Make Mine Beef

Our ranch's new sign

May is Beef Month, and while our meals include a lot of beef year round, we appreciate the month to call attention to our product. With warm weather and salad meals we may find ourselves using other meats, but here is a tasty beef and pasta salad recipe to enjoy this summer. 

It is best eaten the same day, after mixing at room temperature, since the tomatoes will continue to break down. But leftovers that have been kept in the refrigerator are also great. Sometimes I warm my serving just a little in the microwave to enhance the flavors after it has been chilled. It makes a lot! Good for a salad lunch when you need to take a big salad, or for when you need leftovers for a few days. 

COWBOY PASTA SALAD      

 

Serve with crackers or rolls for a complete light meal. 

Ingredients:

½ pound dried mini pasta shells

5-6 slices bacon, diced

1 ½ pound ground beef

teaspoons cumin

pinch red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot chili sauce

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

(I altered the original recipe to reduce the pasta and increase the ground beef, as well as a few other tweaks)

Directions:

1.     Bring a large pot of water to a boil; cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.

2.     In the meantime, sauté bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Wipe out skillet, leaving a little of the bacon grease. Add the ground beef; cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Season with the cumin, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drain off fat. Set aside to cool completely.

3.     In an extra large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot chili sauce until combined and smooth. Add the cooked pasts, bacon, beef, corn, tomatoes, and cheese; toss to combine and coat.

4.     Enjoy right away or refrigerate until ready to serve.

You will need a large bowl to mix the ingredients together.