Homemade Hamburger Helper

I have a bit of a confession. I love hamburger helper. Brown the meat. Open the box, add the liquid and there is dinner. I just love it. I think we all have those secret food things that we know we shouldn't eat, that are full of crazy ingredients we can't even pronounce. You know the foods I'm talking about.

Well, a few months ago I decided enough was enough. I needed to find a healthier alternative to hamburger helper. And in stepped the internet, aka google and pinterest. It is amazing the talented people you can find that help you solve your dilemmas.

This recipe is based of the one found at Farmgirl Gourmet. You can find her recipe here. I found the original to be a bit on the spicy side for my family so I modified it slightly. I think that is the great thing about finding and sharing things online. You get a great jumping off point and can tweak things to fit into your family's tastes.

So here is the recipe I use.

Homemade Hamburger Helper
1 lbish of ground beef (I always buy my meat in bulk and divide it when I get home. I am never sure exactly of the weight, but I am happy with the amount.)
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup hot water
2 cups whole wheat pasta (you can probably use whatever kind of pasta you want. This is what I happen to have on hand. I have used macaroni, penne, the rotini. They all seem to work using the same method.)
2 tsp garlic powder
not quite 1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
not quite a full tsp of paprika
1 tsp sugar
2ish cups of grated cheese (I don't actually measure, I just guestimate. If you have an Ikea grater it is about one container full.)

I use a big pot to insure no over bubbling. Brown beef. Add everything but the cheese and stir to mix. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes. You can stir if you want to. I usually just set the timer for 15 minutes and read for a bit. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Enjoy!

That's all there is to it. Pretty amazing. And the best part. My kids actually eat it! I know that there are some recipe sites out there that claim that their kids eat that meal. But usually, in my experience at least, they lie. I feel duped as my kids turn their noses up at it. But this recipe, they actually eat, without complaining, and usually ask for seconds!! Definitely a winner in my books.


Do you make a healthier/real food version of one of your guilty pleasures? If show please share in the comments. It would be awesome to add to the repertoire.