Who doesn’t like tacos?  Well, there might be a few people, but, for the most part, burritos, enchiladas, chili with beef or chicken have almost become mainstays in the American diet. We love the spices and the combination of flavors. It’s kind of like comfort food with a kick.  The following recipe combines ground beef, turkey or chicken with your favorite boxed mac and cheese to make a quick comfort dish at home.  Add some shredded lettuce and tortilla chips with your favorite salsa and you have a complete meal!

1  pound ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 - 1.25 oz. package of your favorite taco seasoning mix (3 tablespoons)
1 - 6 to 7.25 oz. box of mac and cheese, prepared according to package directions
1/4 cup of your favorite salsa
1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt
1  cup shredded taco cheese

In a medium skillet, brown ground beef, turkey or chicken until cooked through and no longer pink.  Drain excess grease. Stir in taco seasoning mix.  Add prepared mac and cheese, salsa and sour cream or yogurt.  Heat through.  Garnish with shredded taco cheese to serve.  Makes 4-6 servings.  Enjoy!   

Boxed mac and cheese is an easy way to save both time and money.  We can stock up when it is on sale and keep it in the pantry.  The noodle variations are great but sometimes a little extra flavor from additional ingredients help this budget meal taste a bit more expensive than it actually is.  Classic combinations like broccoli and cheese sauce are always a hit.  If kids aren’t especially fond of broccoli on its own, chances are good they will like it this way.  Bacon added with the broccoli give this dish a bit more depth and interest.   It can be a complete meal or served as a side dish with your favorite chicken, pork or seafood. 

1   -  6 to 7.25 ounce package macaroni and cheese dinner, prepared according to package directions
Additional  1/2  cup of milk
2    cups broccoli florets
8    ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese *
1/3   cup bacon bits or pieces 
1/4   teaspoon each  garlic salt, onion powder, and yellow mustard

Just after preparing the mac and cheese according to package directions, add remaining ingredients.  Heat through until cheese is melted and broccoli is crisp tender.  Makes 3-4 Servings.  Enjoy! 

*Shredded cheese can be expensive if it’s not on sale.  There are a couple of options here.  One, I buy it when it is on sale and freeze it.  For cooked one dish meals like this, it works great.  The other option is to use the sliced cheese that you may have available, chop it up and while it may take a bit longer to heat through and melt, you can simply use what you already have on hand in the fridge.

This mac and cheese recipe has a bit of a kick to it. The combination with smoky, spicy peppers offers a bit of variety from everyday boxed mac and cheese.  It is fun served with your favorite grilled chicken or pork or on its own.  Chipotle peppers have gained popularity in the last few years.  A lot of us know them by the restaurant title of gourmet, made to order burritos.  These peppers are actually smoked jalapenos that are dried and have a wrinkled dark brown skin.  They can be found dried, pickled or canned in adobo sauce which is what I use in this recipe.  Adobo sauce from Mexico is made of ground chiles, herbs and vinegar.  It takes on the spicy, smoked flavor of the chipotle peppers once it is canned.  I rarely use a whole can at once.  I freeze the remaining in 1 chile portions with a bit of adobo in a snack sized plastic bag and then place the smaller bags in a container or freezer bag.  It is easy to just take out what I need.  I have found reasonably priced canned chipotles at Super Wal-Mart for about $0.85 for a 7 ounce can which has about 10-12 chiles per can.  So, you get a lot of flavor for a few pennies.  Feel free to double the chipotles in this recipe if you would like to.  I thought it was a nice amount of heat but go for it if you need more.

1   6 – 7.25 ounce package macaroni and cheese dinner, prepared according to package directions
2/3   cup additonal milk
1    cup or 4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese *
1/4   teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder
1    tablespoon chipotle chile with adobo sauce,  finely chopped

Once the mac and cheese is prepared according to package directions, stir in the remaining ingredients.  Heat through until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy.  Makes about 4 cups or 2-3 servings.  Enjoy!

*Shredded cheese can be expensive if it’s not on sale.  There are a couple of options here.  One, I buy it when it is on sale and freeze it.  For cooked, one dish meals like this, it works great.  The other option is to use the sliced cheese that you may have available, chop it up and while it may take a bit longer to heat through and melt, you can simply use what you already have on hand in the fridge.

