This is NO Hamburger Helper

When Mr. Spouse & I were first married, I couldn’t cook to save my life.  I mean, even toast seemed to be a challenge for me.  I eventually learned what a stove could do and I made an INSANE amount of Hamburger Helper for our nightly dinners...yes, we dined on it almost nightly.  I gag just typing those words.  To this day, it’s hard for me to eat any kind of pasta with hamburger meat in it.  However, I found this recipe on Pinterest and thought it looked too good not to try.  It looked like a far cry from the beef stroganof that gives me nightmares to this day.  If Hamburger Helper would’ve tasted like this, I don’t think I ever would’ve stopped eating it!!!

 

SOUTHWESTERN CHILI CON QUESO PASTA BAKE

via Living Light

1 lb. penne pasta

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey {or ground beef}

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. ground coriander

2 tbsp. chili powder

Coarse ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped {I used about 5-6!  I LOVE garlic.}

1 jalapeno, chopped

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cups fresh cilantro, chopped

1 can {14 oz.} fire roasted diced tomatoes

 

 

As you can see, I opted for the turkey instead of the hamburger meat :)  In all honesty, I really prefer ground turkey instead of ground beef!!! 

Cook pasta according to package directions.  While that’s cooking, chop your onions and jalapeno.  If you’re allergic to raw jalapenos like I am, have Mr. Spouse do the chopping instead.  Cook the turkey until it starts to brown and then toss in the onion, garlic, and jalapeno.  Cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Drain & return to skillet.  The recipe called for 3 cloves of garlic, but I’m obsessed with the flavor and I used about 5-6.  Just doing my part to keep the vampires away ;)

 

Toss in the cumin, coriander, and chili powder.  Mix well and remove from heat.  Make sure the meat is evenly coated with spices!  Set aside.

In a medium/large saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour.  Mix until it looks like a flour-y little paste.

Then whisk in the milk until it starts to bubble.  Add in the cheese & cilantro.  The original recipe called for parsley also, but the market was out of it so I didn’t bother.  Once the cheese is melted, toss in the diced tomatoes and mix until combined.  You’ll have a lovely little queso sauce waiting for you and you’ll smile at the pan of cheese sauce staring back at you.

Now take the turkey & all of it’s spices and add it to the drained pasta. 

Pour the queso sauce on top of that and stir until combined.  Now serve yourself a generous helping and prepare for your taste buds to cheer.

So.stinkin’.good.   To my surprise, it wasn’t spicy at all.  I was expecting it to pack a little heat from the jalapeno & chili powder, but it didn’t.  My 3-year-old devoured an entire plate and went back for more!  He’s got a pretty sensitive palate when it comes to anything that has a little kick to it, but he didn’t say a thing about this dish. 

See…totally 3-year-old approved. And let’s be real.  How can you argue with cuteness…and a crazy, ridiculous silly face?!?!

I polished off my pasta with some shaved parmesan and all was right in the world of carbs. My parents ended up stopping by the night I whipped this up and they both loved it, too. As far as my dad is concerned, that says A LOT!!!! He has a very opinionated taste palate. When he served himself a second helping, I knew it had to be good! HA!!

This is definitely NO Hamburger Helper.  A far cry from it, for sure!!