My kids completely scarfed down this Cheesy Tomato Hamburger and Pasta Dinner. It was just that good!

I’ve been searching for and creating new easy meals for my family the last few weeks. With summer heat turned up full blast outside, I really haven’t had much energy for cooking lately. The following recipe is a result of my desire to create wholesome, yet delicious, meals for my family. It’s so good that not only will I be making it again and again, but the kids licked their bowls clean.

Cheesy Tomato Hamburger and Pasta Dinner

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 10 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups rigatoni pasta, uncooked
garlic salt to taste
2 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh
1 to 2 T corn starch for thickening, if needed

Directions

Brown ground beef in a large skillet on medium high until about 2/3 done. Drain off excess fat (do not rinse), then return to skillet and continue browning over med high heat. This process ensures good flavor while eliminating much of the fat. Season with garlic salt.

Turn heat to medium, add milk, tomato sauce, 2 cups milk, pasta, and cheese. Stir, increase heat and allow mixture to boil. Top with fresh oregano or dried oregano. Cover. Turn heat down and simmer for about 20 minutes or until pasta is tender.

If dinner is too thin, thicken with cornstarch mixed with a little cold water. Add slowly to dinner while stirring. The meal will thicken. You could also use heavy whipping cream in place of milk for a thicker end result.