Easy Caprese Mac n Cheese

Behold, it is tomato season, and we are loaded with tomatoes! Also, because it has been hot, I have not felt like cooking in the slightest. There are recipes going around for doctored up ramen, but easy mac is more my specialty. You can add healthy veggies, extra cheese, meat if you so desire, and no hot oven! For this recipe I used Annie's white shells and cheddar, but really any will do. Also, if you already have some basil pesto, you can skip half the prep and toss in the pesto with the tomatoes. That was my original plan, but then I remembered I already ate all the pesto. Oops.

Ingredients:

1 box instant Mac n cheese

2 tomatoes, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbs milk or milk substitute (or however much the box of Mac says to use)

1/2 cup mozzarella, grated (I didn't really measure this, more just grated directly into the pot...)

Large handful basil, finely chopped*

Drizzle olive oil

Drizzle balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook your macaroni in a pot of boiling water, as directed by the box. Drain in a colander. Drizzle a bit of oil into the macaroni pot and on very low heat, sauté the garlic for one minute. Add milk and cheese powder to pan and stir, as directed by the box. Put macaroni back in pot. Throw in mozzarella and stir to combine. After a minute of melting, add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Continue heating and stirring another one to two minutes until everything is warm and mixed well, and the cheese is all melty. Serve with a drizzle of vinegar on top.

Wasn't that easy?

*Chopping tip: Stack the leaves of basil on top of one another, roll up, cut thin slices cross ways, then cut those strips in a couple places lengthways.