Friday Night: Pepper in Some Fun!

It was a typical Friday night and our stomachs were rumbling. We found ourselves on autopilot, heading to the local burrito joint for a quick fix. But as we clenched the bags in our fists, we felt a pit in the center of our stomachs. Here we were, 21 years old, ripe with intellect and humor/hunger and we were spending our Friday evening outside the kitchen?!

This is not to malign our burritos. Burrito Express is truly a top notch establishment. It has the old world charms of old world Mexico, with a touch of that California flare. But for some reason, those thick, reassuring hunks of beans and meat just didn't seem like enough, you know? Meryl Streep & Amy Adams & Caitlin & Marcy isn't about convenience, it's about Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. So we decided to spice up this otherwise blase Friday night with a little side dish of our own.

Now we should preface this with a warning: this will take some time and patience. We know that you urban divas and city gallavanters want quick home meals, but this one is worth the wait. Trust me. First step, and this one's a must: head to the supermarket and look for a product called Easy Mac. It's very inexpensive and you can usually find it in the mac n cheese aisle (usually!). These little friends come in individual servings so you can buy just the right amount (save the environment!).

The next step is a bit of a doozy. Peel the lids off those bad boys and fill them with water up the "fill line." You're going to want to be VERY precise, as this will determine just how thickly cheesy your mac will be. We recommend using a teaspoon and spooning in water until you've got just the right amount (quick tip: water level should be at the line). It might look a little cloudy. That means it's working.

Don't forget to stir it up before popping it in the microwave. Marcy uses a fork. Caitlin prefers a spoon. Meryl Streep has commented that she tends to agree with Marcy. Amy Adams was out and was not available for comment. Put it in the microwave for THREE AND A HALF MINUTES. This is a precision game, as we mentioned before. If you see that mac getting really soft, leave it in. It's not quite ready yet. And be patient because when it comes out hot and steaming, you will be so proud of yourself. Meryl would be proud!

Stir in the provided cheese powder. We like to mix clockwise and counterclockwise motions. It softens the cheese and creates just the right texture. Now. Here in the MSAAAACAM kitchen we're all about creativity and adding those personal, can-do touches. We spiced up our mac n cheese by sprinkling with some brillant red paprika. I know it's rude to say yum at the dinner table, but YUM.