Mexican Pasta Vegetable Bake

Pretty good – but could be better (probably because we only had one 16-oz. jar of salsa – such a travesty!).  We also didn’t have rotini, so I used macaroni – the rotini would definitely hold the salsa more, but that’s okay.  Instead of using frozen corn, I used canned – which I don’t think makes a bit of difference (and is easier than thawing).  I also used Mexican Taco cheese (about ½ of the package), which gave the meal an extra little kick.  Finally, no cilantro – not a huge fan and didn’t have any fresh on hand.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/mexican-pasta-vegetable-bake-50182.aspx

The flavor was good, not too spicy and I added some green bell pepper for a crunch factor.  I like that you can make this healthier by reducing the amount of cheese, and it has a good amount of fiber and protein because of the black beans (two cans would probably work, too!).  My recommendation – definitely make this recipe, but be sure to have all of the salsa at the ready!