Gettin Crazy with Mac n Cheese

I'm a simple woman, really. Well, mostly. I don't need a lot, save for consistent curiosity-satiating stimuli. But apparently that's asking a bit much because I seem to be getting awfully bored lately. I can't even eat mac n cheese as is. Now, this isn't anything new for me - especially with mac n cheese. Who hasn't tossed in some hot dog coins or crumbled bacon or something at one point or another? But it's always when I'm bored. Bored with my own cooking... my life... who knows? What I do know is that when I first went GF I definitely missed mac n cheese - even plain.

But now Trader Joe's carries a $1.99 box of Rice Pasta & Cheddar, and all is right in the world. So when I have those nights where I just don't wanna get creative in the kitchen and take-out just isn't in the budget, I can count on good ol' "mac n cheese" again. Inevitably, I find something in the fridge or pantry that I can't resist throwing in to assuage the throbbing boredom, and suddenly I have a budget gourmet meal I didn't even think I had in me half an hour before. And it's truly amazing what a difference a single ingredient makes...

• mushrooms
• sundried tomatoes
• fresh tomatoes
• black beans
• spinach
• onions
• avocado
• sausage/hamburger/bacon/chicken/tuna, etc.

You get the idea. Today I went with the red onion and Trader Joe's Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage combo. Saute those babies up and throw in with the pasta at the end - but WAIT! The secret ingredient! The final touch to make this dish the piece de resistance... [insert drum roll]... a few tablespoons of Champagne & Portobello Mushroom Marinara mixed in (just enough to make a pale saffron color), and you're good to go.