posted by SueFreeman 01-21-102 8:06 AM
the Akron Beacon Journal
Taco Twists
8 ounces pasta twists (rotini)
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion (for about 1 cup chopped)
2 1/2 cups basic Mexican beef, fully thawed (recipe follows)
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) chili-style chopped or diced tomatoes
1/4 cup finely shredded cheese of choice (such as Cheddar, taco blend or Monterey Jack), or more, to taste
Bring 2 1/2 quarts of unsalted water to a boil in a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the twists and cook until just tender, 7 to 9 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat in an extra-deep nonstick skillet. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Add the beef and tomatoes, and stir and cook until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the pasta is done. Serve at once over hot, drained pasta twists, topping each serving with 1 tablespoon shredded cheese (or more, to taste).
Can put out chopped tomatoes, green onions, olives, jalapenos, sour cream, chopped avocado and even crushed tortilla chips to top it with and let people put on their own.
Serves 4.
Basic Mexican Beef:
2lbs. 97 percent lean ground beef
2tbsp. chili powder
1tsp. ground cumin
1tsp. onion powder
1tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
Brown the ground beef over high heat in an extra-deep, 12-inch nonstick skillet, stirring frequently to break up the meat. While the meat browns, add the chili powder, cumin, onion powder and garlic powder.
When the meat is brown, reduce the heat to medium. Add the ketchup and water, and stir to mix well. Continue to cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the water evaporates.
Freeze the meat mixture in 1 1/4-cup portions in 3 freezer-weight plastic bags. To defrost the frozen meat, run the plastic bag under hot tap water to loosen the packaging. Remove the meat from the bag, and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, on the defrost setting, following the manufacturer's instructions, until the meat is fully defrosted. The meat mixture is now ready to use in a recipe.
Each half-cup serving has about 197 calories (41 percent from fat), 9 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 72 milligrams cholesterol, 25 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, no dietary fiber and 181 milligrams sodium.