Let us praise the king of all chow hall lunch dishes: Chili Mac

[deucemagnet]

When you're in the military, chili mac starts out as the default choice when everything else in the chow line looks gross. "Ugh! I guess I'll have the chili mac."

Then it has an insidious way of growing on you, so that it's no longer you're default choice, but something you actually look forward to and miss when it's gone. "Hey! Where in the hell is the chili mac?"

Then, you get out of the military and you find you have a strange craving around lunchtime. Eventually you realize what you're craving: chili mac. However, as a civilian, you no longer have a steady supply of the spicy noodle dish. You scour the internet for recipes, and eventually perfect the recipe cobbling together elements of different recipes and modifications of your own. Life is good.

I'm making me some chili mac! :9

[MonkeyFunk]

1. I hope it tastes better than it looks...

but then, it'd pretty much have to, wouldn't it?

[deucemagnet]

2. That actually looks much better than it ever did in the chow hall.

Imagine what's on the dish in a large, stainless steel steam tray, with slices of orange processed american cheese melted on top. :wow:

[mikeytherat]

3. When the mess hall has no kidney beans, it's "Cheeseburger Noodle Loaf"

or simply "Noodle Loaf."

Been there, ate that.

mikey_the_rat

[deucemagnet]

4. I believe it's an experience common to all vets.

The U.S. military runs on chili mac.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Start the Day with Shit on the Shingle

I retired in 02, and the chow halls were doing a pretty good job of putting out a great product (most of the time.)

[deucemagnet]

6. I loved the S.O.S. at my first tech school.

Ironically, the people working the chow line had such poor English skills that I was never able to get my breakfast served the same way twice. Even more ironic: this was at the language school in Monterey.