The Caesar Burger
I cannot give you a reasonable explanation as to why I have never posted this recipe for the Caesar Burger. BUT to my defence, you have been able to find it on Ginger On the Loose for the past 8 years. Anyway, the Ginger…
Tag: easy
No Bake Cookie Cake
Anyone interested in naming my recipes in exchange for food? I am pretty sure if you look long enough you’ll find this one under “icebox cake” but I am weird and I don’t like that name. So I’m just going with No Bake Cookie Cake…
Simple Mac n Cheese
After the wild success of my Live Cook of my Simple Mac n Cheese, I decided to finally publish the recipe. Also, that was sarcasm – thank you to the TWO people who joined me… for those of you who couldn’t make it, I hope you’ll join us on the next Live Cook (there has been a request for the Deep Fried Pickled Beets so stay tuned)
In all seriousness, this Mac n Cheese recipe really is simple, hence why the word simple is in the name. A throw it all in the pot, stir and eat type of dish. No fancy cheese sauce here! I used marble and mild cheddar cheeses in mine since that is what I had in the fridge but please feel free to use whatever cheese you have. I think a jalapeño cheddar would be awesome in this Mac n Cheese.
I mention in the ingredients that you can add some extra ingredients like bacon and jalapeños, feel free to get creative! You can either mix them in or bake them on top, it’s really up to you.
And so, without further ado…
Simple Mac n Cheese
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked macaroni
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- 1/4 cup Panko or enough to cover your casserole dish, if you plan to bake the pasta
- Optional toppings and add ins: parmesan cream cheese, jalapeños, bacon, corn, broccoli etc prepare these ahead of time
Instructions
- Heat pot of salted water to boil
- While you wait for water to boil, shred two cups of cheese (or more is okay, too!)
- Once water is boiling, cook your macaroni according to package directions. (Mine was only 3-4 minutes!)
- Remember to reserve at least 1/2 cup of the pasta water before you drain your noodles
- Grease a casserole dish if you are baking your mac n cheese and turn on your oven to broil
- Once your pasta is cooked and drained, return macaroni to the pot and 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt, 2 tablespoons butter and stir
- Next add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup pasta water
- Stir well and add cheese, a little at a time while continuing to mix the mac n cheese until it is fully melted
- You can mix your extra add ins here OR you can add them as a topping to the casserole dish/your bowl
- Once everything is incorporated, transfer the mac n cheese to your greased casserole dish and top with Panko and any other toppings you might have chosen
- Put your mac n cheese into the oven on broil until your Panko is golden brown, just a couple of minutes. Keep a close eye so it doesn't burn!
Please let me know if you try this – I would love to hear what types of cheese you use and if you tossed in any extra ingredients.
Happy cooking!
Laura
Easy Weeknight Veggie Gnocchi
You know how delivery places give you a timeline for your product or it’s free? I am confident saying that this meal will be ready in twenty minutes or less (or it’s free). That’s why this Easy Weeknight Veggie Gnocchi is going to be a…
Mustard Dill Baby Potatoes with Bacon and Brussels Sprouts
Happy new year! And happy potatoes! Do not ask how long I have had this recipe written down for. Furthermore, do not ask how many times it’s been made and enjoyed. All that matters is that I am finally sharing these Mustard Dill Baby Potatoes…
Fancy Naps’ Quinoa Salad
I think I am going to start holding contests where people can name my recipes, because this is outrageous.. Fancy Naps’ Quinoa Salad, I mean, really!?
Anyway, recently we ate 1/2 pound burgers and deep fried some potatoes so the next night was obviously gonna be salad night. One thing led to the next and I pumped out this recipe. I didn’t write anything down.. so the next day, I came home for lunch and duplicated it on my break and actually wrote the recipe down for you. The best part is, this was ready to go in less than 30 minutes. Prep your veg while your quinoa cooks and you’re good to go! If you’re reading this ahead of time and prefer not to have warm quinoa, make your quinoa a day or so ahead so it’s cool and ready to go.
I would also like to take this time to remind you to rinse your quinoa. Up until I started testing this recipe, I have never rinsed my quinoa. Solely because I am too lazy. Rinse your quinoa, folks.
Speaking of quinoa, if you toss the quinoa on top of everything without cooling for a few minutes – that’s fine!! This tastes good cold as leftovers too.
Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter on my homepage so you don’t miss out on any of my (infrequent) recipes!
Enjoy!
The Fancy Naps' Quinoa Salad
Toss this together in less than 30 minutes. Feeds 3 as a meal or a few more as a side
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 8 grape tomatoes quartered OR 1 1/2 cups chopped tomato (cherry toms work too, honestly, just use what you've got on hand)
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/2 avocado diced seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 cups shredded lettuce I recommend you do NOT use lettuce if you will be serving this with warm quinoa. When I do use lettuce, I use Romaine or iceberg
- 2 tsp lime juice about 1/4 lime
- salt and pepper to taste
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Rinse your quinoa!
- Fill a medium sauce pan with 1 1/2 cups water, add quinoa and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil with lid on
- Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer the quinoa for about 20 minutes. (Quinoa can be made ahead of time as well so it is cool)
- Meanwhile, prep your veggies...
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add red onion, tomato, lettuce and mozzarella
- Season with some salt and pepper, toss
- Drizzle lime juice over mixture, toss
- After about 20 minutes, and the water is gone from the quinoa, you can either let it cool a little bit, completely or not at all. Add it to the mixing bowl and give everything a good stir
- Pour olive oil and vinegar over the salad and toss really well to incorporate
- Season with a little salt and pepper, to taste
- Serve with diced avocado
