Homemade Hamburger Helper

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute; stir nearly constantly.

Evenly sprinkle with the flour, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute; stir nearly constantly. Tip - Flour is used to thicken the sauce a bit later on.

Add the pasta (See Notes below for my suggestions and make sure to only add half of a 16 ounce box, or 2/3rds of a 12 ounce box), reduced sodium beef broth (tip - you may substitute with reduced sodium vegetable or chicken broth, or even water as a last resort but make sure to add more salt and extra seasonings if using water), tomato puree (tip - tomato puree is different from tomato sauce which is a bit thinner although would still work, but do not use tomato paste because it's too thick), Dijon mustard, stir to combine, and cover with a lid.

Bring it to a boil, and once boiling, remove the lid, and stir well.

Cover it again, reduce the heat to low (or as needed so mixture is simmering gently), and allow mixture to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is cooked to al dente and all liquid has been absorbed, or absorbed to your liking and pasta is done. For those who want a saucier final dish, cut the simmering time short by a couple minutes (or add an extra 1/3 cup broth or extra tomato puree). Tips for Liquid Level - Please read the FAQ section in the blog post about what to do if your skillet still has excess liquid (in short, remove the lid, bring it up to a faster boil, and let it boil away rapidly for 2-5 minutes, or as needed until the excess liquid volume evaporates). Or if your pasta isn't fully cooked and is still hard and/or the mixture is dry looking at any time add extra broth or water, starting with about 1/3 cup, and continue to simmer until the pasta is soft and done.

Add the heaping cup of shredded cheese (tip - shred your cheese by hand for optimal melting) and the optional sweet pickle relish (or diced gherkins or teaspoon of sugar) and stir to combine. Flavor Tips - I love the sweet-and-tangy dimension but if you don't, simply omit the relish or diced gherkins. If you are omiting you may consider adding 1 teaspoon granulated sugar to help balance the acidity of the tomato puree and overall savory aspect of the dish, however the sugar is also optional and to taste. Make sure to check for seasoning balance and if desired, add more salt, pepper, paprika, garlic or onion powder, etc.

Optionally, for those who want a cheesier final dish, evenly sprinkle an additional 1/2 cup or so of shredded cheese over the top, and cover with the lid for a couple minutes to help encourage the cheese to melt.

Optionally garnish with green onions and serve immediately. Leftovers will keep airgith in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat gently in the microwave.