Dinner - Taco Supper Skillet

Matt and I had a great, quick meal for dinner last night. It again comes to us from Betty Crocker, that great lady she is. (You can find a printable copy of this recipe here, or see how we altered it below.)

This meal is great because it takes literally 30 minutes to make. It's kind of the no-additives version of Hamburger Helper. Now, don't get me wrong as I LOVE the taste of Hamburger Helper, but there's just something about those seasoning packets and powdered topping packets that kinda grosses me out a bit.

If you, like me, have not had a Hamburger Helper meal in a while, and would like something similar, this meal is perfect! The added vegetables make you feel like you're eating something healthier (OK so there is really nothing that healthy about this dish, I admit it), and you can probably even add more veggies like peppers or even broccoli to this dish.

But let's be honest. This is one of those meals that tastes good and is decent in moderation! You get the nice home cooked flavor, and also the Mexican food craving satisfied all in one meal!

We made this in our skillet with sides, and it worked wonderfully! Just be sure that whatever pan/pot you use has a lid. I think you will enjoy this simple, one dish meal!

Taco Supper Skillet

Ingredients:
-1/2 pound lean ground beef (we used a whole pound...you can also sub ground turkey)
-1 package (1 oz) taco seasoning mix (we used a couple tablespoons of Penzey's Bold Taco Seasoning, and a few dashes of Penzey's Arizona Dreaming)
-2 & 1/4 cups water
-1 & 1/2 cups uncooked wagon wheel pasta (we used shell pasta we had on hand)
-1 & 1/2 cups frozen corn
-1 can (15 oz) kidney, pinto, or black beans, drained and rinsed
-1 medium tomato, chopped (we used one from our tomato plant!! YAY!!)
-1/2 cup sour cream
-1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
-1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (we omitted these since we didn't have any!)

In large skillet with sides, cook beef until browned and cooked thoroughly. Drain.
Stir taco seasoning, water, pasta, corn, beans, and tomato into beef.
Heat to boiling. Stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and COVER. Cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed (We used more beef than was called for, so our ratios were a bit off. I had to scoop out some of the liquid to get the correct consistency).
Stir in sour cream and remove from heat.
Sprinkle cheese and chives over the top. Cover and let stand 2-3 minutes or until cheese melts.
Serves 4.