Not From A Box Hamburger Helper

Hamburger Helper is nasty. Yeah, I said it. But it's something that's easy, so people keep making it. You shouldn't. There is almost nothing redeeming about HH except the ease with which it cooks.

Buuuuuuut! I found a kickass recipe for a Hamburger Helper substitute that doesn't taste gross! And it's nearly as easy to make!! It totally looks gross, but them's the breaks when you put a bunch of crap in a pot. I promise it tastes a million times better than it looks.

Ingredients:

1 lb lean hamburger meat - I used ground turkey because I like it more

1 pkg taco seasoning - I used fajita seasoning because I didn't have taco

1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies (or petite diced tomatoes)

2 cups beef broth - I used vegetable broth

1 cup shell pasta

Cheese Sauce:

2 Tablespoons butter

2 tbsp flour

3/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Brown and drain the meat.

MMmmmmmm...meat!

Stir in the taco seasoning, Rotel, broth, and pasta.

Heat everything to boiling, and then reduce the heat and cover your pan. Simmer 12-14 minutes until the pasta is tender. While the meat concoction is simmering, start making your cheese sauce.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for five minutes until you can smell the butter and it turns a nice light brown.

That's real buttah, baby!

Stir in the milk and bring to a boil. Stir until it's smooth and thickened.

Remove it from the burner and stir in the shredded cheese until it's all melty and gooey.

OMG, holy shit...look at that freaking cheese!

Add the salt and pepper to the cheese sauce. I didn't add extra salt/pepper because there's enough in the taco seasoning packet, but you do what you want, you salty little thang.

Pour the cheese sauce over the hamburger mixture and fold it all together.

It looks freaking gorgeous, right??

The kid didn't want to eat it because it was "SPICY mom!" so next time, I will substitute plain diced tomatoes and a spaghetti seasoning packet for the Rotel and taco seasoning because I think she would like that better.

And yes, that is my head shadow in like EVERY picture. I suck at pictures.