Beef Taco Hamburger Helper Hack

Okay okay, you should know by now that we don't do processed food here at the Chic-Peas. The most processed we get is canned pumpkin and pre-made tomato sauce for lazy days. Kelly is probably going to facepalm that I'm even writing this recipe. Buuuuuuut I'll admit I grew up on things like Hamburger Helper, and Old El Paso taco mixes, and frozen pizza. That's because as a high school student, it was MY job to get dinner on the table most nights, and poor mom had to settle for what I was capable of making unassisted. Since then, thankfully, my eating habits and cooking skills have improved dramatically.

I had a pound of ground beef in the freezer and I was craving something savory, but would pack well for lunches. I had already made stir fry and fried rice this week, so rice was out. And ground beef should be cooked with a sauce that helps you pick up the little bits. And so I thought of Hamburger Helper. I haven't had Hamburger Helper in about 15 years.  Buuuuuuuuuuut I wanted it with veggies. I wanted it to be just a tiny bit cheesy. And I sure as heck was not going to buy a box to help me out. So we're going to do this the right way!

Beef Taco Stove Top Pasta (Hamburger Helper Hack)
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 small potatoes
1 small onion
1 small bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
1 cup pasta sauce or tomato puree
1 cup milk
3 dry cups pasta shells (get the quick cook variety if available)
4 oz mild cheddar cheese
Salt, paprika, cumin
Cilantro to top

1. Prep your veggies and cheese by cutting them into 1 cm dice.
2. Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet or saute pan. Using non-stick is ideal for this as this recipe can get rather messy!
3. Brown the ground beef and the potatoes until 90% cooked and crumbled.
4. Add the onion and peppers. Saute for a few minutes.
5. Add the tomato puree and the milk. Bring to a simmer.
6. Add the dry pasta and lower the heat to medium low. Stir the pot to make sure the pasta is wet. If the mixture doesn't have enough free liquid, add half a cup of water. Cover and stir every 2-3 minutes for about 10 minutes.
7. Add the cheese, which should be roughly chopped or shredded. Mix into the liquid so it melts.
8. When the pasta is cooked through, serve in bowls topped with chopped cilantro.

Rosemary Roasted Potato Wedges

Simple, low maintenance, and a general crowd pleaser, rosemary potato wedges are a classy way to dress up this staple starch.


Rosemary Roasted Potato Wedges
5 potatoes (red skinned are great, but it really works with any kind you like) cut into wedges. Try to be uniform.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried rosemary (crushed into smaller needles)
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt

1. Turn oven to 350 degrees F, middle rack.
2. On a sheet pan covered in aluminum foil, toss potatoes with olive oil and herbs until coated.
3. Place potato wedges standing up (on the round edge) so that the flat edges are exposed to the most heat.
4. Cook for 30 minutes. Stir and rotate wedges and roast for another 10-15 minutes until crispy.
5. Serve when cool enough to handle.

Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Okay, I know that this is my second post today, but there is a method to my madness! After making the delicious meatloaf the other day, I decided that it was lacking potatoes. But what kind of potatoes?

Roasted? Eh.
Fried? Bleh.
Mashed? Aha!

On my way home from work, I stopped at my local Indian grocery store (Thanks for the tip, Suanne!) and picked up some red potatoes. Then I headed home to create my luscious masterpiece! (Do I over-hype my food a bit? I'm beginning to think so ...)

Anyway, once the potatoes were finished, I crumbled some of my leftover meatloaf in the bottom of a mini-casserole dish, then covered it with a layer of mashed potatoes and baked my impromptu shepherd's pie in a 400-degree oven until it developed a light, golden-brown crust. Delicious!

**Shout-outs: This recipe is born out of a variety of tips I've picked up from tons of sources over a number of years. The ones I can remember are Wolfgang Puck, Alton Brown, and, of course, my awesome mom.

Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
- 1/2 pound of red potatoes, roughly chopped
- 3 tbs. butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Approx. 1/4 cup green onions, chopped (Keep the dark green and and the light green, separated. Discard the white parts.)
- Approx. 1/4 cup heavy cream (Guesstimate it!)
- 1 tbs. rosemary
- 1 tbs. basil
- Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a larger pot than you think is necessary, boil enough water to cover the potatoes. Add the potatoes and cover. While those cook ...
2. In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt the butter and sauté the garlic and light green onions until tender.
3. Add the heavy cream, rosemary, and basil. Bring to a low simmer.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
5. Meanwhile, your potatoes should be about ready. You want to get them out of the water just as they start to get mushy. They should still be a little firm, but should mash when you press a fork down on one. Don't wait until they're soggy - that's too long!
6. Drain the potatoes into a colander and shake to remove excess water. Then, immediately return them to the still-hot pot. This will help to evaporate any leftover moisture.
7. Add about half of the warm cream and either whip or mash the potato mixture. Slowly add more of the cream until the proper consistency is reached. (You may not use all of the cream.)
8. You may need to add more salt, to taste. Your call.
9. Top with a sprinkling of the dark green onions.

Mmmm!