Creamy Taco Mac, aka Homemade Hamburger Helper

Most of us have eaten a fair share of Hamburger Helper during our lives. I didn't make it often when I lived on my own, because I'm not much of an eater of left overs, and I definitely couldn't eat Hamburger Helper for days on end. I've tried it again as a convenience on a busy night, and it just doesn't taste as good as I used to think it did. (Even my husband, who will eat everything, even if it doesn't taste too good, prefers not to eat it). I ran across this recipe, and decided to give it a try. It's delicious! Just as easy as the boxed stuff, but you know what's going into it. And, it's fairly healthy if you use reduced fat ingredients.



CREAMY TACO MAC (Adapted from Annie's Eats)

1¼ lbs. ground turkey
8-12 oz. dry pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup taco seasoning
3-4 oz. cream cheese (I used the 1/3 less fat version)
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion. Once the turkey is completely cooked, mix in the garlic, and cook for approximately 1 minute. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese and sour cream, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in a medium sized handful of finely shredded cheese. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Note: Both the hubby & I think this reheats wonderfully!

ENJOY!