Taco Pasta

(As From "The Potluck Cookbook")

4 oz dried penne

1 lb uncooked ground chicken

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups of water

1 1.25 oz envelope of taco seasoning mix

1 11oz can of whole kernel corn with sweet peppers (I found this in the store as "mexicorn")

1 cup of sliced pitted ripe olives

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup salsa

1 4oz can of diced green chile peppers, drained

4 cups of shredded lettuce

tomatoes cut into thin wedges

Optional: Tortilla Chips & Sour Cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Cook Pasta according to directions, drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile in a large skillet cook ground chicken and onion, until meat is brown; drain the fat. Return to the skillet. Stir in the water and taco seasoning mix. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cooked pasta, corn, olives, half of the shredded cheese, salsa, and chile peppers.
3. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 3-quart rectangular casserole. Bake, covered, about 45 minutes or until heated through. Remove from the oven; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Serve with lettuce, tomato wedges, and if desired tortilla chips and sour cream.

My Two Cents:

1. Very easy to make!
2. Learned a new tip from my sister today, if you ever have a very potent onion, soak it in ice cold water for about 30 minutes, this helps get rid of that overpowering (and gross) taste.
   
3. I used more cheese, because I am a cheese addict.
   
4. The original recipe is actually double all the ingredients (it is for a potluck where you would want to make a lot) The amount I made would be good for a large family probably about 6 or 8 servings. If you have a smaller family, cut it in half again! YUMMY!
5. The book said this is a "kid favorite". Since I am a child stuck in an adults body, I can confirm that this is true so if you have some kid appetites to feed, hook them up with this!!