Mexican Beef Skillet

I found this super easy and yummy recipe in a "Family Dinner" magazine I was given at the grocery store. This recipe is awesome because you can really swap ingredients in and out of the recipe catering the recipe to what you have on hand and like.

Makes 4-6 servings; Prep Time: 10 min.; Cook Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef (I used 1 lbs. of ground turkey burger. It's usually cheaper, less fatty, and I like the flavor better)

1 to 2 cups salsa

1 (15 oz.) can beef broth (I use beef bouillon or base)

1 lg. green bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp. light olive oil

1 (1 oz.) pkg. taco seasoning mix (I used the a couple tbsp. from this bulk mix)

1 (8 oz.) container sour cream (1 cup)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. noodles (egg noodles, rotini, macaroni or other)

2 cups cooked corn, optional

1 to 2 cups Cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese, shredded

Sliced black olives, optional

Chopped tomato, optional

Method:

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.

Sauté onion and green pepper with olive oil in a small skillet.

Stir salsa, taco seasoning, beef broth, green pepper and onion, corn and black olives into the skillet with the ground beef.

Add noodles and sour cream to ground beef mixture and stir well. Sprinkle with cheese and cover until cheese is melted. Serve hot and garnish with chopped tomatoes, if desired.

This recipe is a great one to clean out the refrigerator you could throw a little rice into the mix or add some beans to stretch the meat (you could even leave out the meat and just use beans). I melted cheese on half the pan and it tasted yummy either way.

Bulk Taco Seasoning Mix

I found this recipe at recipezaar a little while ago and it is a great mix to have on hand. I just mix one or two batches up and store it in a washed out spaghetti sauce jar (a baby food jar would be the perfect size) so that it is ready to go when I need it.

Yield: 3/4 cups
1/4 cup dried onions, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon salt (may want to increase or decrease depending on personal preference)
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon dried garlic, minced (I think I just used ground)
1 tablespoon cumin, ground
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, crushed (optional)
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (I didn't have any and it still tasted great)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

I also added a dash of cayenne to give it a little zing.

Combine the ingredients and store in an airtight container.

Add 2 tablespoons to 1 lb. cooked and drained beef and 1/3-1/2 cup water and cook until done.

I usually just throw a little and don't worry to much about exact measurements. You can use a couple tablespoons of this mix in place of a taco seasoning packet. Having this mix pre-made saves time and money!

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