This recipe courtesy of Food Blogger Lauren Brennan. Get more ideas on her blog, Lauren's Latest.

Cheesy Taco Pasta
yield: 4 large servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef (I use 80/20)
• 1 taco seasoning packet (reduced sodium is a good idea)
• 1 1/2 cups southwest salsa
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 lb. pasta
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup cream
• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Bring water to boil to cook the pasta. Salt it and cook pasta until al dente.
2. While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, cook ground beef, breaking apart as you go. Once thoroughly cooked, drain meat and run under hot water to remove any fat. Wipe out pan with paper towel and place back on heat.
3. Pour cooked beef into hot pan with taco seasoning, salsa and water. Simmer until pasta is finished cooking.
4. Once pasta is cooked, drain well and pour into skillet. Top with cheese, cream, salt and pepper.
5. Stir until cheese melts and noodles are coated in sauce. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes: A lot of people have told me that this recipe tends to be very salty because of the taco seasoning. I have found that the brand of taco seasoning does matter! On tv and at home, I tried this with McCormick low sodium taco seasoning and it was perfect. So, try to look for that brand. If you can’t find that, then don’t salt your pasta water or add any additional salt at the end.