To start off September’s easy dinner meals, let me introduce you to the first casserole. Guaranteed tasty, a hit with kids and teenagers and it’s a no-fail recipe!
First you need these ingredients:
I used Ziti pasta, but you can use anything. Make it curly or shells if you want to entice a picky eater.
Get your pasta started. REMEMBER salt that H20! See how much I have in my hand, and I added a bit more!
Make sure you stir that pasta, to keep it from sticking, both to the pan and to each other. I like my pasta a little bit chewy, al dente, if you want to sound I-talian…
Meanwhile cut up one small onion. Do not be afraid.
Cut up one small (or more if you like) clove of garlic. If you don’t have fresh, use 1/2 tsp of garlic powder. But, hey, be brave, buy some fresh, and see how good it is! (Good for you too!)
Put the ground meant, onions, and garlic into a skillet and start cooking. I used very lean meat. If you use something with a bit more fat or water, you may want to drain a bit of that off once you get the meat and onions and garlic nice and done.
Now it’s time… to put it all together… Add the can of Rotel Tomatoes. Keep all that juice and watery goodness, don’t drain those babies. If you are cooking for little ones, go ahead and get the not so spicy ones. But if your mainly feeding adults, give em a little capasin in their diet. It’s good for the digestion!
(Capasin is the compound in peppers that makes them hot. It’s also what you find at the health food stores in pain relief patches. And while we’re at it, research shows you get a little happy feeling just out of that spicy compound!)
Spoon in the pasta. If a little water comes with them, all the better. This dish is good when it’s juicy.
Now because we’re in the South and we are all about flavor, keep this a secret, but besides adding your standard S&P, go ahead a sprinkle liberally some Montreal Steak Seasoning… I wish I had a stake in Montreal Steak Seasoning.. its that good.
Now, one final touch, some good cheese. The harder the cheese, the better it is for you, but if you are a sucker for pasteurized and sure that your little chillin’s would like it better, shoot, go with Velveta, otherwise, I used a nice sharp cheddar.
And after 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven, voilà…
Add an easy salad and enjoy. Good leftover, late at night, or for sharing with others.
Here’s the particulars!
8 oz bag of pasta
8 oz of ground beef
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper (Montreal Steak Seasoning, optional)
3/4 cup of shredded cheese
