Where Were You When…?

Where were you when….?

Once or twice in a generation there is an event so significant that it is seared into the culture’s collective memory so strongly that those alive at the time can easily recall the time and the place when they first learned of the event. This is often so cultural that what may be very important to one culture, it may be somewhat unremarkable in another. The examples below are for those in the United States.

For generations older than me several stand out.

• The bombing of Pearl Harbor is a major event that stands out for two generations older than me.
• The assassination of John F. Kennedy is for the generation older than me.

My generation has three that I see as the most significant:

3. The Fall of the Berlin Wall – I was in college at the time and even for students who may go weeks without watching a news program, everyone was captivated.

2. The Space Shuttle Challenger accident – I was in high school in southern California at the time. Our school had many individual buildings where every classroom door opened to the outside, so walking between classes often involved crossing our “quad” in the center of the school. I was crossing and the outside PA system was playing a radio broadcast. I could pick up some words about the shuttle but couldn’t figure out what was happening until I got to my next class and the teacher had a television set up and turned to the news.

1. The attack on 9/11/01 – Unfortunately like so many, I can recall too many events and emotions of the day. I was at work listening to NPR on the radio and heard a report that a “small plane” had crashed into the World Trade Center. I immediately went out to cnn.com and saw a photograph of one of the towers smoking. I copied the picture and sent it via email to a bunch of co-workers. Just after I hit send, the second plane hit.

Slate has put together a “bracket” of events that might spark the “where were you when” discussion. Take a look and see what choices you make. It is interesting that many of the choices are from a negative event versus a positive one.

Beef and Cheddar Casserole

While this dish wouldn’t make the bracket, it is awesome in its own right.

I had some shredded Mexican cheese blend so I used that in place of the cheddar.

Frying the ground beef.

Cooking the noodles.

Adding the veggies and tomato paste.

And the tomatoes.

Start withe the pasta then add the meat.

Top with cheese and bake.

I love when a cheese top is nice and browned.

A hearty dish to love!

Beef and Cheddar Casserole

Prep Time: 5 M | Cook Time: 40 M | Makes: 4 to 6 servings | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
• Kosher salt
• 3 cups wide egg noodles (about 5 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 12 ounces ground beef
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• One 14 1/2-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups grated Cheddar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Oil a 2-quart baking dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook to al dente according to the package directions. Drain and put in the prepared baking dish. Toss with the sour cream, Parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add the bell peppers and scallions and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Make a space in the pan, add the tomato paste and toast for a minute. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the diced tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Pour the beef mixture over the noodles and sprinkle with the grated Cheddar. Bake on the middle rack until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/beef-and-cheddar-casserole-recipe/index.html