# Make your own "Hamburger Helper" type meal



## GB (Nov 15, 2005)

With my and my wifes work schedule and taking care of our baby our time has become so limited that it is getting harder and harder to find time to make dinner. Lately I have been buying things at the supermarket that make life easier on me. There are a number of different supper "kits" on the market where you just need to add chicken or add this or add that. All the prep work is basically done for you already. None of these things taste amazing, but all the ones we have tried have filled our bellies and have tasted good enough that we don't mind having them every once in a while.

Last night I made one of the hamburger helpers meals. The pack comes with a seasoning packet and a packet of pasta. The only thing you need to supply is the ground meat (I used ground turkey). First you brown the meat, then you add a few cups of hot water and then the seasoning packet and pasta. You then cover and simmer until the pasta is done.

Well while I was eating this I though that this would be something so easy to make on my own. Why am I buying this prepackaged stuff.

My question is have any of you done this and what did you put in your 'flavor packet" to make the sauce?


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## licia (Nov 15, 2005)

I've never liked anything about the prepackaged meals except the convenience.  I'd rather use the fresh ground meat, or chicken strips (now already in pieces) and fresh veggies (already washed and trimmed). They taste much better, don't take but a couple of minutes more (if any)and you know exactly what is there.  My neighbor makes a quantity of rice in her rice cooker on the weekend, portions it into plastic containers and uses it throughout the week with fresh meat and veggies and has a meal on the table in short order.  I really like her method and have adapted much of it to my own liking.


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## GB (Nov 15, 2005)

licia said:
			
		

> I'd rather use the fresh ground meat, or chicken strips (now already in pieces) and fresh veggies (already washed and trimmed).


Oh I completely agree with you here. The ones I am talking about have you add your own fresh meat (I would never use prepackaged meat) and they do not have veggies in them. Veggies I will make on my own always.


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## licia (Nov 15, 2005)

The main thing I think about is the amount of sodium and preservatives in the prepackaged meals.  If that isn't a concern, the time saving may be worth it, but for many of us, it is something we have to watch, if not battle.


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## GB (Nov 15, 2005)

Yep that certainly is a concern. I watch it pretty carefully when making my own meals so I am not too concerned with these prepackaged ones as we don't use them all that often, but if we do start using them more then that will most definitely be a concern!


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## urmaniac13 (Nov 15, 2005)

if you can find the time to get some good fresh ingredients (vegs etc.), elaborate seasoning isn't particularly necessary, like stir fried veggs of your choice with chicken or something, with pasta or rice, they will be just delicious with some evoo, garlic and s & p!!


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## GB (Nov 15, 2005)

But the defeats the purpose of the quick and easy aspect of the "boxed meal" things.

I agree that fresh veggie and a stir fry are great and easy for the most part, but they still require prepping the veggies and washing lots of dishes.

The boxed dinners I am talking about use one pan and there is no prep at all. Just brown the meat then combine with the stuff from the box. At the end you have one pan to clean and nothing else.


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## buckytom (Nov 15, 2005)

gb, i have been messing around with goya spanish yellow rice in sort of a chicken helper way. i prefer to call it "arroz con pollo, from a box". 
how do you say "from a box" in spanish?
it comes with a seasoning packet, so after browning chicken parts and setting them aside, i make the rice in the same dish, then put the chicken back in with the rice to finish.
but, i have also tried to duplicate the spices, so as to remove much of the sodium, and not to be reliant on a box.
so far, i've tried somewhat equal parts of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, dried parsley, dried thyme, sage, and a little seasoned salt. sometimes i add a little cumin and southwestern powdered peppers like chipotle, if i want it to be tex-mex.


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## GB (Nov 15, 2005)

Bucky that sounds like an interesting idea. I have seen those Goya rices, but have yet to try them. I am not sure why I have never bought them because they look quite good.


