Recipe: Taco Pasta

Hola!  So last night I made this taco pasta from Plain Chicken - just with a few changes.  Basically, I was trying to make it healthier/less calories, and well whatever I figured I'd share what I did.  The mister gave it two thumbs up [which is rare from him on pasta/hamburger helper like dishes]!

A maybe healthier Taco Pasta, but maybe not ha!

1 lb ground turkey
8 oz pasta shells
1 green onion, chopped (or more depending on your tastes!)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup of salsa (use a bean one for more protein!)
1 packet low sodium taco seasoning (really, you could probably get buy on half a packet!)
3 oz of fat free cream cheese (or neufchatel cheese, both have less cals than regular!)
1/2 cup of light sour cream
Shredded cheese for topping (even better would be to skip this, but I still used it!)

1. Get your water boiling and cook pasta.  When you drain it, save 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
2. While pasta is going brown your turkey.
3. Once the turkey is nearly done add your onion. Cook meat through, add the garlic and saute.
4. Next, mix in the salsa and the taco seasoning.  Simmer for about 5 min.
5. Now mix in your cream cheese, sour cream, pasta and pasta water.  Keep stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended.

Top with a bit of shredded cheese and some salsa if desired. Serve and enjoy! :)

Dare to Dream.

[source]

Today, I am going to give you a glimpse into my inner psychosis. Into my subconscious. Into the depths of my crazy mind. I’m going to tell you about a dream I had last week. On a nightly basis I have very weird dreams. Seriously. I mean lots of people have weird dreams when they are super tired or under the influence of NyQuil (I have weirder and more vivid dreams in those situations, or don’t dream at all). However, the dream I’m going to tell you about was under normal circumstances. Let me set the scene.

I’m in my watermelon,cotton sundress and black leggings. I’m also wearing my teal crossover purse that I wear everyday. I can’t tell you where I am, I’m not sure. I am in a small group of people, some faces familiar, some not. The faces change throughout the dream. I feel like maybe I’m on some sort of tour. We are wandering around in a old home. No not home, mansion. Someone is telling us about the various rooms and pointing at things. I feel damp, or sweaty...specifically on my rear. I reach back and feel around on my dress....oh. my. god. I have shit my pants...er my leggings. I’m suddenly I know this is exactly what has happened, though I don’t know when. I position my purse over my bum in an attempt to cover my predicament. I go on the hunt for a bathroom like a madwoman. One of the people who were pointing and talking at us earlier tell me where a public restroom is. I search. I keep searching for what feels like forever. I can’t find the bathroom. I go back to this person, they tell me again. I try again and still have no luck. Then the tour (or whatever) leaves and for some reason I have to go with. People are talking to me and standing near me like I don’t have shit in my pants. Finally, someone I don’t know steps out of the shadows and opens a door. “In here”, they say. This someone is genderless. It’s a small, arched door under a huge, almost majestic staircase. I don’t ask questions, I just walk in. The door closes behind me, I’m surrounded by darkness. I feel my heart rate increase and then...

I wake up.

What. The. Hell. First I would like to say that, with the exception of when I was a baby, I have never shit myself. I will not lie, there have been a couple close calls, but it did not happen and an illness and/or some intense mexican was involved. Okay, so let’s break this down and explore some possible reasons for this ridiculous dream.

Reason 1

I did, in fact have some mexican food the day of this dream and it had been working its way through my system. :/ Haha, TMI?

Reason 2

There is some deeper meaning that relates to what’s happening in my life right now. Hmm, so I was searching a lot in this dream and never found what I was looking for. That could definitely apply to my life currently, although that’s a pretty broad statement and probably applies to many people’s lives. I was also very concerned about hiding the fact that I shit myself (obviously) - so maybe I worried about getting caught in an embarrassing situation? Lastly, I ended up getting closed into a dark room. Maybe I’m feeling trapped and am unsure how to proceed? Lol, interpreting things is just so broad and applies to everything.

Pretty sure it was just the mexican food. :)

Oh and since it’s technically Music Monday, I’ll leave you with this. Which is completely unrelated other than the title, but it’s just oh so good!

xo, kass