Homemade Cheesy Hamburger Helper Casserole

No need to go to the store when you can make your own Homemade Cheesy Hamburger Helper Casserole at home!

So I am in my summer cooking rut. This is not good when you are a food blogger. Kids are home or working and I would rather be doing yard work or building my great wall of “Christie” (my wife) than cooking dinner. Speaking of the great wall; I have been working on a 1000 block courtyard wall around our lower patio for 6 weeks. It is taking a loooong time!!!  

I hope to get it finished this weekend. Then maybe I will concentrate more on cooking. 

I had taken some ground turkey out of the freezer earlier in the week. I had no idea what I was going to do with it but hey you have to start somewhere. My lovely wife said she would help make dinner and that the kids love Hamburger Helper. Ugh I guess I am a food snob. I am sure Chrisite and kids would love some store bought HH but it is loaded with not so healthy preservatives, msg and other not so natural ingredients.

So this morning I was working on a my Father’s Day post for Grilled Bacon Wrapped Greek Pork Medallions and decide to use up the ground turkey and some leftover pasta I had from earlier in the week, to make my Homemade Cheesy Hamburger Helper Casserole.

Homemade Cheesy Hamburger Helper Casserole

This can be thrown together in about 10 minutes. If you do not want to bake it in as a casserole you can just make a one skillet meal. I made it into a casserole so when I am either mowing the grass tonight or working on the wall, Christie can just throw it in the oven and bake it for about 25 minutes. Serve with some veggies and you are good to go. Perfect recipe when you are in the summer rut of trying to think of something to make for dinner.

What is your favorite copycat recipe?

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Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheesy Caserole

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8

Author: Quinn Caudill

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or ground beef
• 4 cups cooked pasta of choice
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups water
• 3 cups monterat jack or cheddar cheese divided
• 1 cup crushed crackers

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
3. Grease In a small bowl stir together first seven ingredients and set aside.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions.
5. While pasta cooks, brown ground turkey in a large skillet, over medium heat.
6. Drain excess grease. Stir in seasoning mix, milk and water. Bring to boil.
7. Simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens. Stir in pasta.
8. Remove from heat and mix in 2 cups cheese.
9. Place mixture into prepared casserole dish.
10. Top with remaining cheese and crushed crackers.
11. Bake covered in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.
12. Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes until topping is browned and cheese is bubbly.

Recipe Notes

First published by Quinn Caudill for DadWhats4Dinner.com ©2016