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## Alix (Nov 15, 2005)

GB, I'd use velveeta. Brown your meat, toss in the pasta uncooked, add either broth or milk to cook the pasta (usually about 1-2 cups) then near the end of the cooking time toss in some velveeta and stir it til melted. Filling and tasty. Would that be allowed for you? Mixing dairy and meat? You could toss in a can of diced tomatoes instead of broth as long as there was enough liquid in them.


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## GB (Nov 15, 2005)

Alix said:
			
		

> Would that be allowed for you? Mixing dairy and meat?


If I observed the kosher laws then no it would not be allowed, but I don't keep kosher. There are too many things I love to eat that would not be allowed. No more lobster or steamers or pork ribs or bacon. Sorry I could not handle that


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## Alix (Nov 15, 2005)

WOW! That would be a lot to give up! Well then, give the Velveeta a shot. I know lots of folks look down their noses at it, but it is filling and tasty...specially for kids!


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## letscook (Nov 15, 2005)

Instead of buying all those package crap  use a crockpot  get the items ready the night before put them in the crock pot in the morning and all you have to do is set the table. go to the crockpot recipes in the forum.


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## GB (Nov 15, 2005)

I love using my crockpot and do so quite often, but again it requires a lot more prep than just browning some ground beef and then adding a flavor packet and dried pasta. It also requires a lot more cleaning. the big thing though is it requires me to wake up even earlier in the morning to start dinner and I am not willing to give up my extra 5 minutes of sleep


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## DampCharcoal (Nov 15, 2005)

GB, I'm with Alix on this one. Hamburger Helper is by no means a gourmet meal but it is okay for a quick meal. You can always dress it up. You can add Velveeta or any other cheese that you like, substitute sausage, chicken, etc. for the ground beef, blah, blah, blah. Honestly, I'm not a fan of Hamburger Helper but with a little tinkering, it can turn out okay!


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## Andy M. (Nov 15, 2005)

GB said:
			
		

> ...Well while I was eating this I though that this would be something so easy to make on my own. Why am I buying this prepackaged stuff.
> 
> My question is have any of you done this and what did you put in your 'flavor packet" to make the sauce?


 
Getting back to your original question, If I make my own mix, it's usually on the fly.  I haven't prepackaged any stuff for quick meals.  I have, however, cooked and frozen lots of stuff that just needs to be defrosted and heated to eat.

I use very little prepackaged stuff for a quick meal.  One item is cream of mushroom soup.  I only use that for one dish that's a nostalgia carryover from my Boy Scout camping days.  

I have also used the Uncle Ben's 90-second rice for a quickie - not the flavored stuff, the plain white rice.

Also, those packets of dry mixes like ranch dressing powder, Lipton soup packets, I use from time to time for a quick flavor boost to roast potatoes.

I received a 4-pack of Emeril's Essences (Original, Southwest, Asian and Italian) for Christmas last year and use them to season different dishes or as a rub for burgers, chops and steaks.

On weeknights, I an usually have dinner on the table in 30-45 minutes.  Of course, sometimes it takes longer and sometimes less.


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## buckytom (Nov 15, 2005)

andy, i love emeril's seafood spice rub. oddly, it tastes better on chicken than on fish. i'm not sure if it's available any longer tho. i have been looking for it without success for about a year now.
i also use the original essence in dishes when i don't feel like coming up with each individual spice.

btw, what is the nostalgic boy scout dish you referred to?


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## Andy M. (Nov 15, 2005)

buckytom said:
			
		

> ...btw, what is the nostalgic boy scout dish you referred to?


 
BT:

It was a one pan meal we made when camping.  We called it "Glop" for the sound it made when it hit the aluminum dish from your mess kit.

1 Lb Hamburg
1 Onion, diced
1-2 Garlic
A small can of mushrooms, sliced
a small can of corn (1 cup frozen)
a small can of green peas  (1 cup frozen)
a can of potatoes - sliced or diced
a can of cream of mushroom soup

Cook the meat, onion and garlic.
Add the rest and heat through.

