Homemade Hamburger Helper....

Back in my early years before I really learned how to cook for myself I cooked the boxed version of this meal. It was cheap and well I was 19 and on a budget. It didn't stop me from altering the boxed version by adding fresh veggies and seasoning. I found the boxed version pretty tasteless so I added to it and it wasn't bad.

Well now I can make it in the same amount of time from scratch and it is DELICIOUS! The recipe I made is modified from this one to fit my taste buds and cooking preferences. I prefer to use fresh ingredients over dried when I can.

Hamburger Helper


Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion chopped or sliced, which ever you prefer. I prefer chopped.
1 8oz package of fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 clove minced garlic
1 1/4 cup tomato sauce, I use Pomi
1 1/2 tbs mustard. I used Dijon because it's my favorite.
Salt and Pepper to flavor
1 3/4 water
2 1/2 cups egg noodles (I use no yolk version)
2 cups cheese, any kind you want. I used cheddar.

Directions
**You will want a deep skillet to cook this dish in.


1. Cook beef and season with salt and pepper, drain and set aside.
2. In same pan Sautee mushrooms, onion and garlic in a little evoo. (drain any excess liquid)

3. Stir beef into mushroom, onion and garlic mixture. Add tomato sauce and mustard.
4. Add water and pasta, bring to a boil.
5. Set to low and simmer, covered for about 15mins. Stir occasionally.
6. Once done take off of burner and stir in cheese.


****I personally in the last step transfer everything to a casserole dish and add the cheese. Less mess and easy storage in the fridge for left overs. These are my latest thrift store find. I love to share my kitchen finds.


Vintage Pyrex WITH lids, which is highly rare to find them in tact with lids. I was walking into a second hand shop and a lady in front of me had these in her hand. Turns out the place was a consignment shop. AS soon as she left i asked the lady behind the counter how much she wanted for them. She told me the woman wasn't sure if she wanted $20 or $25 for them. I told her I'd give her $30 right there and she sold them! I love my vintage kitchen finds. Almost ALL of my kitchen is vintage cookware/bakeware and it IS the BEST!


Enjoy!

Damn, that looks good....too good. I would have to double it so my wife would get some..

Now I'm hungry....did you have to post this so late, it would have been better to post it three hours ago.

originally posted by: rickymouse
Damn, that looks good....too good. I would have to double it so my wife would get some..

LOL thanks. Yea it's just me and my son and I eat it in a couple days. I have it for lunch and even breakfast. If my hubby were home I"d have to double it for sure.

Now I'm hungry....did you have to post this so late, it would have been better to post it three hours ago.

I was cooking it three hours ago plus my little one wouldn't have let me on the computer. lol hehe.

Offtopic: Hey girl, I have had you on the brain for the past few days and was going to PM you as I haven't caught sight of you in a while. So Hi! Hope things are going more smoothly, pain-wise.

On topic: My daughter loves hamburger helper but I found it way too salty, so she would cook it up for herself. Funny, I had the impression that there were bread crumbs in that mixture. However, yours looks delish and does sound yummy.

originally posted by: aboutface
Offtopic: Hey girl, I have had you on the brain for the past few days and was going to PM you as I haven't caught sight of you in a while. So Hi! Hope things are going more smoothly, pain-wise.

Awe thank you. I'll PM you

On topic: My daughter loves hamburger helper but I found it way too salty, so she would cook it up for herself. Funny, I had the impression that there were bread crumbs in that mixture. However, yours looks delish and does sound yummy.

YES it is very salty. That is what i remember most about the boxed stuff. I add maybe a tiny pinch of salt to the meat and that is it. Nope no bread crumbs. I am not familiar with all the kinds of boxed hamburger helped but some may have them in it.

If you try it let me know how she likes it!

My husband is constantly complaining about not having it anymore. Maybe I'll copy this down and pass it off as some. The thing I remember most about Hamburger Helper is the way the noodles taste like pasty goo. I don't notice the salt so much because I'm a total saltoholic.

originally posted by: ketsuko
My husband is constantly complaining about not having it anymore. Maybe I'll copy this down and pass it off as some. The thing I remember most about Hamburger Helper is the way the noodles taste like pasty goo. I don't notice the salt so much because I'm a total saltoholic.

Nope no pasty goo here! They are just perfect.

I use to be a saltoholic too as a kid. My mom use to take the salt from me. I don't even use it now lol

I used to like Hamburger helper, but the hamburger helpers have got so much of the mushy taste now that the wife and I can't eat them. All the attractant chemistry they use is repelling us. I like your recipe, it has some balancing chemistry to help to properly create an enzyme and also keep the blood from getting sticky and clogging up the little blood vessels. See, I over analyze stuff all the time. I should just concentrate on tasting good and not chemically.

