Cheeseburger Macaroni

We never had Hamburger Helper when I was little.  My mom tried not to use processed shortcuts, with varying degrees of success.  As a result, I've never had tuna casserole or cheeseburger macaroni.  When I came up with this recipe idea and started googling around, I found out the whole subculture I've been missing.

To be fair, this isn't the HH version.  I layered mac'n'cheese over ground beef and veggies.  It's more like shepherd's pie with pasta on top instead of potatoes.

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 C diced onion
1 C frozen mixed peas and carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
*8 oz (half a box) macaroni or other short pasta
1-1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tb butter
1 Tb flour
*2 C milk
*1/2 C panko bread crumbs
*1/4 C grated parmesan

1.  Start boiling water for the pasta.

2.  Brown the beef in a large skillet, adding the onion as soon as there's enough fat to cook it.  Add the vegetables and seasonings and stir together.  Keep warm.

3.  Cook and drain the pasta.  You can leave it in the strainer in the sink while you make the sauce and save a dish.

4.  Melt the butter in the empty pasta pot over medium heat.  Stir the flour into it to make a paste.  Slowly add the milk, allowing it to thicken between additions.  Stir in cheddar and allow to melt.  Add pasta to it and stir to coat.

5.  Preheat oven to 350º while you assemble the casserole.  I used an oval dish, but a 9x13 should be big enough.  First put in the meat mixture and spread evenly.  Then pour the mac and cheese on top of it.  Sprinkle top with breadcrumbs and parmesan.  I dusted the top with a little more paprika.  Bake until heated through and crust is lightly browned, about 15 minutes.  Allow to sit 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

Difficulty rating. :)