This isn’t healthy.  Well… it’s healthier than if came with fries, or tater tots, or onion rings.  Theoretically you could not have beer with it.  In theory cooking for yourself is healthier than going out to eat.  Unless you eat like 4 portions… which is what Will did with the leftovers.

Cheeseburger Pasta – a lovely one pot meal that feels fresher than the winter holiday turkey and potatoes and ham and squash and soups, but is still cozy for cold nights.

So freak’n easy too.

Mix throughly by hand
2 pounds of ground beef with
2T of water and
3/4t of baking soda.
Let it sit for 20min while you prep other stuff.  (Cook’s Illustrated science says it raises the pH of the meat and will brown better as one big batch.  I could attest to this if I hadn’t been way too rushed.  I’ll do it next time.)

In a very large pot fry the ground beef so it browns.

 Add:
28oz of diced tomatoes with their juices
2c of beef broth (I used bouillon and water)
1 pound of pasta
some tomato paste if you have it
maybe add more water?  I had to so the pasta was just barely covered.

Stir and cover to cook the pasta.

Once the pasta is just cooked (don’t over cook it!) Add:
Green cabbage roughly chopped.  I think I used 1/2 a head.
1 Red onion diced (not minced!)
Stir and cover. Let the cabbage and onion get warm but not cooked.

 Stir in your condiments depending on how you like it:
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayo (I wanted a slightly California style burger)
Pickle relish
And shredded cheese!