For macaroni and cheese fans

Yeah, we learned that the hard way. Then we realized we had to order a lemon drink to get lemonade. The lemon drink was much better than the lemonade we usually get here and lime drink was even better!

I do make it sometimes, I have been lazy and used packet cheese sauces and it doesn't taste very good.I was told that proper macaroni and cheese had to be baked. I take it this is true. I made it on the stove top and was told that the result was too chewy. And before you ask, I have no oven.

Cook's Illustrated has a recipe for a pretty good one that is completely stove-top. You can bake it if you want, or run it under the broiler (UK grill). Mac & Cheese

NOTB - sounds like you might just have to cook it a bit more. My oven died years ago and we still haven't gotten around to fixing. For years I did all of my "baking" on my propane grill (which has a back burner). A few Christmases ago my husband got me a mini oven, does convection, baking, toast, etc. There are a few things I would like to make that the oven's not big enough for but not a lot.

Your link can't find the page nutrax.

Try this I screwed up the original link.

If I bought my wife a toaster oven for Christmas I'd be sleeping in the doghouse huddled for warmth.

#35 - so make it a New Year's gift, or a surprise "just because" presentation, if you've got a place on the countertop for it. Our very-high quality one (a Cuisinart "convection oven toaster broiler with Exact Heat") gets used every day. It astounds me how many women will never buy themselves better tools for daily cooking, while men frequently will get a new power-tool to make a single large project go more smoothly. My mother-in-law still comments how much she appreciates using the new set of pots/pans we got her- she'd been living with dented vintage 50's-60's cookware.

My apologies, Midwesterner, if you think I was dissing your choice of appliances.

I don't want to become embroiled in a toaster oven dispute.

That reminds me of the first time my daughter ordered lemonade in Morocco. They brought her Sprite. Fortunately, although Sprite is not her favorite, she was able to be stoic about it

Yup, that's exactly what you will get in New Zealand as well.

Great pun, Niner. I was in no way offended, just wanted to encourage you to consider gifting cookware without an "occasion", since it seems so few women will get their own.