Southwestern Chili Mac Salad

This is from the Rachael Ray magazine June-July 2008 issue. This was a very simple dish to make and so very tasty. This would be a perfect recipe for a hot summer day. Things I did different though, I was out of canned kidney beans so I used a can of pinto beans in chili sauce and I also added garlic to the ground beef. Everyone, including the kids at this dish.

1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 ears corn
2 cups elbow pasta

1 red onion, half finely chopped, half thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 pound lean ground beef
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice and cilantro; whisk in 6 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn until just tender, about 3 minutes; transfer to a cutting board. Return the water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Cut the corn kernels from the cob and add to the pasta.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and chili powder and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander and drain well.

4. Add the beef mixture to the pasta; season with salt and pepper. Add the kidney beans, tomatoes, sliced onion and vinaigrette and toss to dress. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the cheese.