Mexican Haystacks

The kids loved this one. Seriously. They asked for it again the very next night! (I used cornstarch mixed in a few Tablespoons of cold water instead of flour, and it worked fine.) This is straight from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

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1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium beef broth (if using regular broth, cut down the salt in the recipe)
8-ounce can tomato sauce
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)
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Hot, cooked rice or quinoa for serving
Taco toppings: lettuce, sour cream, cheese, olives, etc
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1. In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef or turkey, salt and pepper, and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until cooked through. Drain excess grease, if needed.

2. Stir in the paprika, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, oregano, garlic powder and flour. (Leave out flour for gluten free version.) The mixture will be crumbly. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the meat and spices are fragrant and sizzling.

3. Whisking quickly and constantly, slowly add the beef broth and tomato sauce about 1/2 cup at a time, letting the mixture thicken and bubble between additions before adding more. (Add combined cornstarch and cold water now if omitting flour.)

4. Stir in the back beans and corn. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook 5-7 minutes until thickened.

5. Serve the sauce over rice (or quinoa) with lime wedges and taco toppings of your choice.