SOUTHWESTERN CASSEROLE

I’ve been making this mild family-pleasing casserole for years. It tastes wonderful, fits nicely into our budget and, best of all, makes a second hot dish to freeze and enjoy sometime later.

—Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, TX

Prep: 25 min. • Bake: 40 min. • Makes: 2 casseroles (6 servings each)

• 2 cups (8 oz.) uncooked elbow macaroni
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (14 ½ oz. each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat, crumbling beef, until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Drain macaroni; stir into beef mixture.

2. Preheat oven to 375°. Transfer macaroni mixture to 2 greased 2-qt. baking dishes. Top with cheese and jalapenos. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until bubbly and heated through, for about 10 minutes longer. Serve 1 casserole. Cool the second casserole; cover and freeze up to 3 months.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator 8 hours. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°, 20-25 minutes.

Note: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.

1 cup: 321 cal., 15g fat (7g sat. fat), 64mg chol., 673mg sod., 23g carb. (5g sugars, 4g fiber), 24g pro.