The combination of ham or Canadian bacon, pineapple and green peppers on a pizza has been a favorite of mine for years. In this version of mac and cheese, the flavors work very well, you won’t see the pineapple but you will taste it and the crunch from the green peppers is a great contrast. I hope you don’t miss the red sauce too much otherwise garlic bread dipped in marinara might be a good side for this entree.

I am sure you are aware, macaroni and cheese boxed dinners are constantly on sale and are a staple in many a pantry as is canned pineapple. Green peppers are typically the most reasonably priced of all of the peppers and ham, Canadian bacon or smoked turkey can be on sale from time to time. I like to use ham hocks, they are typically under $2.00 a pound and have great flavor. You can find them by the Canadian bacon and ham steaks in your grocery store. This recipe is an easy organic conversion if that is your preference as well as a meatless option if that works better for you.

1  - 6 to 7.25 ounce package of macaroni and cheese, prepared according to package directions
1/2  cup milk, in addition to amount used for package
1 –  8 ounce package shredded cheddar cheese *
1  cup cubed ham or smoked turkey
1 - 8 ounce can pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2  cup diced green pepper
1/4  teaspoon garlic salt

Just after preparing the mac and cheese, add the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until the cheese is melted and the ham and pineapple are heated through. Makes 3-4 Servings. Enjoy!

*Shredded cheese can be expensive if it’s not on sale.  There are a couple of options here.  One, I buy it when it is on sale and freeze it.  For cooked, one dish meals like this, it works great.  The other option is to use the sliced cheese that you may have available, chop it up and while it may take a bit longer to heat through and melt, you can simply use what you already have on hand in the fridge (one slice typically weighs 3/4  to 1  ounce ).

In the last few years, mac & cheese has become tremendously popular. Chefs all over the country are adding high end ingredients to this All American Classic. I have seen gorgonzola and bacon mac & cheese, lobster mac & cheese, it goes on and on. Now, more than ever, we have become cost conscious. We are buying food items on sale or at a discount to save where we can. Maybe we aren’t eating dinner out as much. I am a believer that we can enjoy some really great meals cooking at home as well. Using “blue box” macaroni and cheese, this is a quick and easy recipe with a little Southwestern flair that tastes great with grilled meat, rotisserie chicken or simply on it’s own.

1  – 6 to 7.25 oz box macaroni and cheese dinner, prepared according to package directions
4  oz. or 1 cup shredded mexican style, taco or nacho cheese *
1 – 4 oz. can diced green chiles
3/4  teaspoon chile powder
1  tablespoon sour cream

Once the mac and cheese is prepared, add remaining ingredients. Stir until heated through and cheese is melted. Enjoy!

*Shredded cheese can be expensive if it’s not on sale.  There are a couple of options here.  One, I buy it when it is on sale and freeze it.  For cooked, one dish meals like this, it works great.  The other option is to use the sliced cheese that you may have available, chop it up and while it may take a bit longer to heat through and melt, you can simply use what you already have on hand in the fridge (one slice typically weighs 3/4  to 1  ounce ).

Growing up in the sixties and seventies, one regular meal at our house was tuna noodle casserole. I used to make this while my mom worked and have fond memories of this dish. Great comfort food. It required a fair amount of prep of the ingredients and then baking. It’s great when there is time, but this version is quick, easy and economical. Canned tuna and boxed mac and cheese are frequently available at bargain prices. They tend to be staples in many pantries and can be purchased organically as well. Since we all need a little comfort now and then, I hope you enjoy this recipe.

1 - 6 to 7.25 oz. box of macaroni and cheese dinner, prepared according to package directions
1  cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese *
1/3  cup milk
1/4  teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder
1/4  teaspoon salt
2 – 6 oz. cans tuna, drained
1/2  cup frozen peas

Once the mac and cheese is prepared, stir in remaining ingredients and heat through until cheese is melted. Makes 4 Servings. Enjoy!

*Shredded cheese can be expensive if it’s not on sale.  There are a couple of options here.  One, I buy it when it is on sale and freeze it.  For cooked, one dish meals like this, it works great.  The other option is to use the sliced cheese that you may have available, chop it up and while it may take a bit longer to heat through and melt, you can simply use what you already have on hand in the fridge (one slice typically weighs 3/4  to 1  ounce ).