Baked Rotini with Beef

What child doesn't like pasta?  Most kids I know are happy with cooked pasta topped with Parmesan.   Tonight while I was cooking dinner, our youngest grabbed an uncooked rotini pasta and stared crunching on it with her 7 (almost 8) teeth.  


Use this recipe as a base.  You can add additional spices, substitute chicken for beef, or add diced tomatoes with green chilies.  Whatever suits your fancy... and taste-buds.

Baked Rotini with Beef

Serves 6

8 ounces uncooked rotini

Cooking spray

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1 large yellow onion, chopped 

5 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 cups skim milk

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

7 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

3/4 cup  shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Preheat broiler.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes or  until almost cooked through.  Add onion and garlic.  Continue to cook until beef is no longer pink and onions are tender. Sprinkle with salt. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in milk, tomatoes, and cream cheese, stirring until smooth; bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in pasta.

Spoon pasta mixture into a 9 x 13-inch broiler-safe baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over top. Broil 4 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with parsley is using.