Does anyone remember the old commercials for Hamburger Helper with the Helping Hand? I’m still not sure if I find that it was cute or creepy…. the wavy hand that is, not the dinner. Mom made hamburger helper every once in a while, but she mainly made up her own pasta meals. I’ve made them a few times for hubby and me, they are pretty good, but I kind of find them lacking a little. So I came up with my own version of sorts. It’s pasta shells nestled in a cheesy, beef sauce that tastes like it had been simmering on the stove for hours. It’s simple to make, especially if you use my Shortcut Meat Sauce and there is no cooking the shells ahead of time….it cooks as it simmers in the sauce.
Here’s what you need:
*4 C. meat sauce; I used my Shortcut Meat Sauce
*a splash of Worcestershire sauce
*1/2 C. beef broth
*2 C. dried medium pasta shells
*1 1/2 C. shredded cheese; divided
*1/2 C. milk or heavy cream
Heat a large pan to medium high heat and add the meat sauce, stirring occasionally until the sauce starts to gently bubble.
Turn the heat to medium and stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
Next, add in the shells and the beef broth.
Stir until all of the shells are covered in the sauce.
Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the shells are tender; stir occasionally.
Take off of the heat and stir in the milk and 1 cup of the cheese. Top with the remaining 1/2 Cup of cheese right before serving.
A Foodie In The South 