Simple Cold Macaroni Salad Using leftover Mac and Cheese

Stuffed Tomato with Macaroni Salad

OK I am back... well sort of! 

I really need another week to get rolling in a pattern again.  Moving is hard and exhausting and the last thing one wants to do is cook.  Actually, I had little fresh items on hand, so that killed any good cooking. I relied on a quick stop on the way home from one house to the other and the simple heat and serve meal that I had prepared earlier and frozen.

I am writing this only as a “True Dump Cook” recipe, as it is not a great dish but I hope it inspires you to do similar things.  Take and REVISE!

We headed to our new market yesterday and got lots and lots of fruit and veggies and all the other staples I generally need to stock up on.

It became 8 pm and we just finished for the day. (After cleaning and unpacking and working in our office) So nothing  was out to cook nor did I have the energy, so we bought a packet of chicken cooked  fresh at the store and a package of reheat mac and cheese (horrible)!  I had allot of the pasta left and did this.

Left over Hot Macaroni and Cheese recycled (especially if not a good tasting one).

1 cup cooked leftover Macaroni and Cheese

1 large fresh celery stalk with leaves

1 large carrot chopped in small pieces (or shredded) (I used small carrots so chopped them but a large one can be shredded)

¼ cup minced onion

2 cups cooked macaroni (elbow or same as in Mac and Cheese) as per package instructions. I prefer al dente

1 teaspoon oregano

 ½ teaspoon minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or minced fresh hot pepper) to taste

¼ cup Mayonnaise

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Mix all together and get a great pasta salad.  Cool in refrigerator.

Easy revision of LEFT OVER Mac and Cheese!  Normally, I make the same salad with cheddar cheese shredded but now I substituted the Mac/Cheese leftovers. It also cuts own the amount of needed  Mayonnaise.

TIPS:

1.      Use this and put ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese  (for the Big Cheese lover)

2.      Mix in green or red peppers diced

3.      Add olives or capers

4.      Serve in a hollowed out red or green peppers or tomato or  serve on lettuce for a full lunch

5.      This stays in the refrigerator for numerous days and makes a great take to work meal, side salad, lunch meal etc.

6.      Sprinkle in some seeds of choice for a little protein (pumpkin?) Yum 

PS:   Al Dente pasta means a little hard to the bite.  Just until they lose the raw taste.

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!