Chili Mac Skillet

Over the course of the last couple of months, I have kind of gotten away from talking about our grocery budget. We've just been too busy for me to document it, and I've been realizing that our lives have really changed since I started the $50 a week grocery project. For the last few months, we've been working with closer to an $80 a week budget. That being said, we got bad news about our health insurance plan, and it's going to set us back an extra $2,600 in 2013. Ahem? Where is that money going to come from??? I spent yesterday trying to get my coupons and our budget in order and taking inventory of the pantry. We have a few months before the rubber meets the road, but I figure we better start "practicing." We may be back to $50 a month for awhile. I feel like I at least need to give it a shot. Anyway, this week, I spent right at $60, and we'll make do with a lot that we already had around the house. I adapted this Chili Mac recipe using mostly ingredients that I already had for a cheap "nice" Saturday night dinner, and I thought it turned out really great!

Ingredients

8 ounces shell pasta

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 cup green bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups frozen grilled chicken breast (chopped)
1o ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes, mild
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon of Ranch dressing
A splash of lime juice
Black pepper to taste
Shredded cheese and Sour Cream for garnish

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run under cool water to stop cooking. Heat oil in 9 inch deep cast iron skillet. Add onions and peppers, cook stirring until softened about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook stirring for 1 minute. Add chicken, tomatoes, broth, beans, shell pasta, chili powder, cumin, Ranch seasoning and cilantro. Stir until well combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve.