Taco Pasta

1 pound ground beef or turkey
8-12 ounces medium pasta shells or other small dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, drained (if making this for kids you might want to use just plain diced tomatoes)
1 packet (4 tablespoons) taco seasoning
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

Instructions
1.Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the meat is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the meat is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.

3.Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit if it is still too thin.

4.Toss in the cilantro right before serving for some fresh color and flavor.

Cheesy Beef Tortilla Cups

1 pound Lean Ground Beef
2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
2 cups Salsa (heat Level Of Your Choice)
2 cups Black Beans, Rinsed And Drained
Salt And Pepper, to taste
8 whole Soft Tortillas (6" Size)
1 cup Reduced-fat Cheddar Cheese


In a large pan, brown the ground beef along with the taco seasoning. Add the salsa and black beans. Allow to simmer together for a couple of minutes and taste to check if additional salt and pepper are needed.

Spray a large muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and place 1 tortilla in each muffin cup. Divide the beef mixture evenly between the muffin cups and sprinkle equal amounts of cheese over each one. Bake in a preheated 375ºF oven for approximately 20 minutes until the tortilla is lightly crispy and the cheese has melted.

(Adapted from What’s Cooking Italian Style Cuisine blog.)

Homemade Chicken Taquitos

rotisserie chicken -fully cooked and seasoned.
2/3 - 1 cup of jarred or fresh salsa
1 cup shredded "Mexican blend" cheese
1/3 cup sweet white and yellow corn niblets
1/3 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
large pinch of chopped fresh cilantro
1 pack of egg roll wrappers


Remove the chicken from the rotisserie chicken, and chop into small bite-sized pieces. Mix the next seven ingredients into the chicken and mix well. Add a few spoonfuls of the chicken mixture to an eggroll wrapper. Fold in the sides first, then roll. Wet the far end with water so it will stick to itself. Spray a cookie sheet with butter flavored nonstick spray and arrange the taquitos. Spray the tops of them with the butter flavored spray and sprinkle with black pepper and extra cumin. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. It would be nice to turn them onto their sides if you can remember (I had a house full of kids and forgot). Serve with condiments of choice.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
4 cups Cooked Brown Rice
¾ cups Frozen Corn
15 ounces, fluid Can Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed
1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (or Sour Cream)
4 ounces, fluid Can Green Chilis
½ cups Salsa
1 cup Low-fat Cheddar Cheese, Plus More For Topping
2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro For Garnish


Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for cilantro and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the yogurt and cheese are stirred in throughout the entire bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and top with extra cheese if you would like. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

To make this process easier, I always have cooked chicken on hand, and use Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice. If you have those two things, this can be throw together in a matter of minutes! It can also easily be made ahead of time and reheated.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
2 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. oregano
2 cups chicken broth
Method

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the chicken broth, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.

Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

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Taco Casserole

Ingredients
2 ounces Tortilla Chips (about 24), plus additional for serving
1 Tbs Chili Oil (or olive oil and red pepper flakes)
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 pound Ground Chicken (I'm going to use ground beef or turkey)
2 Tbs Taco Seasoning
1 can Black Beans, drained
1 cup Hot Salsa
1 cup shredded Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese
Optional: Other toppings such as jalepenios, olives, etc.


Preparation
Heat oven to 350.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and sautee until soft. Add meat and taco seasoning. Cook, breaking up meat with a spatula, for about 5 minutes. Add beans and salsa. Mix well and continue to cook until salsa thickens.
Line the bottom of a large baking dish with tortilla chips, pressing down on them lightly to break them into bite-sized pieces. Spread the meat and bean mixture over the chips and top with cheese. Add sliced jalepenos or other toppings that you ant to be cooked. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and gooey.

Quinoa Black Bean Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp chili powder (mild)
Pinch of cayenne pepper (spicy)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup shredded lettuce
Salt
Optional Topping Ingredients
Grated cheddar or jack cheese
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Pico de gallo or salsa
Diced seeded tomatoes
Hot sauce or sriracha
Sliced avocado
Guacamole


Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a mesh strainer or sieve, drain. Pour quinoa into a saucepan along with 2 cups of water. Bring the quinoa to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot. Let the quinoa simmer for about 20 minutes till it becomes tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Keep a close eye to make sure the quinoa doesn't burn. While quinoa is cooking, heat 1 tbsp of oil in another saucepan over medium heat. Pour minced onion into the saucepan and saute for a few minutes till it softens and begins to turn brown. Add the minced garlic to the pot and let it saute for 1-2 minutes longer till aromatic.

Add the black beans to the pot of onions along with 1/2 cup water, 2 tbsp of chopped fresh cilantro, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Bring the beans to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Let the beans simmer for 15 minutes till the liquid is mostly evaporated. Stir in 2 tbsp of fresh lime juice. Season with salt to taste.

When the quinoa is fully cooked, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Use the fork to mix in 2 tbsp of chopped cilantro and 2 tbsp fresh lime juice. Season with salt to taste.

Assemble your burrito bowls. Divide the cilantro lime quinoa between four bowls. Top each portion of quinoa with 1/4 cup of shredded lettuce. Top each portion of lettuce with simmered black beans. Top the black beans with your choice of Optional Topping Ingredients (ideas listed above). Serve Warm