Southwestern Pasta

Ingredients:

• 13.5 oz. of rotini (or any pasta you like)
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 medium green bell pepper cut into thin strips
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced
• 1 15 oz. can Rotel canned tomatoes and chilies (or just diced tomatoes) 
• 1/4 cup taco seasoning (roughly one standard packet)
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese, plus more for topping (Optional)

Preparations:

1. Add all but the last three ingredients (beans, lime, and cheese) to a large pot. Stir, cover, and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. There should still be some liquid in the bottom of the pot when the pasta is cooked.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in the black beans, lime juice, and cheese. Let it rest for 5 minutes to warm the beans, melt the cheese, and absorb the excess liquid.

Chili Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 Tbsp ground red pepper or cayenne
• 1/2 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
• 15 oz can black beans
• 15 oz can pinto beans
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
• 1.5 cups shredded cheese

Preparations:

1. Saute the onion and garlic with olive oil in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat for 5-8 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent.
2. Add the flour and peppers to the onions and garlic. Continue to stir for about two minutes, or just until the flour and chili powder begin to coat the bottom of the pot.
3. Drain and rinse the beans. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, all the beans, corn, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to combine and to dissolve any flour and chili powder off the bottom of the pot. Turn up the heat to medium high.
4. Add the uncooked macaroni noodles and stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot and let the pot come up to a boil. Stir every other minute or so to loosen the noodles from the bottom of the pot as it heats up.
5. When the pot reaches a boil, turn the heat down so it continues to gently simmer. Let the pot gently simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the liquid is thick and saucy.
6. Once the pasta is tender, add the shredded cheddar and stir it in until melted.

Creamy Corn and Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 lb shell pastas
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups corn (if using frozen corn, cover in boiling water and drain when thawed)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 oz cream cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• cilantro, for garnish

Preparations:

1. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside. Return pan to stove.
2. Heat olive oil in the pan over medium heat.
3. Add sweet corn and cherry tomatoes to pan and sauté until corn is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.
4. Add cream cheese to pan and stir until cream cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
5. Return pasta to pan and toss to coat with sauce.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve immediately and top with cilantro for garnish

Macaroni and Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 16 oz macaroni noodles
• 6 bell peppers
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• 6 tsp bread crumbs

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Cook the macaroni according to package directions. 
3. While it cooks, prep the peppers by cutting off the stem end of the pepper and de-seeding Arrange peppers opening up in a baking dish.
4. Make the cheese sauce by measuring the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, milk, garlic, mustard, salt, and cayenne into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave 1.5 minute at at time until sauce is fairly smooth with no big cream cheese chunks. 
5. Drain the macaroni noodles well and then combine them with the sauce. Let sauce sit on noodles for 5-10 minutes. Stir well and then fill peppers with macaroni and cheese.
6. Top each pepper with a teaspoon of the bread crumbs. Bake until breadcrumbs are browned and peppers are desired tenderness, roughly 25-30 minutes