Homemade Hamburger Helper #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon

 

Full disclosure:  I have never had store bought hamburger helper.  I've never had any kind of hamburger helper.  I decided to try this recipe for homemade hamburger helper thinking (hoping) my granddaughter might like it.  (She did.)  I made a few tweaks.  She doesn't like finding bits of chopped onion in her food so I subbed onion powder.  It worked just as well.  I also used gluten free pasta since my daughter is gluten intolerant.  I don't know how it would have turned out had I used regular pasta but this was a bit soupier than I expected.  Actually, I didn't know what to expect.  It was more of a soup/stew but we all loved it.  And it was so easy to make! 

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 medium onion chopped, or ½ tsp. onion powder

2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

3 cups beef broth

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni, regular or gluten free

2 cups freshly grated cheddar cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Add the beef and chopped onion (if using) to a large pot.  Brown over medium heat.  Drain any excess fat.

 

Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder (if using).  Salt and pepper to taste.

 

Add the beef broth and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add the macaroni and reduce heat slightly.

 

Cook until the pasta is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove pot from heat and add in the grated cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted.  

 

 

  

 

When a wealthy local benefactor is slain on the farm, Monica has to figure out who wanted to cash in on the killing . . .

As Sassamanash Farms hunkers down for the long winter, Monica agrees to let the local animal shelter host their Christmas-themed fundraiser there. The draw of the event—a chance to have your pet’s picture taken with Santa—brings in animal lovers from far and wide. But when the crackling fire dies down and the festive holiday props are all carted away, Monica discovers a very un-jolly sight next to the barn—the dead body of one of the shelter’s biggest donors. With the farm’s good name in jeopardy, Monica goes to work to root out the killer.

By all accounts the victim was a charming and generous supporter of the shelter, but Monica discovers that he was loathed by those who knew him for being tight-fisted and unscrupulous. Suspecting money might be the motive, she turns her sights on his stylish wife and her lavish lifestyle, along with the manager of the struggling shelter, who stood to collect a hefty bequest from his will. But as Monica closes in on one final clue, the culprit closes in on her. Caught unawares, she’ll have to survive the brutal winter weather, as well as a cold-blooded killer . . . 

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