I have really been trying to cutback on my family's meat intake as well as eating much healthier meals. Literally most of my family sticks their noses up at anything that isn't pizza, chicken nuggets or hot dogs. Literally! I found this recipe upon searching for meatless meals. It is called EASY CREAMY TACO BAKE (MEATLESS). <<--Link to the original recipe here.
I gave it a try with a few modifications and most of the family LOVED IT! It takes maybe 40 minutes to make. 30 minutes of bake time, 6 minutes of pasta prep and about 2 minutes of mixing it all together before you put it in the oven.
The original recipe says it serves 6. I have 9 people (myself, my husband, 4 year old, 5 year old, 6 year old, 10 year old, 12 year old, 18 year old and 19 year old) so obviously the original recipe would need modified for this instance as well. I will post what I used as well.
Original Recipe:
1 16oz box whole wheat elbow pasta
1 cup salsa or rotel tomatoes
1 16oz can tomato sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
MY MODIFIED INGREDIENT LIST:
1 48oz box whole wheat elbow pasta (or 3 16 oz boxes)
1 16 oz jar of salsa
2 taco seasoning packages
1 16 oz sour cream
2 8 oz bags of mexican cheese shredded
Now as you can see my modified list seems simplified for the busy mom. I don't use a lot of the spices like chili powder and cumin, so as this is the equivalent of what you would buy in the taco seasoning packet, it just makes it more convenient for those busy moms. I also used more shredded cheese and a different kind, as I mixed it throughout the pasta and put some on top as well. I also didn't use the tomato sauce.
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degreens. Boil pasta for 2 minutes less than package states. Mix together the spices (taco packets), tomato sauce and sour cream with the cooked pasta. Also add any additional ingredients that you choose to use! Pour into 2 quart casserole dish and top with cheese. (now mind you, I used a larger than 2 quart dish for my larger recipe). Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.
Attached is a picture of a serving of my own in a bowl. I hope you enjoy. Let me know if you try it, how it was and if you added your own personal touches to your recipe! ENJOY Dinner tonight!
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