Cheeseburger Macaroni

This is a dish that I make for my Wednesday night crowd at PBC. The kids especially like the flavor of it. When I make it for 60 people, I use the big 6 pound cans of Cheese Sauce, but at home I use Velveeta cheese. You could also use a condensed Cheddar soup. It is super simple and yummy!

12oz elbow macaroni
2 lbs hamburger, browned and drained
16oz box Velveeta (Mexican flavor)*
1 cup milk
1/4 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook and drain pasta. Place pasta and hamburger in a greased casserole dish. Heat cheese, milk, spaghetti sauce and seasonings in a sauce pan until warm and mixed well. Pour over pasta and meat. Stir until combined. Cover and cook for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

* Sub a homemade cheese sauce to save money. Recipe below.

Cheese Sauce

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 cup whole milk

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp chili powder

Add the butter to a small sauce pot. Heat the butter until melted. Add flour and whisk. Cook until the mixture turns dark beige.

Whisk the milk into the flour and butter mixture. Turn the heat up slightly and allow the milk to come to a simmer while whisking. When it reaches a simmer, the mixture will thicken. Once it's thick enough to coat a spoon, turn off the heat.

Stir in the shredded cheddar, one handful at a time, until melted into the sauce. If needed, place the pot over a low flame to help the cheese melt.

Once all the cheese is melted into the sauce, stir in the salt and chili powder.