Hamburger Mix Taco Pasta Salad

Myrna found this recipe on the cover of a small Taste of Home Side Dish special interest publication; we both thought it looked like something our families would like.  I thought it would be perfect to use with my home canned hamburger mix;  and I also made our homemade Catalina Dressing and Taco Seasoning mix…it was a winner!  It took just minutes to stir up the dressing and combine the seasonings while the pasta cooked. 

Simple, tasty, I didn’t have to buy anything special, and it could be made without thawing meat if needed. I didn’t have tortilla chips, but I made some homemade cornbread muffins – we’ll have this again!   Of course, make this faster by using purchased dressing and seasoning mix.               

                         Taco Pasta Salad 

  2              cups  uncooked spiral pasta -- 8 ounces

  2              pints hamburger mix

  1              envelope  taco seasoning

  3              cups  shredded lettuce

  2              cups  halved cherry tomatoes

  1              cup  shredded cheddar cheese -- (4 ounces)

     1/2       cup  chopped onion

     1/2       cup  chopped green pepper

     1/2       cup  Catalina salad dressing

                  Tortilla chips

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Heat hamburger mix; drain.  (Or in a large skillet, cook 1 pound of ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.)

Stir in the taco seasoning; cool. 

Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stir into meat mixture. Add the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onion, green pepper and dressing; toss to coat. Serve with tortilla chips. Yield: 6 – 8 servings.

                        Catalina Dressing

  4          tablespoons  salad oil

  8          teaspoons  Sugar

  4          teaspoons  vinegar

  4          teaspoons  ketchup

     1/6   teaspoon  garlic salt

Stir together, let set until sugar dissolves.  Stir or shake before adding to salad.

                        Taco Seasoning Mix

  2          Teaspoons  Instant Minced Onion

  1          Teaspoon  Salt

  1          Teaspoon  Chili Powder

     1/2   Teaspoon  Cornstarch

     1/2   Teaspoon  Crushed Dried Red Pepper

     1/2   Teaspoon  Instant Minced Garlic

     1/4   Teaspoon  Dried Oregano

     1/2   Teaspoon  Ground Cumin

Combine.  Comparable to 1 package seasoning mix.