The Dreaded Recipe

Good morning everyone.  First off, I really should not have to be including a recipe with my picks today.  If you're new here, I stated that if I didn't go at least 7-3 on my football picks last week (following weeks of 4-6 and 3-6-1), then I would be typing a recipe into my entry today.  I ended up going 5-5 last week, but I took Green Bay (- 7) @ Indianapolis, and the Packers had a 21-3 lead in that game (yeah, the Packers lost)...  THEN, I had Texas State (my ALMA MATER NO LESS) teaming up with New Mexico to go over 49 1/2 points.  The total was at 49 IN THE THIRD QUARTER.  If they would have scored another point I would have been good, ONE POINT...  Not to mention that I knocked some of my winners OUT... OF... THE... PARK...  Baltimore/Kansas City (Under 46 1/2) - Final Score:  Ravens 9  Chiefs 6...  How about Chicago (- 5) @ Jacksonville?  Final Score:  Bears 41  Jaguars 3...  So here I am, giving you the "recipe" to one of my favorites, with a little background.  This is one of my favorite foods that I will actually prepare for myself (my brother and sister should guess this INSTANTLY when they see that clue in my facebook preview)...  Okay, and what sucks more about this is that my viewcount is going over the 14,000 mark today, a milestone reached as I type this in humiliation...  (Thanks for stopping by).  :)  Without any further stalling...


                                                      Coach's Famous Macaroni & Cheese


1)  Before going to the store, be sure that you have a 1/4 cup of milk and 4 Tbsp. of margarine at home.  You will need these items if you don't have them.

2)  After arriving at the store, go to the pasta aisle, and find the blue box with yellow trim that says "KRAFT macaroni & cheese DINNER" - (the box that I'm reading from currently also says, "you know you love it" - HOW does the box know this?).  You want the box that says "original flavor" at the bottom, not one of their failed attempts at improvement where they start changing the shape of the pasta into astronauts or starfish or whatever they're trying to sell you...
 
3)  BOIL WATER.  (Now I'm typing straight from the side of the box if it isn't convenient for you to bring your computer into your kitchen).  Stir in macaroni; cook 7 to 8 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.

4)  DRAIN. (This would be number two on the side of your box).  DO NOT RINSE.  Return to pan.

5)  ADD margarine, milk, and Cheese Sauce Mix; mix well.


This has been one of my favorites as far back as I can remember.  There have been MANY TIMES that I have eaten the whole box in one sitting.  Usually I save some of it for part of a second meal now, but I did down a whole box after work at the beginning of my current sick stretch (which is just clinging for dear life at this point, almost defeated, thank you very much)...  One day making it that I will never forget was the day that Michael Jackson passed away.  I was watching my niece and nephew while my brother was at work, and they were used to the mircowave version of this product.  For some reason, they had a box in their cabinet that required boiling the water to be made, and I remember how skeptical they were as they watched me go through all of the steps listed above (they were somewhere in the ballpark of 9 and 6 years-old at the time).  I made this with hot dogs I believe, and I remember how cautious they were when taking their first bite, and seeing their looks of approval as they realized that this was BETTER than its mircowave counterpart, before proceeding to scarf it down...  :)

Okay, no guarantees this week, but I will warn you right now that I almost always have an 8-2 or 9-1 week at least once every season, and that it usually comes in October or November.  My record currently stands at 22-30-2 for this season, and again (burned into my memory), that's after going 5-5 last week.  I have to warn you now that this is my birthday weekend, however you feel that factors into your trust depending on your superstitions...  And this week's picks are...


Texas State (- 2) vs. Idaho - My birthday, my alma mater, homecoming weekend, one-win Vandals.
West Virginia/Texas Tech (Over 78) - I said WEST VIRGINIA/TEXAS TECH...
Ohio State/Indiana (Under 63 1/2) - How does Indiana score?
Ohio State (- 17) @ Indiana - How does Indiana score?

Green Bay (+4) @ Houston - Packers are desperate, Texans down 3 'D' starters from last year...
New England (- 3) @ Seattle - No replacement refs now to save Seahawks...
Philadelphia (- 3 1/2) vs. Detroit - Lions have barely been hanging in against the bad teams...
New York Jets (- 3 1/2) vs. Indianapolis - Andrew better strap it up tight this Sunday...
Oakland/Atlanta (Under 48 1/2) - High number considering Raiders' kicking specialists...
Denver/San Diego (Over 49) - Chargers (like WVU above) play in lots of high-scoring games...

Okay, hopefully 10-0 there for y'all, and then I'll be crying about not being in Las Vegas during my posts next week...  ;)  In a comment to my blog that I accidentally deleted instead of publishing last week, Grrouchie said that he WAS going to play some two-dollar parlays tickets this week, with his and my picks, so good luck Mr. Pantalones!  Have a great weekend everyone, raise one for my birthday, and I'll see you again on Monday!