Homemade Hamburger Helper

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat a large (12-inch) sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-low, and add oil and onion; season lightly with salt and pepper. (The hot sauce added in Step 6 will add a lot of flavor, so be careful not to overseason here.) Let cook until the onions turn light beige in color and begin to caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Add garlic and cook until fragrant and starting to brown ever so slightly, about 2 minutes.

3. Step 3

   Increase heat to medium-high and add bacon and ground beef, using the back of a large spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces. Continue to cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated and the meat starts to sear and develop a crust on the bottom of the pan, 12 to 15 minutes.

4. Step 4

   Remove pan from the heat and carefully drain off most of the fat, leaving a little in the pan to keep the meat moist.

5. Step 5

   Return pan to medium-high heat and add white wine, allowing it to reduce until the mixture is almost dry, about 10 minutes.

6. Step 6

   Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, hot sauce, paprika and bay leaf to the pan. Mix until combined and bring to a boil.

7. Step 7

   Once the mixture is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring often, about 9 minutes.

8. Step 8

   Reduce the heat to low and stir in both types of cheese, stirring until completely melted and sauce is thickened.

9. Step 9

   Remove the pan from heat, stir in chives and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.