5 Weeknight Dinner Ideas, #3
Looking for an easy weeknight meal? Look no further and make this beefy burger macaroni casserole. Have you ever eaten your mac and cheese like this before? Seriously, folks, this is one hearty casserole and it’s filled with all the good stuff like macaroni, cheese, and tender ground beef.
Even your pickiest eaters will pick up a fork and chow down without complaint. Promise! You can use any type of cheese on this beefy burger macaroni casserole that you would like. We have used both mozzarella and cheddar. Yummy!
There is definitely depth in this casserole and it tastes delicious.
Ingredients
1 pound Barilla elbow macaroni (I like to use whole wheat)
1 tablespoon Bertolli olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons Gold Medal all-purpose flour
15 ounce can Hunt’s crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Morton salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon McCormick paprika (smoked if you have it)
1/2 cup Daisy sour cream
2 tablespoons TruMoo milk
3 cups grated Kraft sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions.
In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add in the garlic and cook for a minute longer.
Stir in the ground beef, chili powder, salt and black pepper and cook until the meat has browned. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over the meat and cook for a minute or two.
Add in the tomatoes and simmer on low. The sauce will start to thicken a bit as it cooks.
To the meat mixture add in the cooked and drained macaroni, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons milk and 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Pour the mixture into a large casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs on top.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Sprinkle the casserole with chopped fresh parsley before serving. Enjoy!
USE THE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW FOR #2 OF OUR 5 WEEKNIGHT DINNER IDEAS
Quick Tip: I like to serve this casserole with a tossed green salad.
Apparently, the author has not checked the price of ground beef recently.
It said simple dinners, not cheap.
Actually it did say….
And easy on your wallet too!
When I shop at my favorite supermarket. The first thing I do is to look page by page at what’s on sale. Usually they have a few things in every department. Produce, cereal, grocery items can tomato products., pasta etc. then check the meat dept. Chicken, ground beef, pork etc. Then dairy eggs, cheese, yogurt sour cream or cottage etc. then bacon, sausage, hot dogs etc. Then bread isle or bakery dept. buy only what’s on sale. Paper products, toilet,towel baggies etc. Every week they change but they always put different items on sale in every dept. about every four weeks they repeat. Try not to buy anything that’s not on sale, unless you have to. You will be supprised at how much you will save. If ground beef is on sale buy several lbs. and freeze, when you need more it will probably be on sale again in a couple of weeks.
Ricotta cheese in the mixture?? Has anyone else tried this?