½lbslean ground beefCan be substituted with almost any protein
1pinchkosher salt
1pinchblack pepper
2clovesgarlicminced
½tspsmoked paprika
¼tsponion powder
¼tspgarlic powder
½tbspdried parsley
½tspdried oregano
½tbsptomato paste
¾cupchicken stock
⅛cupcream cheese
¾cupheavy cream
½lbsshredded or grated cheeseI use mostly sharp cheddar with some parmesan
½lbselbow macuse your favorite noodle
Instructions
Start cooking pasta noodles to desired doneness according to the box, recommend 1 minute less than listed on the box to finish the noodles with the rest of the meal. Strain and set cooked noodles aside reserving a small amount of the pasta water.
chop the bacon into pieces and toss into frying pan, start to cook until fat starts to render out over medium heat
add ground beef salt and pepper and start to cook down until mostly browned
add onion and start to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. If there’s a lot of grease from the ground beef/bacon you may want to drain some off at this point.
add garlic and spices, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or un til beef is fully browned and garlic is fragrant
Add tomato paste, stir this in and cook for an additional minute
Add chicken stock and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook down until almost completely reduced. Don’t forget to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan for a great flavor boost.
Add cream cheese and start to stir in slowly adding heavy cream, bring to a low simmer. If you want you can add uncooked pasta noodles now and cook them directly in the chicken stock/heavy cream; you may need to add an additional 1 cup of water or chicken stock, just cover and cook for about 1 minute less than listed on the box, then remove the lid and reduce the liquid down.
add shredded/grated cheese and stir in until melted
If you pre-cooked the noodles now would be a good time to add them and stir everything to evenly mix.
Serve immediately
Notes
Recommend serving with cooked broccoli to add some veggies or a side salad to add some contrast to the meal.