Cheesy Hamburger Macaroni

~Although, I was all set to make spaghetti for my kids tonight, my pantry said otherwise- no tomato sauce; nary a can of tomatoes to be found.  I did however, have a few other random pantry items. Having seen Hamburger Helper commercials for nearly 30yrs, I am fascinated by the cute talking glove but have never been tempted to try the product. With the Helper as my inspiration, my two little monkeys now have a new favorite. We start off with a bechamel base to ensure a cheesy, creamy texture. A dollop of ketchup adds a bit of tang. Finally, pasta and protein. Few things are as kid-friendly as cheese, macaroni, and ground beef.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

8oz elbow macaroni

1 cup sharp cheddar

½ cup shredded mozzarella

¾ cup ketchup

2 tbsp unsalted butter

3 tbsp tapioca starch or flour

1 ½ cup whole milk

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp granulated garlic

½ tsp cane sugar

salt

cayenne (optional)

Directions:

1. Set a pot of water to boil. Add 1 tbsp salt to water and add macaroni to pot. Reduce to medium heat and stir once to loosen pasta from bottom of pot.
2. Once pasta is cooked al dente, pour into colander and set aside to drain.
3. Using a large pan or medium soup pot, set on medium heat.
4. Brown hamburger meat. Add a pinch of salt. Stir to cook evenly. Once cooked, drain off oil and set aside cooked beef.
5. Wipe off pan. Melt butter, whisk in tapioca starch, and stir constantly to ensure all starch is blended evenly. Keep whisking and cook for about 1min.
6. Whisk in milk and blend.
7. Add bits of cheese at a time and keep whisking to blend in.
8. Add seasonings and ketchup and blend. Taste and adjust if necessary.
9. Fold in hamburger meat and pasta.
10. Serve immediately.
11. For an extra kick, garnish with cayenne.

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