Cheeseburger Macaroni and Cheese
Cheeseburger macaroni and cheese is a delicious and easy dinner! I made it with leftover macaroni and cheese from the night before (recipe below), so it was very fast! I love anything with cheese, especially cheddar cheese. It is my favorite of all cheeses. This has three cheese, cheddar, mozzarella and a little parmesan for extra flavor. You can add anything to the top of the casserole when it is done, things you usally add to your cheeseburgers. I am boring and I only like onion on my burgers, so I cook that in with the hamburger. But if you like pickles, tomatoes, sauce or any other vegetables, add them to it!
I love cooking with leftovers, not only do you use all your food, but it is easy too. I could eat regular mac and cheese for days, but not everyone in my house likes to keep eating the same meal, so I find ways to change the original meal into something else. It works great! They eat dinner and I save time! This is a meal that I make even if it is not leftovers, it is so good. I love anything covered in baked cheese though.
This recipe can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or froze until you are ready to use. You could also make a double batch and freeze half for later. It is a really good recipe for a lot of people, you can easily double or triple it! Every time i make it, all of it is eaten, it is really that good.
I have made this recipe with hamburger, which is delicious but I have also used ground turkey, ground chicken and leftover grilled chicken breast. They are all delicious. I usually use any leftover meat that we have, we almost always have leftover meat. It really changes the taste to use different meat so you can use the same recipe but feel like you are eating a completely different meal.
Cheeseburger Macaroni and Cheese
Mac and cheese recipe
Ingredients
1lb elbow noodles
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
3 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheddar
1 cup medium cheddar
1/4 cup parmesan
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder
Directions
Fill a pot with water, boil
While water heats, grate cheese and measure all other ingredients
Add noodles to boiling water
In separate pan, melt butter, once melted, add flour. Mix well, cook for 1 minute
Add milk to butter/flour mixture, cook until thick, about 3 to 4 minutes
Once thickened, add seasoning to sauce
Add cheese to sauce, stir
Noodles will take about 12 minutes, drain when done then add to sauce
Either serve or refrigerate
Casserole recipe
Ingredients
Mac and cheese from above
1 lb cooked hambuger, ground turkey/chicken or other meat
1/2 onion, chopped
2 TBSP minced garlic
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup mozzeralla cheese
Directions
Cook hamburger, seasonings, onions and garlic for 10 minutes or until no pink, stir frequently
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Add the mac and cheese to the hamburger, warm it so it mixes.
Transfer 1/2 of the mixture to a baking pan, then add 1/2 the cheeses, add the second half of casserole and the 2nd half of cheese
Cook for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly and browning