I usually use frozen corn and peas and fresh mushrooms now but still use the canned potato and soup.  If I made the cream of mushroom soup from scratch and cooked fresh potatoes, I'd have to give it a better name.  It wouldn't taste the same, either.


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## Michael in FtW (Nov 15, 2005)

GB said:
			
		

> Well while I was eating this I though that this would be something so easy to make on my own. Why am I buying this prepackaged stuff.


 
I can only guess that you buy this stuff for every reason you mentioned ... which all boils down to convenience. You brown some meat, add some water and the "packets" - in a few minutes you have a meal, with only one pot to wash. No real prep and not much to clean up afterwards.



			
				GB said:
			
		

> My question is have any of you done this and what did you put in your "flavor packet" to make the sauce?


 
I've never tried it - but I did think about it once. Then, after looking at the ingredients on the boxes I realized it wasn't worth either the time, effort, or expense to try to reinvent the wheel. Those little packets aren't just flavor packets - they are the sauces and include dehydrated/powdered dairy products, vegetable proteins and vegetables - in addition to the spices.


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## purrfectlydevine (Nov 15, 2005)

If it is OK to copy someone else's post from another board I can post a "packet" recipe here.  I copied and pasted so I have it.  So far, I've made 2 of the variations.  It requires a little more work than the packaged kits because you use the same "packet" for all variations so you need to add a few extras, but things one usually would have on hand.


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## GB (Nov 15, 2005)

purrfectlydevine as long as it is not copyrighted then it is fine to post here


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## purrfectlydevine (Nov 15, 2005)

*Almost Hamburger Helper*

Almost Hamburger Helper" Mix in a Jar 

2 cups nonfat dry milk 
1 cup corn starch 
1/4 cup beef bouillon powder 
2 TBSP onion flakes 
1 tsp. dried basil 
1 tsp. dried thyme 
1 tsp. black pepper 
2 TBSP dried parsley 
1 TBSP garlic powder 

Mix the ingredients together and stor in a airtight jar. Attach the following recipes to the jar. 

CHILI MAC: 

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained 
1 cup water 
1/2 cup macaroni (uncooked) 
2 cans (14.5oz.) diced tomatoes 
1 TBSP chili powder 
1/2 cup "Almost Hamburger Helper" mix 

Combine all ingredients and simmer 20 minutes or until macaroni is cooked. 



HAMBURGER STROGANOFF 

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained 
2 cups water 
1/2 cup "Almost Hamburger Helper" mix 
2 cups uncooked egg noodles 
1/2 cup sour cream 

Combine all ingredients except the sour cream. Simmer 20 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in the sour cream and serve. 



POTATO BEEF CASSEROLE 

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained 
3/4 cup water 
6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 
1 cup frozen mixed veggies 
1/2 cup "Almost Hamburger Helper" mix 

Combine all ingredients and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove cover and cook until excess water is evaporated. 



QUICK LASAGNA: 

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained 
1/2 cup "Almost Hamburger Helper" Mix 
1 onion, chopped 
2 cups water 
16-oz. tomato sauce 
3 cups lasagna noodles, uncooked, broken in bits 
1/4 cup parmesan cheese 
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded 

Combine all ingredients except the mozzarella in large skillet. Bring to a boil, let simmer for 15 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Top with mozzarella. Turn off heat and let the cheese melt.

I have made the potato beef casserole and next time I'll will cut the quantity of poatatoes by half.  I needed to add extra water because I was afraid it would stick of burn before fully cooked, but maybe I was using too high heat.

I have also made the quick lasagna using regular egg noodles because that is what I had.  Again I had to add extra water.

My family rated the lasagna better than the potato casserole.

If you use low sodium beef bouillon powder you will need to add salt, but that way you know exactly how much if that is a concern.


