One-Pot Mac 'n' Cheese, or, Playing With Our New Toys

13 years ago

Well, the Visions 6-liter casserole and lid that I bought with some of my Christmas loot arrived so I put it through its paces in true Corning Ware fashion. First, I cooked a pound of cavatappi (corkscrew) pasta and while it drained I made the cheese sauce in the same pot. I stirred in the cooked pasta along with some quarter-cut slices of pepperoni and hard salami, then covered the casserole and parked it in the fridge until we came home from Saturday night Mass (Cathy and I provide the music).

While the oven preheated, I showered the top with Keebler Club cracker crumbs. Into the oven it went and here's what came out:

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

John Liu
13 years ago
Cool pot. I've never used a glass pot on the stovetop. Does It work like a metal pot?
seagrass_gw Cape Cod
13 years ago
I didn't know they made those anymore. I had one a long time ago. I liked it for boiling potatoes and pasta with the lid on - I could see what was going on behind closed doors, so to speak. Not sure whatever happened to it...

seagrass
Related Discussions
My new addition N-33 Navel
Q
Comments (14)
I add Epsom salt b/c my soil and water are super saturated w/ Calcium as Calcium carbonate from a caliche layer in the subsoil. The sun draws the calcium up through the clay by capillary action and plays hell with the root system of my trees on Trifoliate and its hybrids. The calcium raises the pH. In turn this ties up Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Mo, and maybe Cu to name a few and in that order. Of these, the first four are most critical. If your trees have good color or you have soil and/or water pH equal to 6.5 or below you may not have the same problem. I apply 60% of my fert in Mar and 40% in May or June at the latest. (Last year was an exception b/c of the record late spring, my second fert was in early July.) Your trees should turn dark green by May. If they still have a problem after the second application, condsider a foliar spray. I've written about this several times. It is a complex problem. If You have still a problem then, "give me a hollar". If your trees display extreme Mg deficiency, broadcast a light application of Epsom salt at this time. Or maybe between now and two or three weeks from now. Epsom salt is Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (7 waters of hydration in the crystals). You may need to do it more than once. Note: Magnesium is not tied up as much as heavier minor and micro elements by high pH. But it is just not usually as abundant in the soil when Calcium is high. Also many try to use Dolomite limestone as a Mg++ source but it is only sparingly soluble at normal pH. Dolomite will not "Fizz" (release CO2 and go into solution) even, with hydrochloric acid. Good composted mulch will make many of these elements available as well as provide sufficient quantities.
...See More
NEW: Seeds-n-Stitches Mug Rug (May Swap)
Q
Comments (89)
Dan, you are right, those mug rugs from Melissa are fantastic! I took the short class on Cotton Theory today. I am always happy to learn something new, but I doubt I will get hooked on this technique. It's one of the quilt-as-you-go things and as you join sections of it, you get these little seams that are loose and need to fold them towards the center by doubling them over and then use a wide stitch to catch both sides. With the fabric and batting in there, it gets really thick and to me, it's easier to just quilt the regular way than to go through all that to attach the sections. I might try it one day with larger seams and less batting and see what I think of it that way. LOL Here's a short explanation that I found about it online in case anyone is interested in reading about it. http://www.quiltyard.com/whatiscottontheory.phtml My initial thought was it was cotton theory because you use cotton fabric, but it turns out Cotton is the last name of the quilter who teaches this method. Time for a swap update: sandlapper_rose will send to quiltingfox (received) quilting fox will send to bev2009 (received) bev2009 will send to sandlapper_rose (received) hazelnutbunny will send to dan_the_mailman (received) dan_the_mailman will send to lindaruzicka (received) lindaruzicka will send to gmom2-6boys ** gmom2-6 boys will send to hazelnutbunny (received) ** I believe this has been mailed. Can you confirm that, Linda? I think gmom is traveling, so it may also have been delivered. If I hear back from Linda that it has been mailed, that completes our swap. Great job getting these completed and mailed. They all turned out so great, too! Give yourselves a round of applause. Jeanne
...See More
New kitchen, new toys!
Q
Comments (9)
When we moved 7, 8years ago, i took the opportunity to thin out the toys. The original owner, a single mother, put in a downstairs back room baking kitchen for extra income. We use it as a project room and pantry so i still have all the toys but none of it is upstairs in the main kitchen. It has been nice to just have the basics and my favorites. No appliances like a toaster, microwave, or any counter clutter. Wanted to go back to the basics of chopping by hand, cooking fresh and rustic. No plastics, glass fridge storage pyrex, etc. Oh, sure, it all finds its way back up every once in a while but i do a 'sweep' once a month or so and back it goes. My drawers are no longer junky and stuffed. My favorite things i remember when i moved... -all fresh new spices, one set was a gift -treated myself to good cooking oils and vinegars -2 new big cutting boards,(even though i have a dozen misc ones) -restaurant quality water kettle and coffee grinder -fresh new pot holders and kitchen towels. I've always had good knives and cookware, cast iron all sizes and enameled cast iron, all sizes. No longer use non-stick anything. 2 appliances most used and loved that have easy accessed under counter storage... Breville juicer and Blendtec blender. So worth the high cost for quality. I never wanted a kitchen aid since i don't bake but found one at a yard sale last year for 15$. Finding many uses for it now that i have one. (it had a loose screw in the housing that made it run with a gruff rumble, brand new and fixed with-in minutes of bringing it home) -yard sales are still a favorite way to add something 'new' without the sticker shock. Like triciae, i always have something collected from years of traveling like a pot or bowl with something fresh from the garden or a vase with flowers from the yard. A few weeks ago it was sunflowers...last week it was a leggy purple cabbage and chives, this past weekend i treated myself to a small rosemary tree.
...See More
A New Good Gadget Thread--and Cheese
Q
Comments (35)
Foodonastump, funny you should ask. I never did use the stirrer thing. Upon inspection I decided that it was too whimpy for anything but the lightest of sauces/batters. A whisk works just fine and doesn't require batteries. The spatuala thermometer has never been used because I can't pull-out the platic strip protecting the battery that powers the thermometer. I tried taking out the battery box, and can't get that out either. Right now it is laying on my side cabinet in hopes that someday the grandson who loves such challenges will come to visit and get it to working. yeonassky: I have a tool called a 'seal breaker'. You use it like a can opener to break the seal on too tight lids and it works every time.
...See More
joeekaitis
Original Author
13 years ago
johnliu:

