Taco Spaghetti

Oh, Yaya... She knows how to combine the strangest foods to create something wonderful. I mean, who would think of mixing tacos with spaghetti, right?

Taco spaghetti is made like a casserole and served like a taco salad. Admiral mentioned that part of what makes tacos so appealing is all the different textures. You have warm taco meat, a crunchy shell, and crisp lettuce all in one delicious little package and the best part about taco spaghetti is that you get all of those textures plus pasta!

The recipe makes a lot of food. It's not terribly expensive, especially if you find ground beef or turkey on sale, and it's just as tasty as leftovers. I hope this first recipe back after my hiatus makes up for the last month of missed recipes.

Taco Spaghetti

Source: Yaya original

For the casserole:

8 oz spaghetti or linguini
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning (or 1 packet of taco seasoning)

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup salsa (optional, I skipped it this time but the flavor was a little lacking)

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies, drained

1 (10 oz) package frozen corn, thawed
1 (15 oz) can black beans (optional, I skipped them this time)
1 1/2 cups cheddar or colby jack cheese, shredded

For serving:
tortilla chips
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese

sliced black olives
sour cream
salsa
guacamole

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with vegetable oil spray.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions in a large pot and don't forget to salt the water. Once the pasta is cooked to al dente drain and rinse with cold water and set aside. Be careful not to cook the pasta past al dente because it will continue to cook as you mix it with the meat mixture and in the oven.

Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until they are beginning to soften and become clear.

Add the ground beef or turkey and season with the 1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste) and cook until the meat is browned.

Add the water and taco seasoning and simmer until nearly all of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the salsa, green chilies, corn, and black beans and cook until everything is heated through (my corn was still a little frozen).

Add the pasta and mix it in. I've found it's easier to mix with a good strong pair of tongs or with a pasta fork (OXO is a great brand) but it's difficult to get the ingredients to mix with the pasta without a sticky sauce to help. Just do the best you can.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add about 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Mix until combined. The cheese will probably melt quickly and help all the taco meat mixture stick to the pasta some.

Transfer the whole thing to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm in the style of a taco salad.

Add whatever taco toppings you like and some crushed tortilla chips for crunch.

Mine had chips, lettuce, black olives, salsa, and a little extra cheese.

Four Bean Turkey Chili

I've decided that instead of stocking my freezer with raw ingredients this month, I'm going to build up a stash of heat and eat meals. Rather than having leftovers in the fridge for days that I ultimately wind up tossing out, I'll just throw the leftovers in a freezer bag.

Turkey Lasagna

It's a Valentine's Day tradition for Aaron and I to have lasagna for dinner. It's the meal I made for our first Valentine's Day together, and our second, and a handful in between as well. It's one of my favorite meals to make for special occasions because the layers are impressive but the process (while time consuming and messy) is very simple.

My Favorite Turkey Burgers

So it's over a month since Christmas and I'm still loving my new George Foreman grill. I've been grabbing any opportunity to use it, and that includes making lots of burgers!

Oven Roasted Chicken

I have roasted exactly three birds in my entire life. The first was when Annie of Annie's Eats first posted her roasted chicken tutorial. I shredded the meat and used it to make two casseroles and a bowl of chicken salad. It was good, but a bit bland and not my best work.

Grilled Pineapple and Pepper Jack Turkey Burgers

What a way to start off the year! My first new recipe was a huge hit. Well, it was a huge hit with Bailey and myself. I don't think Aaron really likes turkey burgers.

These were the juiciest turkey burgers I've ever made at home. It seems like turkey, the low-fat meat that it is, just gets incredibly dry on me again and again, but these burgers are special. Seasoned with soy sauce and thyme and topped with melted pepper jack cheese and a slice of fresh grilled pineapple there's no lack of flavor and a little drizzle or spray of olive oil before they go on the grill keeps them from drying out as they cook. I didn't have much in the way of toppings tonight but I don't think they need them. I might add some romaine lettuce leaves and a bit of mayo (or miracle whip in my case) but really the flavors are already there, the rest is just icing on the cake.