Beef Macaroni & Cheese

Though I’m a Paula Deen fan I don’t make many of her recipes very often because I think we’d be having some health issues if we ate like that more than once a month or so!

One of her meals that my family and I really enjoy, though, is her Wayne’s Beef Macaroni & Cheese.

I felt like making something easy last night and even though I didn’t have a bell pepper on hand it still turned out great. I like to add four cups of the crushed tomato, otherwise it gets a bit dry in the oven, and I scale back the chopped onion to about one cup. It’s also really good with ground turkey.

Beef Macaroni & Cheese
from Paula Deen

1-pound box [large] elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 pounds lean ground beef
3 cups canned crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon each dried basil, ground cumin, and dried oregano
2 to 3 cups grated Cheddar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet; add the peppers, onion, and garlic, and saute until soft. Add the ground beef and saute until browned. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, to taste, and the basil, cumin, and oregano. In a large bowl, combine the macaroni and the beef mixture. Spread this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Top with the cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.

Cook’s Note: Ground turkey or chicken can be used in place of beef, if desired.

[image: sxc]