future culinary students BEWARE!

"Can Me &Ash  make something?"  (NOT that I haven't corrected her...and her 4 siblings...each and every time they have mis-used this way of speaking since they could talk, but anyway...i digress...)

"Sure, for dinner?"  (hoping like crazy this wasn't a dream!!)

"No, for lunch". (yep, it was)

"OK" (seriously, someone's offering to cook for me~I don't care if it's for high tea, it's fine with me!)

and this...

was the complete awakening of the culinary senses (yes, fyi, i did just make myself the expert on this) 

Here is the recipe (which I choked out of them because they were going to keep it a deep, dark, for-Oprah-to-award-them-big-cash-prizes secret...):

Ingredients:

1 box ziti

1/2 bag shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 bag mozzarella cheese

10 slices of bacon

2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

6 tablespoons salted butter

1/4 cup milk

Directions:

1.  Boil water for ziti (hey, I can do that!!!)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3. Fry bacon (not crispy) and cut into approx. 1/4" to 1/2" pieces.  Set aside.

4.  Fill bottom of double boiler 1/4 of the way full with water, heat on medium until rolling boil.

5. Combine the cheeses.

6.  Melt 3/4 of the cheese (reserving 1/4)  and all of the milk in top of double boiler.

7.  In an 8x8 baking dish melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the oven.

8.  Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente.

9.  Combine pasta, melted cheese and bacon.

10.  Melt remaining butter.  (you can use a microwave, that's what I'd do!)

11.  In freezer Ziploc, toss bread crumbs and melted butter.

12.  Sprinkle tossed mixture on top of pasta mix.

13.  Add remaining shredded cheese.

14.  Heat in oven until cheese melts.

Serve with tossed salad and fresh italian or french bread.

ENJOY  (I sure did!!)

did I mention that they came up with this completely on their own?  if not, consider yourself warned!