Recipe: Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

I suppose a box of Hamburger Helper is easier to some people - but I promise this one is worth the extra effort! If you are wanting leftovers, or have a hungry family - double the Mac N cheese in the recipe to two boxes. (You'll see that in my pictures because DH takes leftovers to work) If you're feeling frisky (lol) I recommend using the Velveeta Mac N Cheese - but you can use any brand. (I'm using your basic store brand in the photos!)

1 box macaroni & cheese (milk & butter as package directs)
1 pound ground beef
6-8 strips bacon diced
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown the ground beef and drain (ignore the fact that I am using sausage instead! lol)


While the meat is browning, cook the macaroni and cheese as the box directs. I would only use one cheese packet though, and save the second cheese packet for another dish. (Side hack: those packets added to regular dry mashed potato mixes make for cheesey mashed potatoes at half the cost of the usual packages)


Next, cook the bacon. I do mine on the stove top, you can do it in the oven if that's easier. You'll want to mix the bacon and the sausage together once it's done. (If my bacon looks a little off to you, it was turkey bacon)



Add in the can of tomato soup, and stir the meat well:


Then you'll want to mix the pasta in:


Here's where you have a choice to make - you can either add the shredded cheese on top, and place a lid on the skillet, and let it melt for about 5 minutes, or you can pull out your trusty casserole dish and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. I prefer it in the oven myself:




Yum:


Now I bought everything on sale, and I stalk Safeway for marked down packages of bacon & meat myself, so my prices will probably differ from yours. It still shouldn't cost much more than $5 for the dish, and would serve 4-7 people, depending on serving size. (Use more mac & cheese to stretch it, if you need to.)

Macaroni & cheese: 33 cents (x2)
1 pound ground sausage 99 cents
bacon: 50 cents
tomato soup: 50 cents
milk, butter, cheese: 99 cents
total: $3.64