I had to make some adjustments--Wayne’s Beef Macaroni and Cheese

Wayne’s Beef Macaroni and Cheese
I Can Cook, You Can Cook! Copyright 2003

2 lbs of lean pound beef I used 1 pound
2 cups of white onions, chopped I used 1 medium sweet onion
2 cups of green peppers, chopped I used 2 green peppers
1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp of garlic powder, or fresh, chopped I used a couple of cloves of fresh
1 16-oz box of elbow macaroni I used about 1 1/2 cups (cooked) less than a full box of Dreamfield macaroni
2-3 cups of grated cheddar cheese I used a block of Cabot's 50% Light Sharp Cheddar
1 Tbsp of basil I used 1/2 T
1 Tbsp of cumin I omitted this
1 Tbsp of oregano I used 1/2 T
Olive oil as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil macaroni noodles, drain and set aside.
2. In a pan, sauté green peppers, onions and garlic in olive oil until soft.
3. Add ground beef and sauté until brown. Drain excess fat.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, basil, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper.
5. In a large bowl, combine macaroni and beef mixture. I added some cheese to this and the rest I put on top.
6. Place mixture in a 9x13 greased baking dish.
7. Top with grated cheese and bake for 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6. (!!)
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This wasn't anything special but it was delicious. The amounts seemed off though. A pasta recipe with 2 pounds of beef, 4 cups of peppers and onions, and a pound of pasta will feed more than 4 to 6 people. I halved the meat and used a little more than half the onions and peppers. I didn't want to halve the pasta amount because I didn't know how hungry my husband was going to be. I wasn't sure if I was going to halve the tomatoes (since I used almost all of the pasta) so I started with half the spices and forgot to add the other half when I ended up using all of the tomatoes. I didn't miss the extra spices. The pepper and onions provided a lot of flavor.

The amount I ended up with fed one 3 1/2 year old (who really liked it but managed to drop his first serving on the floor), me and one hungry grown man, with a man-sized portion for the freezer and a small lunch-sized portion for me. So I am sure that the original portions could feed more than 4 to 6 (and I don't think they would fit in a 9x13-inch pan either).

The author of this book is Wayne Brokke. I've never heard of him but I think if you've lived in the Baltimore area, you probably have since the book jacket says that he owns restaurants, sells his own brand of food products and does segments on local news shows in that area. I'm only in the next state but he hasn't reached this market.

The recipes aren't too complicated or weird but I see a few twists in this cookbook. What sold me was the price - $2.99! That's cheap even for Ollie's. There are no photographs except for the front cover.

Blast From The Past: Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken Strips from March 2007. I really need to put this on the menu again soon. Maybe after my next Costco run. I'm running low on boneless chicken.

Question of the Day: Does anyone remember Chef Tell ("I wish we had smellevision")?