1-2-3 Mac ‘n’ Cheese: Homemade, Delicious … and So Easy!

This is so easy to make, it’s almost embarrassing to devote an entire post to it.

But here’s the truth: My mother was legendary in our town for her Macaroni & Cheese, and the recipe has been passed on to me.

No man or beast can resist it.

So please … no judgment when you see the recipe. Just trust me: If you love Mac & Cheese, you will not be disappointed:

Macaroni and Cheese

• 1 box elbow macaroni
• 1 package Kraft American Cheese slices (white or orange, 2% or whole milk — your choice. I like the orange 2%. Try Kraft Sharp Cheddar slices for a bit more kick.)
• 1/2 a stick unsalted butter
• optional: salt — either regular table salt or Jane’s Krazy Mixed Up Salt (I use a little sprinkling of Jane’s stuff if company’s coming. Otherwise, I go saltless)
• Milk — skim, 2% or whole

Directions:

• Cook the box of macaroni according to the package directions.
• Spray an 8 x 8 glass baking dish with Pam.
• Put 1/3 of the cooked macaroni in the dish
• Then dot with butter (anywhere from 1-2 Tablespoons)
• Sprinkle with salt (if you choose)
• Cover with 4-5 slices of American cheese
• Repeat the layering process 3 times until you end with cheese on top.
• Pour in enough milk in one of the corners until it’s about a half-inch deep.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Now tell me that’s not delicious!

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The Kitchen of a Hypocritical Vegetarian: Quinoa

I’ve been reading about quinoa forever: “An ancient grain that has been around for 5,000 years …”

And even though everything I’ve read said it’s one of those “superfoods” every vegetarian has to try (even a hypocritical one), I never got around to making it.

Truthfully, I figured it would taste something like couscous, which I just don’t like. I know — that’s blaspheme in the veg community. But I just don’t like it.

So when I saw a recipe in The Whole Foods Market Cookbook called “Warm Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Asparagus,” I decided to try it — minus the shrimp. (And as it turns out, minus the asparagus — which I forgot to buy.)

It’s not that I won’t eat fish — I do. But for the past year, I’ve found myself avoiding shrimp. Something about that squishshshsh when you bite into it. Uh uh. Don’t like it.

As for the quinoa … this is a fantastic recipe. One of those dishes that makes you want to hurry up and scoop up some more, even while you have a forkful in your mouth.

I am officially converted.

So before I go out and a buy an “I Heart Quinoa” t-shirt, let me share this recipe with you:

1 Tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I actually picked them out when the dish was finished, but they add a nice flavor while cooking)

1/2 c vegetable stock or water

1/2 cup white wine

1/8 cup lemon juice

1 Tbs grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup quinoa

Heat the oil and saute the garlic and onion for 3 minutes in a saucepan. Add sun-dried tomatoes and saute another minute. Add vegetable stock, white wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, pepper and bring to a boil.

Stir in the quinoa and simmer on low heat with saucepan covered for about 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender to the bite.

Top with:

1/2 cup roasted cashews (I sauteed them in a touch of olive oil in a skillet)

6 minced scallions (threw them in the pan with the cashews)

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Enjoy — I’d love to hear what you think of it.

And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

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