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## licia (Nov 15, 2005)

That would probably be healthier than the original. I wonder if something like that is in one of my make-a-mix cookbooks. I haven't looked at those in years.


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## GB (Nov 16, 2005)

purrfectlydevine thank you SO much! That is exactly what I was looking for. I can't wait to try this!!!


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## Claire (Nov 27, 2005)

Hamburger helper was invented when I was a teenager, and we used it when we were camping on rainy nights, or when my mother was having surgery!  My recommendation is that if you like it, don't knock it, just add (as Mom did) a good veggie side -- sliced tomatoes or cukes, a bag of mixed greens.  You can make a slaw and it will last you several meals.  I now make a great stroganof that was first inspired by my love of Hamburger Helper Potato Stroganof.  I make it from scratch now, with beef and egg noodles and fresh sour cream.  But if I hadn't used that Hamburger Helper, it wouldn't have been one of my early loves and experiments in cooking.  Ironically, my husband and I both impressed each other with our love of stroganof when we were dating (he decided he preferrred mine).  Hey, Hamburger Helper ain't all bad!


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## dgail620 (Nov 28, 2005)

purrfectlydevine,
Thank you for the recipes!   Do you by chance have one for Cheeseburger Macaroni?  On the rate occasion I use HH, that is my fav.


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## TxNorma (Nov 28, 2005)

*Homemade Hamburger Helper*

I've made my own for YEARS......ONE package wouldn't feed my gang of kids....for the Chili version, I add Rotel tomatoes, garlic, chili powder ........the Cheesburger version gets a can of Campbell's cheddar cheese soup and of course, garlic.......Stroganoff gets cream of mushroom soup and sour cream if it's on hand. I always just kinda tossed stuff into the pot of browned meat and pre-cooked noodles, adjusting spices to taste. And one kid couldn't have salt for a while, so I used salt free versions of the soups, etc


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## Piccolina (Nov 28, 2005)

How did I miss this thread??? I've been meaning to ask for homemade Hamburger Helper recipes for ages! You see, they don't have it in Ireland, but I wanted my Italian DH to get a taste of a total North American classic! A thousand thank-yous to all you guys for your recipes and tips


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## RMS (Nov 28, 2005)

I make a quick tomato sauce, brown the chopped meat, toss it in and then add some uncooked pasta.  I guess it's like beef a roni, only better!


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## Piccolina (Dec 5, 2005)

I'm excited, I am going to make homemade Hamburger Helper for dinner tonight. I had a tough time tracking down dried milk powder here (hard to believe, I know, that seems like such a staple item ). I found a box (very $), I think it is a German brand, the lady at the shop assured me that it was in fact dried milk (no English on the box), so I am just going to assume that it is like the North American brands I've tried. I'm also going to use ground turkey, and hope to end up with a flavour that is somewhere between "beef noodle" and stroganoff. Fingers crossed that is all works out!


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## wrigh003 (Dec 15, 2005)

Neat site, and huge! Somebody on another board pointed me here, adn I thought I'd comment on those Vigo rice packets that somebody posted about early in the thread:

They taste pretty good, but are <RonWhite>Loooooooooooooooaded</RonWhite> with salt. The jambalaya packet makes an acceptable version, but I would probably be most likely to take it backpacking with me rather than eating it at home. Yellow rice is less salty, and makes a good accompaniment to grilled chicken, etc.


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## Robo410 (Dec 15, 2005)

well, a lot of those flavor packets contain "thickener" for the sauces...gluten and soy etc.  They are not just spices.  But a hamburger stoganoff is easy enough to make with hamburger, onion soup mix, some sliced mushrooms and a pt of sour cream.  Many of the pasta ones can be made with hamburger, a jar of classico, ready cook lazagna and shredded mozzarellla.  

Frankly I can't imagine the freezer ready ones (meat veg n all) tasting worth my $$$ when I can have fresh meat and vegetables stir fried over rice quickly.  One can precook a lot of rice, freeze in small containers and nuke up when ready.  That may save some time if 20 min is too long.


