Taco-ish Tuesday- Cheesy Taco Pasta

Cheesy Taco Pasta

I can't say I grew up with Taco Tuesdays, in fact my parents never made tacos even once in my entire childhood.. Italians don't often cook Mexican food, or any other food other than Italian for that matter LOL. I guess that is why my kids have essentially been deprived of Taco Tuesdays as well however I recently came across a taco-ish recipe that I could get behind and it has fast become one of our weeknight favorites... let's be real- I can't always get my SH*% together to coordinate it with a Tuesday. Try it out and see if it makes your Tuesday rotation! 

Total Cook Time: 30 minutes

You will need:

1.5 lbs ground beef
1 can diced tomatoes (I prefer petite diced )

1/2  lb elbow pasta

shredded mexican cheese

canola oil

1 packet of Taco seasoning**

** When I'm feeling extra fancy I make my own taco seasoning blend using cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chili powder and a little salt. I don't really measure, just toss together a little of each to my preference. You can't go wrong! My favorite spices right now are the starter set I got on Amazon from Spicewalla- they are super flavorful, and plus I love the tins they come in, aren't they so cute?!  

First up get your pasta water on to boil and then make your spice mixture..

Then heat a small amount of canola oil in a pan over medium/high heat in a high-sided skillet. When the oil gets hot add in the ground beef and brown it up, about 8-10 minutes.

 

Once beef is cooked through, lower heat to medium, drain excess oil/liquid and add in a can of diced tomatoes as well as your taco seasoning mixture and stir well.

When pasta is cooked drain and add it to the pan with the beef and tomatoes....

Now comes the fun part- add the cheese and stir until melted and gooey- 

                                               

Dish it up and dig in!

**Want to switch it up?!!**

- substitute ground chicken or turkey for the beef. 

- omit the pasta and have it over nachos!

- spice it up with 1/2 a can can of chili in adobe sauce

-add chopped up red or green bell peppers when browning beef for more veggies

Making Lunch Great Again- Pasta with Ricotta and Roasted Beets

Ok,  I have a confession to make- as much as I LOVE food... I absolutely hate lunch.  I find it to be such a useless meal.  I never want to take the time to make it and nothing ever appeals to me. There are so many amazing breakfast recipes and of course dinner ideas but really what is there for lunch that makes it special? Don't get me wrong, I'm not opposed to a lunch date- a lunch that I don't have to make or eat alone but other than that I'd rather just skip it all together. Since I do get hangry if I go too long without food I've been trying to think outside of the box for lunch.  To make things more difficult I go through periods where I lose my taste for meat and so that narrows my lunch options even more...

Enter this recipe... I found it scrolling through Pinterest one day and it caught my eye. I like how it is simple yet filling and easily lends itself to be switched up a bit to keep it interesting.  This dish also comes together quickly, especially if you roast up the beets ahead of time. Sometimes if I've had a carb loaded breakfast I even skip the pasta and just have the "toppings" because why not!?

Total cooking time:  30 minutes- 15 if you pre-cook the beets!

Makes 4 servings

What you'll need:

2-3 beets peeled and chopped*
2-3 large handfuls of greens**

1/2 lb medium size pasta

1.5 cups good quality whole milk ricotta***

Lemon

olive oil

* my favorite is to use red beets but golden beets work well here too!

**I use beet greens- did you know they are edible!? But you could also use baby spinach, swiss chard or really any leafy green that can be sauted

**always go for whole milk for ultimate creaminess, my favorite brands are Maplebrook Farms and Belgiosio Ricotta con latte

First up get your beets peeled, chopped and roasted- spread on cookie sheet lined with either foil or parchment paper, drizzle with olive oil and salt/pepper and roast at 400 degrees 20-25 min

Put on a pot of salted water for the pasta- sit and read a book while you wait for the beets and water to do their things!.... 

Once pasta goes into boiling water it's time to saute up your greens of choice, a little olive oil in the bottom of a skillet and toss greens in until they wilt, season with salt and set aside

Once pasta is cooked al dente (a.k.a. has a little firmness still- no one likes soggy noodles) divide in bowls and top with a dollop of ricotta cheese followed by the sauted greens and beets.  For the finishing touch grate some lemon peel over the dish- it really wakes up the flavors!!

Now you are ready to enjoy lunch! xo