Homemade Hamburger Helper

1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola or

vegetable

1 large yellow onion, diced into 1/2-

inch pieces

Kosher salt and black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

5 strips uncooked smoked bacon,

finely chopped

1 pound ground beef

1 cup dry white wine

3 cups chicken stock or water

¾ cup heavy cream

¼ to ⅓ cup hot sauce

2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika

1 bay leaf

8 ounces elbow pasta

5 slices American cheese, ripped

into small pieces

1 ½ cups grated Cheddar

½ cup finely chopped chives

Step 1

Heat a large (12-inch) sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat,

and add oil and onion; season lightly with salt and pepper. (The hot

sauce added in Step 6 will add a lot of flavor, so be careful not to

overseason here.) Let cook until the onions turn light beige in color

and begin to caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 2

Add garlic, and cook until fragrant and starting to brown ever so

slightly, about 2 minutes.

Step 3

Increase heat to medium-high and add bacon and ground beef, using

the back of a large spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces.

Continue to cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the meat

starts to sear and develop a crust on the bottom of the pan, 12 to 15

minutes.

Step 4

Remove pan from the heat and carefully drain off most of the fat,

leaving a little in the pan to keep the meat moist.

Step 5

Return pan to the medium-high heat and add white wine, allowing it

to reduce until the mixture is almost dry, about 10 minutes.

Step 6

Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, hot sauce, paprika and bay leaf to

the pan. Mix until combined and bring to a boil over medium-high.

Step 7

Once the mixture is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente,

stirring often, about 9 minutes.

Step 8

Reduce the heat to low and stir in both types of cheese, stirring until

completely melted and sauce is thickened.

Step 9

Remove the pan from heat, stir in chives and season to taste with salt

and pepper. Serve immediately. From NY Times.