Cooking and preparing a meal is a great way to share love and learn at the same time.

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Prepare a Meal Together!

I’m married to a true Southern man and one of the things he loves to do is BBQ.  He loves his grill and he can BBQ the best steaks ever!!  But I really love it when we can be in the kitchen to prepare a meal together. He is so helpful in the kitchen and is pretty good with whatever he needs to cook with.

The other night we wanted something with pasta, so I decided on Chili Mac since I had everything I needed.  Hubby had never had this before, so I was excited to make it for him.  He worked on the salad and other items which needed to be chopped, while I cooked the pasta and prepared the sauce.  It was our first harvest of leaf lettuce out of the barrel container and we couldn’t wait to see how it would taste. Our neighbor gave us a bunch of spring onions.  Some I replanted and the rest I have been using with our meals.

This is such an easy meal to make and it doesn’t break the bank. I love making a big pot of chili and putting some in the freezer just to make this recipe.

Chili Mac

Classic hearty meal made with items from the pantry.

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Course: Casserole

Author: Tammy

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 2 pounds lean ground beef 90% lean
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 can 28 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can 16 ounces kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 can 4 ounces chopped green chilies
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups 8 ounces shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

INSTRUCTIONS

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chilies, and seasonings. Drain macaroni; add to beef mixture.
• Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Like this recipe? Don’t forget to share!Follow me at @tammymylifeabundant

While hubby and I were dating, he “broke into” my apartment before I got home from work one day.  When I opened the front door, I could hear the Green Acres theme playing in the background and I found him cooking dinner and dressed like that!

I knew right then and there, I had to keep him. 

The best part of cooking together is cleaning up together.  Standing side by side, washing the dishes, wiping off the counters, making sure everything is put up in the fridge, and maybe a kiss or two in between.  Work always gets done faster if there are two working.  And yes girls, real men do wear aprons or in my case, overalls.

Spend some time with your loved one in the kitchen.  The meal always tastes better!

Do you have a meal you like to cook with a loved one?

Do small things with great love!

Tammy

I’m just a country girl loving my geeky life with my wonderful husband, always taking pictures, getting my hands dirty in the garden, being crafty, exploring with travels and enjoying all this on a budget. But above all, living my faith as a child of God!

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