Taco Spaghetti

How have I gone my entire life without trying this recipe?  I love tacos, I love spaghetti, and I really love quick, easy, one-pot dinners that my whole family will enjoy!  This one is all of those things, plus, I usually have all these ingredients on hand, so it's a great last-minute meal, too.

Here's a bonus tip:
This is one of those recipes that calls for a tiny amount of tomato paste, and I always hate opening a new can for just a tablespoon or two.  But tomato paste freezes great!  So, next time you have a lot leftover, divide it into ice cube trays and freeze it.  Once it's frozen, you can pop out the cubes and transfer them to a freezer bag or container.  Then it's easy to pull out exactly the right amount without having to open a new can.

Taco Spaghetti
Cook time: 20 min
Serves 4

1 lb ground beef
1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning
1 (10 oz can) diced tomatoes & green chilies
1 Tbs tomato paste
8 oz spaghetti
1 cup Mexican or Fiesta blend cheese
2 Tbs chopped, fresh cilantro leaves

Brown ground beef in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Drain.  Stir in taco seasoning.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, spaghetti and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-16 minutes.

Remove from heat and top with cheeses. Cover until melted, about 2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

662 calories per serving.  Click here for shopping list and more nutritional info!

Crock Pot Beef and Noodles

I couldn't hardly believe it when I logged on and realized it's been four months since I last posted a new recipe on here!  I've been pretty busy lately with the holidays, my daughter's birthday, and my burgeoning career as an author.  I have 8 books out now!  Planning new meals has taken a backseat, so I haven't even made anything new lately, let alone anything that was worth blogging about.

The other day, I found a bag of frozen noodles at Wally World, and they looked intriguing.  I picked them up, figuring I'd find a use for them eventually.  A quick Pinterest search led me to a beef and noodles recipe that sounded yummy, so I decided to give it a try tonight.  So glad I did!

I threw this together in minutes on my lunch break and finished it off while I set the table and made a salad after work.  I tried it out on my bestie (my second favorite guinea pig after my husband), and she and everyone else thought it was great!  Plus, there were enough leftovers to share.  She was pretty happy about that.

Crockpot Beef and Noodles

Prep time: 5 min  Cook time:6-8 hrs
Serves 8

2 lbs of beef roast or beef tips
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 packet Au Jus Gravy mix
1 packet beefy onion soup mix
4 cups water
1 (16 oz) bag frozen egg noodles
1 Tbs of Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce (optional)
1 large can sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)

Spray, oil or butter your slow cooker insert.
Dice up the meat, season with salt and pepper, and toss it in the slow cooker. (If you have the time, you can give the meat a quick sear in a bit of oil in skillet first, just to up the meaty flavor, but this isn't essential)
Mix your canned soups, onion soup mix and au jus mix with 4 cups of water. Pour over the beef tips.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
60 minutes before serving, turn the crockpot to high.  Add the seasoning sauce, mushrooms, and noodles. Stir and squish down the noodles so they're under the liquid.
Cover and cook on high for 60 more minutes.

542 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!