Hamburger Helper

Back in the 70's a product came out called Hamburger Helper.  It was a box that contained pasta along with a seasoning packet.  The idea was for you to brown some ground beef, add the seasoning packet (and probably some water) and simmer.  Make your pasta.  Then combine the pasta and the seasoned beef.  Women were in the work force and this was a whole movement to help make dinner easier.

Oh, and they even came out with a catchy jingle to hook you:

"Hamburger Helper 
helped her hamburger
help her 
make a great meal!"

Well, my Mom never bought the product.  She wasn't hooked by the catchy jingle.  It didn't matter how much we sang along with the commercial.  She refused to buy Hamburger Helper.  Instead, she figured out the ingredients and made her own version of Hamburger Helper.  She even used the same name.

I remember all of this because my Mom had me make dinner every Thursday night.  She had Art Class on Thursdays and knew that if she was late, dinner would still be on the table.  I had my instructions and went to work on dinner soon after I got home from school.

Now, I've never had the real Hamburger Helper so I can't compare the two recipes.  I do know that this recipe is a crowd pleaser.  It's requested quite a bit in our house.  I still make it, even though I don't eat meat.  I have to judge how I'm doing by sense of smell and empty bowls.  So far, I think I'm doing pretty good.

Anyway, here's the recipe:

Mom's Hamburger Helper

ingredients:
1# ground beef, browned
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic (or 2-3 garlic cloves)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups elbow macaroni

directions:
Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.  Boil elbow macaroni in separate pot.  Drain then add to meat mixture.
Serve.

* * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*I always use garlic cloves.

*If you don't have Worcestershire sauce, you can substitute A-1 or a steak sauce.

*I haven't figured out how to make this vegetarian or vegan yet.  I don't know if the troops would want me to even try...

If you make Hamburger Helper, let me know how it turned out.

If you have had the boxed Hamburger Helper, let me know your experience (taste, etc.).

Enjoy!