Mexican Bake

If you've been a long time reader of Finding Joy in My Kitchen, you know that we don't eat very many Mexican recipes.  I love south-of-the-boarder dishes, but, Frog prince isn't a big fan.  I decided to give this dish a try because it was covered in cheese.  Frog Prince can't resist cheese!  

The original recipe is freezer-friendly and can easily be made in bulk.  I paired down the recipe to serve two, and also reduced the amount of meat in the dish.  We often reduce the meat in a recipe, allowing us to stretch our meat across more than one meal.  And, honestly, we didn't miss the extra half-pound of ground beef in the recipe.  It was a great recipe we both enjoyed.      

Mexican Bake - Adapted from Ecomomical Me

1/2 pound ground beef
1 T minced onion
1 (15-16 oz) tomato sauce
1 (16 oz) jar of salsa {spiciness of your choosing}
1 (14.5 oz) whole wheat rotini pasta
6 oz. cheddar jack cheese
~1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. oregano
salt, to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rotini until done.  Drain.

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet; as you do - season with salt, pepper and minced onion.  Drain excess grease, if necessary.

Add in the tomato sauce and salsa to the ground beef.  Simmer for ~5 minutes.

Add in the seasoning, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Then, add in the pasta and stir to combine.

Pour the pasta mixture into a lightly greased 9x9 glass baking dish.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until warmed throughout and cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Linked to: Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Kitchen Tip Tuesday, What's On Your Plate? Works for Me Wednesday, Your Recipe, My Kitchen