It heats more at the center than the edges like a small round teppan grill, but that can work to your advantage when you're making a roux. You can spiral the cooked part to the edge and then pull in the less cooked stuff. When you boil water, the bubbles rise from all over the bottom.

seagrass:

World Kitchen, who took over the housewares division of Corning, Inc. never discontinued the Visions line but for a time they substituted imported stoneware for Pyroceram and sold it under the "CorningWare" name. The public wasn't fooled and in 2008 they brought back Pyroceram. It's all at their online store (link below) and in their factory stores around the country.

Here is a link that might be useful: World Kitchen Online Store (CorningWare, Visions, Revere, etc.)
coconut_nj
13 years ago
I like Visions. I have a 4 qt. oval casserole w/lid that has the ridges on the side. I made our mac and cheese in it yesterday and our Christmas Eve lasagna in it last week. I soaked the noodles in it first with boiling water, then drained and set them in the lid while I assembled the lasagna. I've had my Visions since the '80's though. I also have a small set of saucepans. My favorite is the smallest, not sure if it's a liter or not. I love it for pastina. 2 cups water to the boil, 1/2 cup pastina, turn on low, ten minutes it's perfect. It just simmers so great. The sets next larger is a double boiler. I always make my Hollandaise in it. Nice stuff. Glad you enjoyed putting yours through the paces.
My Visions Casserole
trixietx
13 years ago
I have never had Visions cookware, but I think I would like it. I also thought it was discontinued.

I'm off the check out the website!
ritaotay
13 years ago
Love your new pot Joe!!!

I love my Visions cookware, all except the frying pans... For what it's worth, the pots I got when it first came out are much heaver than the ones I got about 10 years ago but they work just as well and are as easy to clean up...

Hugs,
Rita
cynic
13 years ago
I always liked the idea of the Visions, and Pyrex had some glass stuff too. Never used any though. And old GF had Visions and threw it out. She said it was impossible to clean. Everything would crust on there and was horrible to clean. My experience with Corning was the same and I threw out a lot of it. Now I just use Corning in the microwave for veggies or something. But being able to see what's going on would be nice.

One-Pot Mac 'n' Cheese, or, Playing With Our New Toys

Comments (7)

John Liu

seagrass_gw Cape Cod

Related Discussions

joeekaitis
Original Author

coconut_nj

trixietx

ritaotay

cynic

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

One-Pot Mac 'n' Cheese, or, Playing With Our New Toys

Comments (7)

John Liu

seagrass_gw Cape Cod

Related Discussions

joeekaitisOriginal Author

coconut_nj

trixietx

ritaotay

cynic

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

joeekaitis
Original Author