Taco Bake

I love Southwestern flavors and casseroles that don't involve cream of xxx soup, so when I saw this recipe on Loves Deliciousness, I knew that I had to try it. Ironically, it reminded me a lot of the Mexican Stuffed Shells I made quite a while ago, and only when I was siting this post did I realize that Loves Deliciousness was the source for both recipes! I did some tweaking (low fat cheeses, ground turkey and whole wheat macaroni), but stayed pretty true to the original recipe. This one was a keeper. I think we will probably adjust the cream cheese to sour cream ratio a bit (we are bigger sour cream than cream cheese fans), and I might use a blend of low fat and regular cheese for the top next time, since the low fat was a little less gooey than I would have liked. Otherwise, it is yet another great recipe that I have come across due to the food blogging world.

Taco Bake (from Loves Deliciousness)
1 lb ground beef (I used Ground Turkey)
1 packet taco seasoning (I used low sodium)
15 oz. tomato sauce
8 oz. seashell pasta (I used whole wheat macaroni)
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened in microwave (I used low fat, will probably use 4-6 oz next time)
1/2 cup sour cream (I will probably use 3/4 to 1 cup low fat sour cream next time)
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used 8 oz low fat Mexican blend, will probably use 1/2 & 1/2 fat to low fat mixture next time)
Brown ground meat, drain. Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime, cook pasta according to directions & drain. Mix softened cream cheese and sour cream in small bowl. Spray bottom of 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Put pasta in bottom of pan & top with cream cheese mixture. Spoon ground meat mixture over this. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6-8 servings
Nutrition Info for 1/8 of casserole: Calories: 271.7, Fat: 14.1g (7.7 Sat, .4 Poly, 2 Mono), Carbs: 13.1g, Fiber: 1.4g