Tacoroni with Cheese!

N. suggested I blog about Tacoroni with Cheese! because there's absolutely nothing else going on in our lives that is as exciting as Tacoroni with Cheese!

What is this Tacoroni with Cheese! that you speak of, Brooklyngirl, you ask. It's the perfect meal invented more or less by moi.

Tacoroni with Cheese! began one cold and dark Brooklyn evening many moons ago when N. and I realized that were feeling unfulfilled with Annie's Mac-N-Cheese. It needed something. Perhaps some protein,some veggies, and some salsa!

These days I don't even use Annie's--I just buy regular old macaroni noodles and cheddar cheese. It's cheaper and cuts out the middle man.

This is what you do:

Boil water.

Cut up some veggies. I like to use peppers, carrots, onions, tomatoes. Sometimes I add a little bit of spinach and zucchini and frozen corn. You can use whatever veggies are in your fridge although I tend not to use things like broccoli or kale.

Sautee veggies in a bit of olive oil. Add garlic if you like. Then you add the meat. But I don't use meat I use Smart Ground veggie soy stuff. The reason is that meat just isn't that good for you and since Tacoroni with Cheese! is often a spur of the moment thing, you can have Smart Ground Veggie stuff in your fridge for weeks at a time with worrying that it's going bad. Plus, it tastes really good in Tacoroni with Cheese!

Add macaroni to boiling water.

Mix all the meat/veggies stuff together with whatever kind of salsa you have. I recommend using the cheap stuff. You can also add some cheddar or pepperjack cheese. Stir it altogether, turn off the stove, and wait for the macaroni to be cooked.

When the pasta is drained, eyeball it and add it into the the meat/veggie/salsa concoction. Mix it altogether and dump a bunch in a bowl. Sprinkle with cheese; stick some tortilla chips on the side if you're feeling arty and wham! Tacoroni with Cheese! Filling, fast, and virtually fail proof. Too much pasta? Quickly add some more fake beef and that part of the pepper you were thinking of throwing away. Need more flavor? Add some more salsa or hot sauce or cheese. Tacoroni with Cheese! is also great because you can have it for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow.

But don't take my word on it. N. says " Spicy noodles, fresh veggies, fake meat. A San Francisco treat!"

I think he means Brooklyn, but he's washing dishes so I'll let it go.

What are your last minute dinner recipes? And no, you can't suggest ordering in or taking out. I'm moving to the country, people, remember? Take out up there is probably hitting a moose and bringing it home on your fender.