Micro-wave Chili Stuffed Tomatoes- What???

Microwave you say? Really? I had my doubts but this is actually yummy.

4 large tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 cup canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
4 tablespoons shredded fat free monterey jack cheese

Cut off and discard a slice from the top of each tomato. With a small spoon remove the seeds and inner flesh and discard the seeds and chop the flesh.
Spray a large non stick skillet with olive oil non stick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for about 20 seconds. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
Stir in the beans, chopped tomato, chili powder oregano and salt. Cook, stirring until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in a few tablespoons on water if the mixture seems too dry.
Spoon the mixture evenly into the tomatoes and sprinkle evenly with the Jack Cheese. Place the stuffed tomatoes in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high till the tomatoes soften but still hold their shape and the cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Let stand at room temp for about one minute before serving.

Per serving: (1 tomato)
204 calories
4 g fat
34 mg Cholesterol
634mg sodium
24 g carbs
6 gr fibre
18 g protien
112 mg Calc.

Taco Casserole/ flaming cheese dip.

I just kind of throw thigs together so all amounts are a guess

Cook some noodles, what ever you have really. Set aside
Brown some ground beef, with some red peppers, onions, jalepeno peppers, whatever you have. I have used fresh and jarred with equal success.
Add a packet of taco seasoning and a jar of salsa. Season to taste if you need it. You could add cummin, cayene, chili peppers, green chilis, salt and pepper, garlic, whatever. I usually find it doesn't need much else. Shred up some cheese. I use cheddar, but you could use monterey jack, mozzerella, whatever you have on hand. I use about 2 cups maybe? Throw that in the pan and mix it all up to melt it, and add the noodles and give is a good stir. At this point it is ready to eat, but you could also put it in the oven to keep it warm, or mix up the flavours or whatever. I serve it with a dollop og sour cream and sometimes some chopped up green onions on top.

** this also makes a great party dip if you eliminate the noodles and up the cheese content, and maybe make it a little hotter on the spicy scale. Just serve it with cut up baguettes 

Taco casserole

This is not our usual kind of supper, but my family loves it so I make it once in a while. Is is good for a pot luck gathering.
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalepeno pepper, diced (optional)
1 jar of your favorite salsa ( I use pace or chi-chi's)
1 packet taco seasoning
cheddar cheese, shredded ( a few cups)
monterey jack cheese,shredded (a few cups)
whatever kind of pasta you want,cooked (I use scoobi-doos, or penne or elbow macaroni)
green onions
sour cream

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile....

Fry up the ground beef and when it's almost done add the garlic, onions and peppers. Continue frying until the veggies soften up a bit. Spoon out as much of the fat as you can, then dump in the salsa and taco seasoning. If it looks too dry, you can add some tomato sauce or some tomato paste or just some water. After that heats up a bit add about 3/4 of each kind of cheese. Stir it in. Salt and pepper and season to taste. I often add cumin.
Stir in the cooked pasta, and dump it all in a 9x13 lasagna pan. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over top. Bake it in a 350 oven for 20-30 minutes.
To serve sprinkle the green onions over top and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
For a variation, you can omit the noodles and serve it with a baguette or tortilla chips.