Although, I might tweak it some. We have a place here that makes a killer local made Italian sausage ... and it might be worthwhile to try adding a little fennel.

originally posted by: rickymouse
I used to like Hamburger helper, but the hamburger helpers have got so much of the mushy taste now that the wife and I can't eat them. All the attractant chemistry they use is repelling us. I like your recipe, it has some balancing chemistry to help to properly create an enzyme and also keep the blood from getting sticky and clogging up the little blood vessels. See, I over analyze stuff all the time. I should just concentrate on tasting good and not chemically.

I agree with you on the assessment of the boxed stuff. It was too chemical/fake tasting and TOO many unnecessary ingredients. This recipe is never mushy and I eat on it for a couple days. It is even better the next day! I dont' think it's over analyzing I think it's knowing good food!! I make anything I can from scratch. When I go to the store I shop the outside aisles lol everything in between is boxed and not for me.


My son who is 1 loves it too! I love that he is at the age I can cook for him. He had his first homemade chocolate chip cookie today and lets just say he loved it! He eats anything I make. People say he is spoiled when it comes to food but to me it's just me being me. I love cooking esp for loved ones. If he is going to be spoiled with something i"d rather it be food than material things!

Enjoying his first homemade chocolate chip cookie

originally posted by: ketsuko
Although, I might tweak it some. We have a place here that makes a killer local made Italian sausage ... and it might be worthwhile to try adding a little fennel.

Oh that sounds good! Let me know how you tweak it. I also want to try maybe a tex mex version next and add different cheese and some other ingredients with some freshly made corn chips.

Use cubed beef roast (something lean and tough). Cut it in 1/2" pieces, brown off, then cover with liquid and simmar (not boil) for about an hour, hour and a half.

Hamburger meat is good...but when you get that tough, dry roast on sale, put it to work in place of hamburger meat.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
Use cubed beef roast (something lean and tough). Cut it in 1/2" pieces, brown off, then cover with liquid and simmar (not boil) for about an hour, hour and a half.

I actually have that in the freezer! I'll have to try it next. I use it in stew or stroganoff usually.

a reply to: mblahnikluver

yeah, just treat it like stroganoff. You can even put the starches in to cook (noodles, dumplings, etc) in the beef stock you made.

1 pkg hamburger
1 box macaroni and cheese
=
Po Man's Hamburger Helper and it tastes great! Easy to remember recipe!

originally posted by: AreUKiddingMe
1 pkg hamburger
1 box macaroni and cheese
=
Po Man's Hamburger Helper and it tastes great! Easy to remember recipe!

I think I'll pass. I prefer to stay away from chemically made boxed mac and cheese.

Sorry I dont think anything taste great in a box.

This recipe is not expensive and you can used dried onion and garlic instead and omit the mushrooms. Tomato sauce is dirt cheap in a can. I prefer a different brand but you can still get a can of sauce for 50 cents. You can use any pasta you want but I prefer egg noodles, other kinds are definitely cheaper. Cheese can be purchased fairly cheap if you shop when it's on sale.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: mblahnikluver

yeah, just treat it like stroganoff. You can even put the starches in to cook (noodles, dumplings, etc) in the beef stock you made.

NO my stroganoff is legendary in my home lol This is hamburger helper not stroganoff. It's meant to be quick and easy and not out of a box.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

I'll probably get told this is gross, but oh, well. I grew up with farm roots and we eat things most people won't look twice at.

If you're using cubed roast, you can also use cubed beef heart. Make sure you trim it well. They come with a lot of fat on them. If you simmer them for an hour to an hour and half, they'll get reasonably tender although a heart stays firm. They have a distinctive taste that's different than beef while still being beefy.

They also have the advantage of being cheap compared to most other cuts of meat these days.

I have a full-on braise recipe that we use for it most times. The resulting stew doesn't look too appetizing, but it tastes good.

a reply to: ketsuko

i have no qualms about eating organs and sweet breads. I am from more of the "poor redneck bumpkin" roots. Well, and growing up around the old timer Mexican families.

a reply to: mblahnikluver

You know, I feel that women messed up when they wanted to work instead of raising the kids and taking care of the food for the family. Most couples both work nowadays and the kids don't get what they need. Pick up a pizza on the way home, or a sub or some chicken or chinese. A lot of prepared food because both have to work.