I’m so excited to have contributing writer, Elsie, of Richly Rooted, posting today! Elsie is not only an excellent writer–but she’s also a fabulous cook! Be sure to stop by her blog–Richly Rooted!
By Elsie, Contributing Writer
Hamburger Helper may be the ultimate boxed dinner. It only takes twenty or thirty minutes to make, and the results are tasty and comforting.
But the ingredient list just doesn’t match up with what I want in a meal these days. MSG? Partially hydrogenated soybean oil? “Colors”?
I don’t think so.
I love the ease and quickness of a skillet meal, though, and I miss that cheesy, meaty heartiness. But people who like real food know that practically everything can be made from scratch. Hamburger Helper? Of course!
Here’s my version, and I believe it’s even quicker than the boxed kind, since I use tortillas instead of pasta which needs time to cook. If you’d like a real food skillet meal with pasta, though, check out this variation.
Ingredients
- ½ to 1 lb ground beef
- 2 heaping spoonfuls flour
- ¼ t salt
- ½ t California chili pepper or another mild chili
- ½ t garlic powder
- ½ t mustard powder
- ¼ c whole milk
- 1 14- oz can diced tomatoes
- 6 tortillas
- 1 c grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown the hamburger oven medium heat. Drain most of the fat, and return the pan to medium-low.
- Stir in the flour and spices until the meat is well coated.
- Add the milk, stirring while you pour.
- Add the diced tomatoes, along with their juice, and let the mixture simmer until it thickens.
- Tear up the tortillas and add them to the skillet.
- Stir in the cheese until it melts, and serve!
Norma
Did you use flour or corn tortillas? I like the flavor of corn tortillas better, but I’m not sure they would work in this recipe since the tortillas are replacing pasta.
joanna n.
on that same note, i’m curious what brand you buy. it seems like you can’t buy any tortilla’s that are made w/ good oils. hopefully, you’ve found one that you can share? =)
Jennifer
Made this recipe tonight, gluten-free. Just used gf flour and corn tortillas. It was delicious! Only thing is that it didn’t make very much at all. I had to add rice just to feed three people as a main dish. Next time I make it, I’ll probably just add more flour and tomatoes/milk to make more sauce, as upping the tortilla count with make this into an expensive dish. Thanks for the recipe!
Colleen
Not sure what size spoonfuls of flour to use. I must have larger spoons, because it needed more liquid, so I added a can of v8 to give it something to simmer in. I also put in some dried onion, more garlic, and mustard to amp up the flavor. Thanks for sharing the recipe.