6 Servings

Ingredients:
-1 tablespoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning*
-3 tablespoons soy sauce
-3 bay leaves
-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
-4 fresh medium-size tomatoes, diced
-2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
-3 cups water
-3 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 large onion, chopped
-2 lbs lean ground beef
-1 tablespoon sea salt
-1 box (1lb) elbow macaroni, uncooked (Sometimes I like to change it up a bit by using a different variety of elbow macaroni)

*House Seasoning:
-1 cup salt
-1/4 cup black pepper
-1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to six months.

Direction:

1. In a Dutch oven, sauté the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sautéing. Spoon off any grease.
2. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and sauté until they are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House Seasoning and seasoned salt. Stir well.
4. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving.

Cook’s Notes/Tips:

• For this recipe, I also added some Italian blend cheese, as pictured, but this is optional if you want to stick with the classic taste of Beefaroni.
• Top with a dollop of sour cream, drizzle with shaved Parmesan, chives, hot sauce; and serve with garlic bread and salad.