~Homemade Hamburger Helper~

Before we get to the recipe, I just want to say that the weather has been so awesome lately. To the point where I was almost surprised to see skeeters in Wytopitlock last night! I can't believe I almost forgot about the pesky li'l' buggers. Ok, now I'll show you the goods.

Homemade Hamburger Helper

1lb ground beef or turkey (you can use just 1/2)

1/2 C diced onions 

1 TBS butter, optional

2 C milk

1 C cold water

2 C elbow macaroni, uncooked (I used ruffles, 'cause that's what was in the cupboard ;))

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt or seasoned salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp oregano

3/4 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

2 C shredded cheddar cheese*

1.  Brown meat in a skillet over medium heat 'till almost done
2. Add onions and cook 'till tender
3. Drain on paper towels and return to skillet
4. Add remaining ingredients except cheese
5. Stir to combine
6. Bring to a boil
7. Reduce heat, cover and cook pasta a bout 9-10 minutes (stirring occasionally) 
8. Remove from heat and add cheese
9. Let sit a couple minutes. If sauce is a little thin, it will thicken now. 
10. Serve and enjoy!

*I did not have shredded cheddar, but I had a small can of cheddar soup so I used that and a handful of shredded mozzarella and it still came out great! It tastes just like the real deal! I love one-skillet recipes. This would be good with some veggies or with a garden fresh salad. Even the boys loved it. I cannot remember the site I got the recipe from, but it says the author is Divas Can Cook, lol. So, thank you DCC for the awesome recipe.