When I was little, Hamburger Helper was a staple at our house. We only ate the cheeseburger macaroni version. I'm not sure I even knew there were others. We loved it. Actually, I still love it. It is so unhealthy, so I found a homemade version that tastes just as good without the guilt. We had all the ingredients on hand, which is another reason to love this one dish meal! You could use chopped onion instead of onion powder and leave out the small bit of sugar, but I was really going for the same taste as Hamburger Helper.
The main problem I have with this is the way it looks...but it looks just like the real thing. Serve it up with some broccoli or a chop salad and it will make your plate a little more colorful!
1 lb lean ground turkey (or beef if you prefer)
1 cup hot water
2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni (about half box...save the other half for another time!)
1 cup shredded cheddar (We've tried sharp and mild- both were delicious!)
"Sauce packet"
1 Tbl cornstarch
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
The main problem I have with this is the way it looks...but it looks just like the real thing. Serve it up with some broccoli or a chop salad and it will make your plate a little more colorful!
1 lb lean ground turkey (or beef if you prefer)
1 cup hot water
2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni (about half box...save the other half for another time!)
1 cup shredded cheddar (We've tried sharp and mild- both were delicious!)
"Sauce packet"
1 Tbl cornstarch
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
- Brown meat in large skillet. Drain.
- Add hot water, milk, pasta and "sauce packet" ingredients
- Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
- Add cheese , stir, recover, and cook for a couple more minutes to melt cheese.
- Remove from heat and uncover. The sauce will thicken as it stands.
- Top with more cheese if desired.