A different kind of pasta dish – macaroni and cheese with a meat layer in the middle. Makes a nice change from the usual meat and tomato sauce with pasta. You can use macaroni, or make it fancier with bowtie or other pasta shapes.
Beef and Cheese Pasta
Macaroni and cheese baked with a ground beef layer in the middle.
Ingredients
- 1 package 10 oz spinach
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 cups small pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Wash spinach and drain well. Cook in a pot with the water clinging to the leaves, just until tender and wilted. Drain and squeeze out any remaining water. Chop and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil, and saute the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, salt and pepper to taste, and the sliced mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat from the pan. Add the spinach to this mixture.
- Cook pasta and drain.
- Melt butter. Stir in flour. Slowly pour in milk while stirring over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, for about 10 minutes until thick. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix this cheese sauce together with the pasta until combined.
- Spoon half of the pasta into a 3 quart casserole dish. Top with the meat mixture and then the remaining pasta. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over top.
- Bake at 375 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
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