Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Tester Tuesday - Three-Nut Cheeze Whiz

Another excellent tester recipe from Robin Robertson's new cookbook.  This one is called Three-Nut Cheeze Whiz and I think the better name would be Three-Nut Crack.  It is delicious on everything and addictive!
The first time I made Three-Nut Cheeze Whiz, I served it over whole wheat pasta with steamed broccoli and peas.  I took a bite and was instantly transported back to my childhood.

This sauce is the mac and cheese sauce I grew up on.  Sure, my mom used Velveeta and cow's milk in hers, but I swear this sauce is spot on.  It seems that most Americans have a certain, special way of preparing mac and cheese.  Some bake theirs with bread crumbs, some like to mimic the boxed sauce of their childhood.  Mac and cheese was the dish I asked for, as a child, when I had a choice of what was to eat.  My mom prepared the white pasta (she was particular about the brand, maybe De Cecco, that part of my memory is fading after years of buying my own organic whole wheat pasta, but I do remember she would get put out with my father if he didn't buy her favorite brand) in a big green pot.  She would melt the Velveeta, cow's milk, and maybe some margarine and black pepper to pour over the strained pasta.  She never added vegetables to her mac and cheese, but I rarely make mac and cheeze without veggies.  We have probably a dozen cheeze sauces we love and use on pasta, but this one will always have a special place in my heart.  In the picture, I added freshly ground red pepper flakes and gomasio.  I think my mother would approve.  I've often thought that if my mother was still alive and continued to explore vegan cooking, her style would be a lot like Robin Robertson's.  Thank you, Robin, for providing recipes for such warming comfort foods, which take me back, without compromising on my ethics.
The second time I made Three-Nut Cheeze Whiz, I served it over brown rice, sauteed kale, steamed carrots, and fried tofu.  Oh my!  This was even better than the pasta!  I had to force myself to stop eating bowl after bowl of the brown rice and kale with this sauce.  My mother always tried to get me to eat my broccoli by smothering it in cheese sauce.  It didn't work.  Now I adore greens, but I still think the Three-Nut Cheeze Whiz sauce makes them even better.  This might be just the encouragement some kids need to eat their vegetables.  I can't wait to explore even more uses for this fabulous sauce.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

This looks soo yummy! I think you should bring some to the next potluck!

Robin said...

Yeah, agreed w/Amelia. You can't leave me drooling and then not bring some to the "comfort food" themed jan. potluck : ]