Growing up in our family, we were big fans of Hamburger Helper. It was quick, easy, and delicious. My mom could whip up a batch of this and serve it with some corn and green beans, and we’d have a complete meal. Within the past couple of years, I’ve learned a little too much about preservatives and processed food…and have been doing whatever I can in order to limit the amount of consumption when it comes to processed foods in our family. Plus, my husband isn’t a big fan of Hamburger Helper for some odd reason, so I started looking around. Pampered Chef has this recipe put together for their new product, the RockCrok. But don’t panic…if you don’t have a RockCrok, you can use a large skillet or pot instead.
There are a few adjustments to this recipe that I made, but only minor. I loved the idea of using less preservatives in this delicious one-pot meal. Serve this up with some steamed veggies and/or dinner rolls and salad? Sign me up! The first time I made this was at my parents’ house, and I was unable to get a picture of it before it was all gone. No, I’m not kidding. But, that just gave me an excuse to make some more, so it all worked out. And another great thing about this dish is that it’s kid friendly! 🙂 It’s also great as leftovers, just add a little bit of water (for moisture) and pop in the microwave until hot.
Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe:
1 lb. ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz. can of beef broth
14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
3 cups wide egg noodles
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Heat olive oil in RockCrok or large skillet on medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cook for a few minutes, until tender. Add ground beef, and cook until browned and fully cooked. Stir in beef broth, and you can either add the can of tomatoes as is, or puree them in a food processor or blender (I puree them). Stir together, add noodles. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are soft. Add salt, pepper, and cheeses, stir together well. Remove from heat and cover, let sit until cheese is melted.
