A pretty solid ‘use up stuff in the pantry’ recipe right here, and it’s tasty to boot!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper (skipped it)
• 1/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 8 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained (I used fresh)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 8 ounce package bow tie pasta (used elbows)
• 1 10.75 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 pound shredded cheddar cheese (no idea how much I used, but…more)

Cook the beef in a large skillet over medium high heat until browned and crumbly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain excess grease, then add the onion, pepper, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Added the mushrooms a bit early, because fresh ones take a bit more cooking than canned.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cream of mushroom soup, and stir in evenly.

Cook over low heat until thickened, about 45 minutes.

Thick enough that the sauce doesn’t fill back in.

While the mixture thickens, boil the pasta according to package instructions and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9X13″ baking dish. That wasn’t in the original recipe, but…would have been a good idea. Spread the pasta in the dish. (Whoops apparently you were supposed to have a cream of mushroom soup layer between the pasta and the beef mixture. Oh well, I liked it mixed into the sauce, so I’m leaving it there!) Spread the beef mixture over the pasta.

Top with cheese, then bake until bubbly, about 45 minutes.

Toasty and filling, and I quite liked the flavor. Also, I  have a hard time saying no to anything topped in cheese!

Ground Beef Casserole

Just barely adapted from AllRecipes.

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 8 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 8 ounce package bow tie pasta
• 1 10.75 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• at least 1/4 pound shredded cheddar cheese

Cook the beef in a large skillet over medium high heat until browned and crumbly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain excess grease, then add the onion, pepper, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cream of mushroom soup, and stir in evenly. Cook over low heat until thickened, about 45 minutes.

While the mixture thickens, boil the pasta according to package instructions and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pasta along the bottom of a greased 9X13″ casserole dish. Spread the beef mixture over the pasta. Top with cheese, then bake until bubbly, about 45 minutes.