Modified from Rachael Ray
Salt and pepper
1 pound penne rigate or whole grain penne rigate pasta [I used rigatoni which I had in the cupboard and about 1/2 lb because Adam just eats the meat.]
1 pound hamburger [they used ground sirloin and added some olive oil - I just used regular hamburger and so had enough fat, I even drained some]
1 large onion, chopped
1 large jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder [I used ancho chili powder]
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/4 cup tomato paste
One 12-ounce bottle beer or 1 1/2 cups chicken stock [I actually used vegetable broth here]
2 cups shredded cheddar, monterey jack or any Mexican semisoft cheese [I used the shredded Mexican store blend]
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, brown the beef, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, the jalapeño, garlic, chili powder, coriander and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the broth.
Add the sauce to the pasta and toss. Spoon into a serving dish, top with the cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese, about 1 minute. You can top this with extra onion, tomatoes and lettuce like tacos if you like - we didn't.
Serves 4 [as usually with RR more than that]