Name: Cowboy Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Europe, Italian
Ingredients: 8 ounces medium pasta shells; 5 bacon strips, chopped; 1 pound ground beef; 1 medium red onion, chopped; 1 medium green or sweet red pepper, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 cups frozen corn, thawed; 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained; 1-1/4 cups buttermilk; 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Hearty, savory and easy to enjoy, cowboy pasta will satisfy all the big eaters in the house.

Ingredients

8 ounces medium pasta shells

5 bacon strips, chopped

1 pound ground beef

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 medium green or sweet red pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained

1-1/4 cups buttermilk

4 ounces cream cheese, cubed

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

1 Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then drain it and set it aside.

2 Cook the bacon

3 In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until it crisps, stirring occasionally. Remove it with a slotted spoon and let it drain on paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings.

4 Combine the main ingredients

5 In the same pan, cook the beef, onion and pepper over medium heat until the meat is crumbly and no longer pink, then drain the excess liquid. Back over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook, stirring often, until it grows fragrant, about two minutes. Add the corn, tomatoes, buttermilk, cream cheese, chili powder, salt, pepper and cooked pasta, and stir to combine.

6 Stir in the cheese and bacon

7 Stir in the Monterey Jack cheese and chopped bacon. Before serving, sprinkle the dish with additional chopped bacon, if desired.