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## spanishrice7 (Dec 27, 2005)

When my fiance and I first opened a box of hamburger helper we did everything by the box, and the convenience was just so tempting that we must have tried every variety multiple times before coming to our conclusion: there had to be a better way to cook these meals without the tomato (I'm allergic) and the sodium. Just stay away from the seasoning packages. You're much better off using your own spices anyway, to suit your own tastes at least. A lot of sodium sneaks in with cheap quality ground beef as well, so dont cut corners in that department, look for lean meat. Also a trick that we like to utilize in many recipes, is substituting broth for water when cooking rice and pasta, in order to not have to add more seasoning later.


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## Sandyj (Dec 27, 2005)

Hi GB, when I lived overseas there really wasn't much in the pre-prepared foods aisle at the supermarket, and I worked full time with three little girls. I used to come home and drop my bags and go straight into the kitchen and try to get dinner on the table as quickly as possible. I made up some dishes that could maybe work for you....I really liked purrfectlydivine's idea for making a "hamburger helper" mix!

My ideas are not original - I see variations all over this post! 

Essentially, I'd brown mince meat (steak mince usually (hamburger)), add seasonings (worcestershire sauce, beef broth, salt, pepper, garlic -- whatever strikes your fancy), frozen veggies, raw rice and liquid, then leave to simmer for 1/2 hour or so. My mom calls dishes like this "Hot Pot". They are filling, quick and cheap and can be done in one pot.

This works nicely with chicken: brown the chicken as you would the minced meat, then, throw in some rice, garlic powder maybe (fresh is nicer of course, but to save time I guess you'd use the packaged stuff....), a packet of Goya chicken boullion & water, or some nice pre-packaged chicken  broth, frozen broccoli florets......and Bob's your uncle, you have a nice meal.

I cooked for my girls right from the get-go - pre-packaged baby foods were prohibitively expensive. I'd do a squash or something in one pot, then mash it. They ate very very well.

Good Luck finding the right 'mix' for you - even today I'm still working full time, the girls are 21, 19 and 17 and my husband comes in starving every night and it's still a challenge - although these days they do pitch in.


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## purrfectlydevine (Dec 27, 2005)

dgail620 said:
			
		

> purrfectlydevine,
> Thank you for the recipes! Do you by chance have one for Cheeseburger Macaroni? On the rate occasion I use HH, that is my fav.


Sorry I didn't see the replies before this.  For cheeseburger macaroni, I looked at the chili mac, which called for 1/2 cup uncooked macaroni and 1 cup of water and would add the those to the browned and drained meat and the "mix".  I would add a can of cheddar cheese soup thinned with milk or water to sauce consistency and see how it tastes.  You might want to add a little tomato sauce also.  Hope this helps.


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## licia (Dec 28, 2005)

I don't understand WHY so many packaged foods contain such a vast amount of salt.  I bought a couple of those New Orleans type foods and they were so salty we couldn't eat them. My gd had told me she cooked them and liked it. I don't think that much salt is required to preserve the ingredients. It really worries me that so many of our young people may be overdoing it with those products.


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## velochic (Dec 30, 2005)

I've been told by friends that it is indeed the preservative effect.   It can stand on shelves for lifetimes with the salt.

I get sick from the chemical taste of such things, but that's just me (well, and the rest of my family.)  Oh, my husband and I can hardly stand anything out of can or box.  It hides the true taste of the food.  There must be a reason good restaurants use fresh ingredients.


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## starbasset (Jan 3, 2006)

*My favorite seasonings*

It's nice to be able to put the ingredients you/family like when you do it yourself and avoid any preservatives, etc. Many of the prepared packets contain MSG. I use herbs (fresh & dry) like garlic, black pepper, some salt, onion, thyme, cumin, sage, paprika (when I want some color.) I adjust the spices according to the dish I'm making.


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