Cheeseburger Tortilla Skillet {Homemade Hamburger Helper}

I'm so excited to have contributing writer, Elsie, of Back to the Source, posting today! Elsie is not only an excellent writer--but she's also a fabulous cook! Be sure to stop by her blog--Back to the Source!

By Elsie, Contributing Writer

Hamburger Helper may be the ultimate boxed dinner.  It only takes twenty or thirty minutes to make, and the results are tasty and comforting.  

But the ingredient list just doesn't match up with what I want in a meal these days.  MSG?  Partially hydrogenated soybean oil?  “Colors”?  

I don't think so.  

I love the ease and quickness of a skillet meal, though, and I miss that cheesy, meaty heartiness. But people who like real food know that practically everything can be made from scratch.  Hamburger Helper?  Of course!  

Here's my version, and I believe it's even quicker than the boxed kind, since I use tortillas instead of pasta which needs time to cook.

Cheeseburger Tortilla Skillet

½ to 1lb ground beef

2 heaping spoonfuls flour

¼ t salt

½ t California chili pepper, or another mild chili

½ t garlic powder

½ t mustard powder

¼ c whole milk

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

6 tortillas

1 c grated cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger oven medium heat.  Drain most of the fat, and return the pan to medium-low.  Stir in the flour and spices until the meat is well coated.  Add the milk, stirring while you pour.  Add the diced tomatoes, along with their juice, and let the mixture simmer until it thickens.  Tear up the tortillas and add them to the skillet.  Stir in the cheese until it melts, and serve!  

I'm linking up to:  Works for Me Wednesday, Make Your Own Monday, Tuesdays at the Table,Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, Full Plate Thursday, Frugal Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food,Frugally Sustainable

Elsie loves to express herself through words and through culinary creations. The food she makes is a reflection of her experiences--whether the homemade comfort food of a happy childhood, the flair of Latin American cuisine borrowed from her family's time on the mission field, or the rich and hearty fare of restaurants and pubs she visited during her ramblings in Switzerland and Oxford. Elsie and her new husband Eric live in Michigan.The couple enjoys pursuing a simple, natural life.

Someday Elsie hopes to write books that reflect her experiences, but in the meantime she's discovered that her blog, Back to the Source, is the perfect venue for combining her love of words and of food.