Manburger Helper
When I was a kid (hell, even college), I was a fan of Hamburger Helper. Haven’t eaten it since my 20s, so I decided to make it without the box 😉. Bonus: grown-up Manburger Helper is a one-pot dish, so less to wash!
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
Kosher salt and black pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
5 strips of bacon, finely chopped (bonus: use a food processor)
1 pound ground beef
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce (I used cholula)
2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
8 ounces elbow pasta
5 slices American cheese, ripped into small pieces
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar
1/2 cup finely chopped chives
Steps:
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat, and add oil and onion; season lightly with salt and pepper. Let cook until the onions begin to caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.
Increase heat to medium. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute (do NOT burn).
Increase heat to medium-high and add bacon and ground beef, using the back of a large spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces. Brown until it develops a crust on the bottom of the pan, 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove pan from the heat and carefully drain off most of the fat, leaving a few tablespoons.
Return pan to the medium-high heat and add white wine, allowing it to reduce until the mixture is almost dry, about 10 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, hot sauce, paprika and bay leaf to the pan. Mix until combined and bring to a boil over medium-high.
Once the mixture is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring often, about 9 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in both types of cheese, stirring until completely melted and sauce is thickened.
Remove the pan from heat, stir in chives and season to taste with salt and pepper. The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid over time and the sauce will thicken.
Plate pasta in a bowl, garnish with chives, and reminisce about childhood.
