Queso Taco Pasta Bake

In exactly one week it will be Cinco de Mayo. At my house any day could be Cinco de Mayo because of how much we love Mexican food. Really, it's just another great excuse to eat dishes like tacos, enchiladas, tostadas and burritos. In this case, my love for Mexican flavors is combined with another favorite...pasta! This is not just any old cheese sauce either. If you love queso dip at the beginning of the meal you are gonna love this creamy, cheesy, decadent tasting pasta. You will also thank your estrellas afortunadas that it is surprisingly low cal (for pasta, anyway) thanks to the use of ground turkey instead of beef and a chicken broth-based sauce. A full meal in one dish, this will satisfy your cravings and fill your belly on Cinco de Mayo, or any other day.

Queso Taco Pasta Bake (adapted from picky-palate.com)

4 T. unsalted butter
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 t. salt, divided
1 t. pepper, divided
1 (15 oz.) can reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 c. salsa (I used Herdez mild)
2 c. shredded Velveeta queso blanco cheese, divided
1 T. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
19 oz. ground turkey (I used 93/7)
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes
1 T. cumin
Juice of 1 lime
1 lb. penne pasta (or other short pasta of your choice)

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat then whisk in the flour, 1/2 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, for about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Increase the heat to high and whisk constantly until thickened. Add the salsa and 1 1/2 c. of the cheese. Turn off the heat and stir until the cheese is melted. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute more. Add the turkey, remaining 1 t. salt and remaining 1/2 t. pepper and cook, breaking up the meat until it is cooked through. Add the Rotel, cumin and lime juice and stir to combine.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain and return to the pot. Add the cheese sauce and ground turkey to the pot with the pasta and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 c. cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

8 servings (480 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com