Cheeseburger Macaroni and Cheese

October 25, 2012

Cheeseburger Macaroni 1 of 1 500x750 Cheeseburger Macaroni and Cheese

I made this once for my sister and her boyfriend, and she’s been bugging me for the recipe ever since. I have been dragging my feet about posting it because I had wanted to re-shoot the photos. We are currently living with my in-laws so I don’t have my own kitchen and have given myself a break from taking photos. She has named it Ulla’s Cheesy Beef Bake!  Ha!

If you get frozen ground beef from a local farmer you can whip this up from what you have in your pantry and fridge. Frozen ground beef is seriously the BEST thing to have on hand (trust me on this).  With only one pound of beef you can feed an army, and the casserole freezes really well. Growing up, my mother would make tuna casserole when she was low on groceries, using bits of cheese that were getting older in the fridge. Not the most appetizing description, but it’s a great way to lessen your food waste and save money. Cheddar cheese is preferred in this recipe, but you could use any cheese and grate it. Just make sure to taste the cheese mixture and season it to your liking if you are using a less salty cheese.

I used gluten free rice noodles in this dish. To extend the proportion even further, serve with a side salad and/or sauteed vegetables.

 

Ulla’s Cheesy Beef Bake

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound cooked pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef (browned and seasoned with salt and pepper)
  • 7-8 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 ounces cream cheese ( half a Philly package)
  • 1 cup milk

Special equipment:

  • cheese grater
  • whisk
  • 13 x 19 casserole pan

ingredients:

  1. Cook pasta to package specifications but make it al dente, set aside
  2. Brown the beef in a skillet, season with lots of freshly cracked pepper and some salt, set aside
  3. Freshly grate your cheese (grating cheese by hand with a grater isn’t that hard and you get far better flavor)
  4. Heat the milk up on a medium low heat in a saucepan, making sure not to boil it. Add the grated cheese and whisk until it is melted and smooth.
  5. Combine cooked pasta and cooked beef, then pour the cheese mixture into 13″x19″  casserole pan and mix
  6. If you want extra cheesiness, grate cheddar on top of the casserole
  7. Bake it in oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes
  8. Serve and enjoy!

 

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October 25, 2012 | Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL. Posted in: Uncategorized

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  • http://twitter.com/EastVillageEats East Village Eats

    I’m going to have to make this!!!

    • http://twitter.com/nyculla Ulla Kjarval

      I hope you like it! It’s prefect for leftovers too! 

  • Crystal Cattle

    Thanks for sharing this. I am going to pin this right now. Look having recipes like this on hand. You are right having ground beef available in the freezer is a great idea. 
    crystalcattle.com