Cheeseburger Pasta

500g lean beef or lamb mince
1 package taco seasoning (I made my own - see below)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
250g pasta

Put pasta on to cook. Brown and drain meat. Stir in taco seasoning and tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer until pasta is ready.

Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce….

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
¾ cup milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking for a few minutes until fragrant and light brown in colour. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Whisk until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Add the salt and pepper to the cheese sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the mince mixture. Stir gently to combine and stir pasta into the sauce.

This dish is very good, the kids enjoyed it too. I made my own taco seasoning as I didn't have any in the house - here's the recipe, although I reduced the chilli powder by half and left out the cumin, which I hate.

Taco Seasoning (equivalent of 1 packet)
2 teaspoons mild or hot chilli powder (I used mild, and half the amount)
1½ teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoons onion powder (I didn't have any so I left this out)
½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoons ground cumin (I left this out)
½ teaspoons oregano