Southwest Pasta Bake
- 16 oz. uncooked penne pasta
- 16 oz. cream cheese
- 1 C milk
- 20 ounces frozen chopped spinach
- 2 t dried oregano
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 3 lb. ground beef
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 T chili powder
- 1 T ground cumin
- 2 t. salt
- 24 oz. salsa
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 18 oz. can tomato paste
- 2 C shredded cheddar cheese
Cube cream cheese; set it in a bowl. Set out the spinach too. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, cook onion in coconut oil over medium heat. Add meat and cook until no longer pink; drain. Return to pot and stir in spices. Stir in salsa, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Drain pasta; stir into meat mixture. Set aside.
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in milk. Stir in spinach and oregano.
Grease a large roasting pan. Layer half of the meat mixture and all of the spinach mixture. Top with the remaining meat mixture.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer.
Adapted from “Most Requested Recipes”