As part of a long overdue family resolution, the family decided that starting this year we will make it a point that Sunday lunch/dinner is dedicated to spending time with the family. Which is quite timely because Des will soon leave for the states for her internship.



Recently I've been obsessing over chili con carne (made using McCormick's Chili con Carne mix). A shortcut yes but I am just not patient enough to slave away in the kitchen for hours. I do promise to make time and cook chili the right way. Lol.

In the meantime, this delish shortcut could just be a winner in your next potluck.

Here's what you'll need:

400 grams of spaghetti (or penne, or whichever pasta you have on hand)
600 grams of ground beef
2 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 pack McCormick Chili con Carne mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 chopped medium onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
2 cups tomato sauce
1 can whole tomatoes (chopped)
1 pack Del Monte Cheese Magic

Here's what yo do:

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. I like to salt my pasta while it's cooking so i add about 2 pinches of salt. While you cook your pasta you can go ahead and get started on the sauce. Dilute the Chili con Carne mix with 1/2 cup water and set aside. Heat oil in a pan and saute onions. Once translucent, add in the ground beef. Once a little brown, add the chili con carne mix. Let simmer then add the red bell peppers. You want to reduce this before you add the tomato sauce and canned tomatoes. Since we're using a chili con carne mix there's really no need to season it with salt and pepper. But if you want it a little more spicy, add some chili powder. The sauce should be a little thick and not runny. Once you have this, mix in the pasta and transfer to a baking dish. Top it with the cheese sauce and heat up in the oven. I use a microwave so 2 minutes will do,  Enjoy!

Hugs & Besos....