Sometimes You Just Gotta Splurge!

As the title of this blog post suggests, sometimes you just gotta splurge.  It's part of living a balanced life.  As long as we aren't overdoing it, I'm a big believer in not restricting what we eat.  Everything in moderation is a healthy way to live.  Life is much more fun that way, right?!? 

So at my husband's request, I cooked up a recipe that was handed down to me from my mother...her homemade macaroni and cheese.  It's simple, it's easy, it's inexpensive, a crowd-pleaser, and it tastes so much better than the stuff we get from the box.  I've been making it for years, and it comes out perfect everytime.

Mama's Homemade Mac and Cheese

• 1/4 cup milk (I use skim or 1%)
• 1 pound pasta (shape of your choice)
• 24 slices American Cheese (cut into cubes)
• 1 stick butter
• Potato Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place milk in the bottom of a baking pan.  Under cook pasta by 2 minutes.  Drain and mix in a big bowl with American Cheese and butter.  Pour into the baking dish with the milk on the bottom.  Bake in the oven for 1 hour.  For the last 10 minutes, take the mac and cheese out and crinkle potato chips on top then place back in the oven.  Serve with a slice of garlic bread for extra goodness.

Don't think the splurging stopped there.  This morning, we had a proper English breakfast.  No, neither one of us is British; however, one of our favorite traditions is waking up super early and heading to a pub in Hoboken where we are some of the only Americans who are decked out in jerseys watching soccer (sorry football) and cheering for Chelsea whenever there is a game on tv.  We order English breakfasts, and it is the only time that we ever drink beer in the morning (it's actually the only time that I drink beer at all).  We decided to make our own rendition of what they serve in the pub (nix the beer and sausage) and it came out simply delicious!  On our English Pub Breakfast menu was over-medium eggs, vegetarian baked beans, organic baked french fries, and a thick piece of toasted Challa bread.

Think about if your diet is balanced with some tasty feel-good meals.  Are they excessive?  Or are you too restrictive?  Remember, moderation is the way to go.