Baked Macaroni and Beef

1 pound ground beef browned.
1 package mac and cheese make to package directions
1 can peas drained
4 Roma tomatoes chopped
1 can mushrooms
1 can cream of celery soup
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic salt
 1/2 cup chopped onion and bell pepper mixed
salt and pepper
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese


Brown the ground beef breaking it up and crumbling while it's cooking add the in the seasons. Next add the drained peas the mushrooms with the can juices and the tomatoes. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Pour into a casserole dish top with the mac and cheese then the mozzarella cheese and the bread crumbs

Bake at 375 until the top is golden brown.

Easy Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 box of Mac and Cheese, made according to package
1 pound ground beef
1 can peas
1 can diced tomatoes
3 Tbls. Sour Cream
3 Tbls Parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
garlic powder.

Directions:

Brown ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks, add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Prepare the mac and cheese according to package directions.
Add to the tomatoes and peas to the ground beef. Be sure to drain the peas first. turn heat to simmer. You don't want the tomatoes or peas to turn to mush.
Gently fold in the mac and cheese to the hamburger mixture.
Top with sour cream and Parmesan, and serve.

Grown Up Mac and Cheese

Grown up Mac and Cheese by Ina Garten.


Ingredients


4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top

Southwest Mac and Cheese

Sometimes when you're just learning to cook it is easy to take prepackaged meals and add things to them.
This is my "Adult" mac and Cheese dinner.

1 package of macaroni and cheese. Kraft is the best.
1 lb of ground beef
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 diced onion
1 clove a garlic
1 small package of frozen veggies-something with a southwest theme
salt
pepper
taco seasoning
milk
butter
vegetable oil

Get everything out of the pantry and refrigerator before you start. Carefully dice the onion and garlic. Set them aside. Put about 1 quart of water in a large pot and start it to boil.
In a large skillet and the oil, and heat it slowly. Add the onion and garlic. keep stirring them occasionally. don't let them stick to the bottom or burn.
When the water is boiling add about 1 T. of salt and the macaroni. set the cheese pack aside. stir the pot so the macaroni don't stick together. turn down the heat to low and cover the pan.
add the ground beef to the onions. break it up while browning. add some salt, pepper and taco seasoning. I always add to taste. add the veggies. and continue to stir and break up the meat.
when it is brown add the tomatoes. turn down to low simmer and cover.
drain the water from the macaroni. set the macaroni aside. in the sauce pan, on low heat melt the butter that the mac and cheese package requires. slowly add the milk. When the it is melted and well Incorporated add the cheese pack. stir it around break up any lumps.
add the macaroni to the pot and fold slowly.Let the macaroni heat back up. Add the meat and veggie mixture to the pot and fold in slowly.
That's it. Make sure you have enough seasoning. and serve.
Refrigerate any leftovers after it has cooled.