Cooking Challenge...Pinterest Style: Cheesy Quinoa Mac & Cheese

I'm back with another Pinterst recipe!  This time, I tried out the Cheesy Quinoa Mac & Cheese that came from this website.


Via



In the recipe, she said you could use veggies of your choice which were optional.  I'm pretty picky when it comes to my veggies so I opted to use green peppers, red peppers, banana peppers and a few jalapenos.  I have been on this huge jalapeno kick lately!  And I was recently introduced to banana peppers and became pretty fond of them as well so I bought some for myself, which raised this question:  Are banana peppers a type of pickle?  First of all, I found the banana peppers with the pickles.  Then when I got home and opened the jar, they smelled like pickles.  I don't like pickles so I didn't know if I picked up the wrong kind of banana peppers or what.  I would love to know.

After I sauteed my veggies, I followed the rest of the recipe and came out with this. 



Now.....does that look anything like that ooey-gooey goodness in the first picture?  No.  Mine did not turn out cheesy at all and was more cake-like.  And the fact that the word "cheese" is in the title not once but twice is hilarious to me.  I don't understand what is it with me and cooking?  Why does it never turn out the way it's supposed to?  Or should I say What ingredient did I leave out this time?

With that said, I pulled out my trusty rating scale:

1 - Dear recipe, RIP. Laters, Shari
2 - I'll cook it again....if I'm cooking for someone I don't like.
3 - Eh, if I already have the ingredients, I may whip it up.
4 - I like you, but I'm not in love with you.
5 - Get in my belly!

I give the Cheesy Quinoa Mac & Cheese a.......2.5

I may try it again but add more cheese or something!