Cheese, Please, and Throw in a Casserole, While You’re at It…

Tried a couple of new things tonight.

• Aged Mahón Cheese, from Trader Joe’s
• Coleman’s Chicken Casserole recipe seasoning packet, found at Cost Plus World Market

The Colman’s seasoning packet seems devoid of artificial colors and crap… I like that in foods that we can get from the UK. Less crap.

I gave it the Mom Test- meaning, Would My Mom Eat This? I think she would. She’s tougher than The Boy, no lie. I’ll make her try some for lunch tomorrow (you know you will try this, mom, because you are so intrigued by a packaged product that I’d try… that’s probably going to be the first thing you do when you get here tomorrow).

The chicken cooked 90 minutes at 350 with a quartered onion, three carrots (’cause, that’s all I had), 1 1/2 cups water whisked with the seasoning packet, poured over the quartered chicken and veggies in the lidded casserole. Everyone pretty much liked it, served with a baked potato and salad. No complaints, but no socks knocked off.

The great find today is this Mahón cheese from Trader Joes. It is only here for this month, but undoubtedly in any of the better-stocked cheese departments here in So. Cal. This is really delicious stuff, folks. It has a bit of the grainy texture of an aged cheddar and while creamier than a mild cheddar, tastes like a cross between an aged gouda and a milder cheddar. Make my Swedish friend happy- say “how-dah,” not “goo-duh.” She gives me a hard time when I say “goo-duh.” So, of coarse, I look right at her and say “goo-duh” whenever this subject comes up. That’s how I roll.

Mahón is a delicious Spanish cheese. The Swede would agree with me on that, her husband is Spanish and she wouldn’t dis a Spanish product. She’s nice like that. She also would  have liked the Pinot Gris that I enjoyed with my cheese and crackers while the casserole cooked and I watched Captain America. I bet she’d like Captain America- there we go, Annika, let’s look at your vacation photos, then watch Marvel Comics movies with the kids really soon!! I have the cheese and will buy more wine for us!