The girl behind the Lama: 25. Taco Chili Mac

Wow, did the hubby love this one! Well, we both did actually! I made a full batch and we have about one serving left. I made it through dinner one night and two lunch portions in the days after.

It’s nothing fancy, just a good old tex-mex pasta. It’s actually a rehash of the Salsa Stoup I posted yesterday. Virtually the same ingredients and method, but a totally different meal! I think that’s why I love this cookbook so much for people that are learning how to cook. You can master a few techniques and have so many versatile meals.

**This recipe comes from Rachael Ray 365 – No Repeats. Most of the recipes are directly from the book, but some I do change out ingredients a bit for things my family prefers. I’ll add my own comments in with a **.

What do you need?

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 pound macaroni
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of pan
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped **I skipped this
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped with greens **use the leafy greens at the top of your celery – it adds great flavor!
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
1 cup shredded Cheddar, available in pouches on dairy aisle

Now what?

Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan and brown the meat crumbling with a wooden spoon, then season with the hot sauce, Worcestershire, cumin, chili and salt and pepper. Add the jalapenos, bell pepper, onions, celery and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper then sauté veggies 5 minutes, add tomatoes, and crushed tomatoes and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in cilantro.