taco tuesday on a monday

I'm always looking for new recipes to expand our menus and not our waistlines. I've been trying harder to add in vegetables, grains, etc. that we probably would have been eating for years if only we had taken the time to try them. Between my sister and I, I usually cook the more involved, complicated dishes and she will do the quicker easier ones, maybe because she is actually the "busy mom" and I get home around 3 so I have more time to go all out-even after walking the dog.

Lately she has been cruising the magazines in the breakroom at her job and has been bringing back recipes she finds. I think she's brought three or four in the past two weeks. It's really cute because I know she does support my goal of having us all eat better but she doesn't always have the time/desire to cook as often or as hard as I do. So she's still involved in the process at the jump off, now if I only I could get her to swing back around and pick up the dish duties. (I clean when she cooks, but also most often when I cook as well).

Anyway, last night's recipe was from Family Circle and you can find it here. It's called "Taco Night Pasta" and it's ridiculously easy. I goofed and got medium enchilada sauce instead of mild so I only used regular chili powder rather than hot. My niece will always use "spicy" as an excuse to not eat something, so I have to make sure it isn't really spicy to begin with. I didn't put cheese because we don't all like fyh's cheddar but I did shred some fyh monterey jack for the table and everyone could add as much as she liked. My niece took nearly all of it, which is what I would have done with dairy cheese at her age, so I can't be mad at her.

I don't know if it tasted like tacos so much as chili mac from back in the hot lunch days at school but for the effort, it was good. I had two and a half small bowls, so that should say something. My only notes would be to add a bit more seasonings and maybe use more tomatoes. We'll definitely make it again, especially on a cooler day like the few we've had lately.