Irish-fusion lunch meat.


Start by putting water on to boil for the mac and cheese.  While you wait for it to boil, slice quarter-inch slices from the leftover corned beef loaf.  Trim down or remove fat if desired.  Pour macaroni into boiling water and glance at the clock, then promptly forget the time because you'll be guessing anyway.

Keep half an eye on the pot while putting corned beef slices in the microwave for roughly 30 seconds.

Toast four slices of bread (I like to use Canadian oat).  Squirt or dollop your mustard of choice onto two of the slices and spread thinly with a butter knife.

Check if the macaroni is tender by lifting a few noodles from the water with a slotted spoon and poking at them once cooled.  If tender, pour the lot into a colander.  Shake and tilt the colander to drain as thoroughly as possible, then return the macaroni to the pot.

This is the special part: Do not turn off the heat, just turn it to medium-low.  Now throw the butter or margarine in as a whole 3 to 4-tablespoon chunk (recipes on the box actually can vary by region and store.  Use three to four tablespoons.  Trust me on this).  Stir nearly-constantly until the butter is melted.  The pasta makes an awesome noise as you do this, and, more importantly, the butter takes on a rich gourmetish browned flavor.

Between strokes of your spoon, get the corned beef, which should be warm through but not piping hot.  Arrange slices onto the mustardy bread. 

Once the butter is melted, add the cheesy powder.  Stir until it's fairly evenly distributed.  Eyeball the addition of milk, keeping in mind it will evaporate a little; we like ours semi-creamy so "until it covers the bottom of the pot" is usually good.

If desired, take relatively flat bits of the tender boiled cabbage; place them, cold, on your sandwich and pop the remaining piece of bread on top.  Stir your macaroni again.  Note the slight change in the noise it makes.

If trying to impress someone (say, recently self-invited guests), cut the sandwiches into four triangles.  Put a scoop of the macaroni and cheese in a small ramekin and sprinkle finely grated cheese over the top (shaker parmesan works too, in very small quantities).  Place it in the center of a real plate and arrange the sandwich triangles around it.  Offer seconds.  Otherwise, paper plates, and hold on tightly to your sandwich to keep the meat from escaping.

Serve with fruit juice or fruity vodka spritzers.