Several years ago, I was trying to think of something different to bring to a friend who had recently had a baby. I needed something I could make ahead of time and that she could just reheat. While staring in my pantry, I noticed a recipe on the can of diced tomatoes. I had all of the ingredients, so it was perfect! It turned out to be delicious. Since that first time, I've made it on countless occasions with lots of variations. It is an easy one to adapt to your own tastes.
This recipe freezes really well. When I make a batch, we'll eat some for dinner and I'll freeze a few loaf pans of it. The munchkin does like to eat this, and eats it the spicier way that I make it. For the three of us, a loaf pan is enough for dinner. We'll usually have a salad and bread with it too.
Chili Pasta Bake
10 oz penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
1 lb ground meat (I used turkey)
1 cup chopped onion (I skipped)
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup salsa (I used Pace medium)
1 (7oz) can diced green chilies
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese (I used 2% milk cheese)
1 lb ground meat (I used turkey)
1 cup chopped onion (I skipped)
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup salsa (I used Pace medium)
1 (7oz) can diced green chilies
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese (I used 2% milk cheese)
Cook pasta according to directions and drain. Cook meat and onion in a large skillet and drain. Add chili powder, tomatoes, salsa, and chilies and cook for 5 minutes. Toss pasta and sauce. Spoon into 13x9 inch baking dish. Top with cheese. (I mix about half of cheese in with pasta and top with the rest) Bake at 350 for 20 minutes***.
**For the mild version, I used mild salsa instead of medium and I used about half of the amount of chili powder and diced green chilies.
***To freeze, spoon into container you are going to freeze in. Do not bake. Let mixture cool to room temperature, cover tightly, and freeze. Reheat at 350 for about 1hr 20min from frozen or 45min-1hr if thawed.
