Grown Up Hamburger Helper

Norris loves Hamburger Helper. I don't love it, and I don't really love the fact that he loves it. I guess because it's in a box with a ton of preservatives? Although I eat things with preservatives...

Maybe it makes me feel like a bad wife when he's stuck eating hamburger helper? But he likes it. I don't know, I just would rather him eat things not directly from boxes, so here's a "grown-up" version of Hamburger Helper adapted from Rachel Ray and this food site. Norris loved this!

Grown-Up Hamburger Helper

3 cups whole wheat pasta (I used spirals)

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp butter

3 T flour

1 cup chicken stock

2 cups skim milk

1 Tbsp spicy brown or dijon mustard

1 cup shredded cheese (I used combo of 2% cheddar and part skim mozzarella)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Directions

1. Boil a pot of water and add the pasta, cook per the box. Don't drain until the rest is ready.
2. In a large skillet brown the meat. Drain and rinse. Return to skillet and add onion powder, garlic powder, W sauce, and a little salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and then remove meat mixture to another bowl.

Saute mushrooms in a separate skillet to add at the end or toss them in with your beef when it's about halfway cooked to saute with the meat.
3. In the same skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Whisk in the milk and the chicken stock. Bring to a bubble and cook for a few minutes until it thickens up. Stir in the mustard. Add the cheese and keep stirring until all melted into gooey goodness.
4. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce skillet along with the meat.