Cooking At The Compound

It's been a dreary, rainy Saturday here at The Compound.  Add to that the fact that Mom has been sick all day with a stomach virus, and you've got a recipe for strained nerves between me and the Old Man.  But not today.  While Mom rested on the couch this morning, we watched a few of our favorite Food Network shows.  I guess they inspired us, because before I knew what was happening, I was at the stove browning a pound of ground beef while the Old Man was making macaroni and cheese and gathering other ingredients.  Last night, he spent over an hour reading our new issue of the Kraft recipe magazine, and he picked out a recipe he wanted to try.  And what a better time to try it than today when Mom was sick and unable to feed us.  The dish was simply titled "Taco Bake" and it was awesome.  It took less than an hour from start to finish, and that even includes a ten-minute trip to the store for a box of the mac and cheese, too.  It turned out so pretty, I had to take some pictures of it to post on TWIT.  We even called our neighbor Bev to come down and taste it.  We got nothing but rave reviews from her.  Here's the recipe in case you'd like to try it.  If I can help make this and it turns our great, anyone can. 

Taco Bake

Recipe Rating:
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 35 min
Makes: 6 servings

1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

1 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) TACO BELL HOME ORIGINALS Taco Seasoning Mix

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided

1 cup TACO BELL HOME ORIGINALS Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Prepare Dinner as directed on package. While Macaroni is cooking, brown meat; drain. Add taco seasoning mix and water to meat; simmer 5 min. STIR sour cream into prepared Dinner. Spoon half of the Dinner mixture into 8-inch square baking dish; top with layers of the meat mixture, 1 cup of the cheese and remaining Dinner mixture. Cover. BAKE 15 min. Top with salsa and remaining 1/2 cup cheese.Bake, uncovered, an additional 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS Size-Wise Keep an eye on portion size when you enjoy this hearty meal. Jazz It Up For extra crunch, prepare and bake as directed, topping with 1/2 cup coarsely crushed tortilla chips along with the salsa and cheese.