By Cal Orey,
The Writing Gourmet
Tonight, I was craving hot, healthful comfort food with a twist. I put together a quickie dish that turned out heavenly. In fact, it was so good I was going to have a second helping (I don't eat after 7:00 p.m.--it's my secret to staying skinny). But something untimely and not so funny happened on the way to the kitchen...
The phone rang. No biggie, right? Wrong. I was signed into the psychic phone network. I ran back to answer, "Intuitive Callie..." The glitch: I was sensing that my food-loving Brittany, Seth (Mr. Brainiac--a tall and lanky problem solver) was into something good. I can't believe it but I paused and said, "Can you hold the phone for just one second? I'm sensing something bad is happening." (I knew my furry child was being a bad dog.) Since I had told her the region she was calling from (yeah, I can do that; it's a gift)--she didn't go anywhere.
I was right. Seth's orange and white paws were on the kitchen countertop and he was wolfing down half the Mac and Cheese casserole. Well, he did leave me about 40 percent; thanks to my gut instincts that helped me catch him in the nick of time. (I knew there was a reason why I didn't use anti-dog friendly onions. I must have sensed my beloved canine food snatcher with an uncanny knack to get what he wants would hit my food tonight.)
Once back to the phone, I dished out my advice to the caller. "No, he is not your "soul mate." I strongly picked up the fact that the relationship in question was doomed and not the romance of the century. It was an easy read. No need to go to tarot. No hesitation on my end. I was asked to give a quick answer and I turned into my eight ball mode and it was done. The couple is overcooked. And I'd put money on it.
Meanwhile, Seth is on his back doing the happy doggie roll and chewing his bone so I don't think it's animal ER time this time around. Here's the simple recipe but when you make it keep the pooch away and don't answer the phone.
Heavenly Mac and Cheese
2 cups whole grain pasta shells, cooked
1/2 cup 2% low-fat organic milk
2 tablespoons European style butter
1 1/2 cups premium all-natural white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup premium all-natural sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup seasoned all natural bread crumbs (or pre-seasoned: for a treat)
fresh ground pepper
In a sauce pan boil pasta. Meanwhile, in another sauce pan combine milk, butter, cheese till melted and hot. In a baking dish pour cheese mixture over cooked pasta. Top with a dash of pepper and bread crumbs. Bake at 350-375 F. for about 30 minutes. Serves 4 or 2 and a dog.
I hope I still have a job with the psychic network. My intuition tells me that I do. But psychics can get fuzzy readings when they try and read themselves. Tomorrow night I'm going to be on a national radio show to chat it up about my intuitive powers (see the article "Confessions of a Phone Psychic" on the cover of Oracle 20-20 Magazine, September issue) and how I dish 'em out to phone callers like the one that just called. Uh oh, the phone isn't ringing. I think I need a second helping of comfort food. Worse, it's after 7:00 p.m.