Cascading Kitchen Notes
Farm Style Homemade Hamburger Helper
with LOTS of VEG!
Use a large heavy bottomed, non-reactive pot with a lid.
Saute in 6 Tbs of olive oil over med high heat for 5 min:
- 1 large onion diced
Option: 1 eggplant in ½ inch cubes
Add
- up to 6 cups of diced zucchini (peeled and seeded)
- 2 cups of diced carrot
- 2 cups of diced sweet peppers or hot if you prefer
Option: any greens -minced so it looks like parsley once cooked (remove tough stems). If using chard, saute the stems with the onions.
Saute for a minimum of five minutes over medium high heat.
Add
- 1 lb of grass fed hamburger -broken up over the veg saute
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt. *** important note: Omit the salt if you’re using “Better than Bouillon” for the stock.
Stir spices through the mixture and cook until hamburger is no longer pink.
Add
- 4 cups diced tomatoes
Cook until the tomatoes break down and get a bit “saucy”; let their liquid reduce gently over med. heat to create a glaze over the veggies.
Add
- 3 cups of stock (I prefer chicken but any will do)
Better than Bouillon works great here if you don’t have any homemade stock, but remember to omit the salt above.
- 1 cup whole milk or Half and Half if you like it rich.
Bring the whole pot to a boil over med-low heat. Cover to hurry the process along.
Once it boils add
- 12 oz. elbow macaroni or other similar sized pasta.
Cook 8-10 min. Check to make sure the pasta is cooked through.
Stir in
- Half cube cream cheese
OR
- 4 oz. Fresh goat cheese
OR
- 1 cup of shredded misc. cheese from your cheese drawer
Let the casserole rest for 10 min to finish soaking up liquid.
Serve with a mimi-mince on top.