omg get ready to laugh your ace off at the first "boy"!!
Ahhhahahaha!! Indeed!
Ohh, anyways – perhaps you were curious as to why there was no mention of my handsome and wickedly fabulous husband this weekend? Lucky man had MLK Jr. Day off, so he drove up to Minneapolis on Friday to have a 3-day guys weekend! He finally got home this afternoon, and was bearing gifts – Trader Joe’s gifts!! Let’s hear it for the boy!!
He picked up all my favorites: almond butter, organic chocolate brownie PURE Bars and peanut butter filled pretzels. I repeat – let’s hear it for the boy! Bliss!
To express my gratitude, I made one of his favorites for dinner – Homemade Mac & Cheese!
The recipe I use calls for 12oz of dry pasta. I didn’t have 12oz of one kind, so I mixed! Half penne, half rotini – all good.
I made my cheese sauce with skim milk, sharp cheddar cheese and just a splash of hot sauce for some zip!
Mix in green onions for her, and bacon pieces for him.
Top with cheese (and optional tomato slices)…
Broil, and eat!
Chester would be so proud!
It’s not easy, being cheesy.
Ben’s Bacon Mac was almost irresistible…
But my Veggie Mac was irresistible!!
Have you ever put tomatoes on your mac & cheese?
My Mom used to make homemade M&C every week growing up, and my Dad would always request fresh tomatoes for the top. I remember thinking it was so strange – but now, I completely agree – it just makes the whole thing, better.
Cheesy noodles, zippy onion, fresh tomato – there’s nothing like it. The ultimate comfort food. AND, with this recipe, you can feel totally guilt free about indulging in it! 
For some added nutrients, I made some freshly steamed broccoli.
Mmm – #2 fave veggie behind brussels sprouts. 
Time to spend some time catching up with my guy – he’s even watching The Bachelor with me tonight!
~~~~~
Who’s your favorite cartoon character?
Ben’s is Mighty Mouse. Mine’s Rainbow Brite. Love that chick.
![original-rainbow-brite[1]](http://iowagirleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/originalrainbowbrite1.jpg "original-rainbow-brite[1]")
My favorite would have to be Pikachu! What a fun pet that would be to have.
Glad you got your Trader Joe goodies! I don’t know what I’d do if I weren’t close to one.
Homer Simpson! (but from my youth, it’d be Bugs Bunny)
I really want to visit a Trader Joe’s sometime. And a Whole Foods.
And that Mac and Cheese looks so good I almost want another dinner! I’ve never tried it with tomato slices, but I can see where that’d be awesome.
How sweet of him. Hunni made a TJ’s run for me one day when I was sick and I could have kissed him (but didn’t because I was sick).
My favorite cartoon was smurfs growing up.
yum! This looks so good! Hope the boy had fun in Mpls!
OMG YUM!!!!
Fave cartoon character: strawberry shortcake!
What a sweet guy indeed! I just ventured to TJ’s today on my day off! It was fantastic! Only, I did quite a bit more damage then Ben.
It’s such a good thing that these stores aren’t closer or else I would probably put us on welfare.
Enjoy your night with your hubby!
I’m a smurfette gal
I love putting tomatoes on my mac n cheese
I actually really like the (unintentional) idea of mixing pasta types! It reminds me of Kraft Mac & Cheese that came in all kinds of shapes. Why did the shape mac & cheese always taste better than the normal macaroni noodles? Looks like a great dinner! (and I just discovered a TJ’s 10 minutes from my house – I have to limit myself to two visits a month!)
Yeah Boy!! haha – what a sweetie!
Love, love, love TJ’s pb filled pretzels. Gah.
Fave cartoon character? Strawberry Shortcake!
Everything is better with cheese!
When I make baked Mac & Cheese, I always add a can of diced tomatoes. You’re right, tomatoes make it taste sooo good.
I’ve never put tomatoes on top of mac n cheese, but your pics make it look SO yummy!! I’m totally trying it.
I was Rainbow Brite one year for Halloween. She was my absolute fave.
I had a Rainbow Brite bedspread in my room growing up….and love the mac and cheese recipe, definitely looks healthier than the one I make!
I love Garfield. And Hello Kitty.
I LOVED Rainbow Brite! Especially the star sprinkles. I still have my RBB doll on my bed at my parent’s house. Also, I too love tomatoes in mac and cheese. Have a great night!
Wow, that mac n’ cheese looks delicious! Ive never had tomatoes with mac n’ cheese, but it sounds really good
Uurrhhh I cn’t STAND mac and cheese, it’s one of my all time Worst Meals!!
What a great husband you have btw, brining you back all those goodies!
My fave cartoon charater…hmm…Simba (grown up) or Eric from The Little Mermaid – I always fancied him when I was little!
[...] Comments « Let’s Hear It For the Boy! [...]
Holy yum! Tomatoes on mac and cheese sounds delishhhh!
Definitely Rainbow Brite! A close second is Strawberry Shortcake, and then the Care Bears – all of them.
OMG – LOVED Rainbow Brite! I still have all the dolls
So jealous of your Trader Joes bounty – I was just online yesterday trying to figure out if I could order things from them and have them shipped here!
I put stewed tomatoes on my mac & cheese and it is so good!!!! Such a great way to get in some healthy veggies. Looks like a great meal
Holy moly that looks delicious!
Definitely have never thought of tomatoes on mac and cheese, but seriously it sounds so good!
Hello Kitty for sure! How do you make your cheese sauce? I like this idea for my “anti-healthy food” man but my homemade cheese sauce somehow doesn’t turn out quite right. Enjoy your TJ’s goodies! yumm!
[...] the afternoon, I mindlessly snacked on some Trader Joe’s peanut butter filled pretzels x 2 or 3 (not the best for a sore throat, [...]