The Pioneer Woman Tasty Kitchen
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Siggy’s Skinny They Won’t Know it’s not Beef Mac

5.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5

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Level: Easy

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Description

This dish is a definite staple in my house, and is loved by all. Even my picky pants niece who doesn’t eat anything scarfed it down when she came to visit this summer. It makes a TON, like 2 meals worth. So it would work great as a friendship casserole (make one, give one to a friend) or to stick one in the freezer for an easy meal at a later date.

Ingredients

  • 1 box Elbow Macaroni (1 Pound Box, I Suggest Barilla Plus Whole Wheat Macaroni)
  • 4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Divided
  • 2-½ pounds Lean Ground Turkey
  • 2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Chopped
  • 2 cups Chopped Onion (about 1 Large Onion)
  • 1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic
  • 1 can Crushed Tomatoes (28 Ounces)
  • 2 cans (14 Oz. Size) Tomato Sauce
  • 1 can (10 Oz. Size) Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
  • 1-½ teaspoon Dried Basil
  • 1-½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1-½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Each Salt And Pepper, More To Taste
  • 3 cups Shredded 2% Cheddar Or Colby Jack Cheese

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the macaroni to al dente and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil then season and brown the ground turkey. Drain meat and set aside. Add remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to skillet, add the peppers and onion, saute until soft. Add garlic and cook just until it becomes fragrant. Do not allow garlic to burn. Bleck! Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and cheese soup. Stir to combine. Add basil, oregano, and cumin and allow to simmer over medium low heat for a few minutes allowing flavors to meld together. At this point, give it a taste and add your salt and pepper until right for you.

In a LARGE bowl (I said it makes a ton, right?) combine the macaroni and the turkey sauce mixture. Stir to combine and pat yourself on the back for getting your arm workout in for the day (remember the aforementioned, makes a TON).

Spread this mixture into 2 casserole dishes or, as I do, a 9×13 pan and a 8×8 pan. Top with cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Once this bad boy is done baking, if you can still use your arms from stirring this mammoth amount of food, pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

3 Comments

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christinb on 4.27.2010

This was fantastic, but I’m so glad I halved the recipe, as I was only feeding 3. I’ll absolutely make it again!

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houseofrouse on 3.22.2010

We made this dish this weekend and it was AWESOME! Such a delicious comfort food dish!

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texaslea on 3.21.2010

I made this and my family loved it! My hubby even went back for a third helping. I will definitely make it again. Thanks for the great recipe!

2 Reviews

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em25 on 10.8.2012

I made this last night with a pound of ground turkey that I needed to use. I halved the recipe and it still made enough for a 9 x 13 casserole dish. My husband and I really enjoyed it! A great new way to prepare ground turkey!

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christinb on 7.16.2011

This has become my go-to casserole recipe. Since it makes such a large amount, I always make it when preparing food for someone that’s had a baby, a death in the family, etc. Freezes well to bake later, and I always save the extra casserole for my husband and I. We LOVE this.

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