This is what i'm making for dinner tonight. It's simple, fairly quick, and it can be quite cheap depending on the type of hamburger meat you use. It's also a one pot meal, which is always convenient! :)
2lbs. ground beef (I use the 7% fat ground beef)
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
4 cups frozen green beans
1, 16 oz. bag of dried large elbow macaroni noodles
Brown ground beef in a large pot with onion and garlic. Onion should be translucent by the time meat is done. While cooking meat, add salt and pepper to taste.
When meat is done browning, open your can of tomato sauce and pour it into the pan. Fill up the can with cold water, and pour the water into the pan, three times, for a total of 84 oz. of water. Add the [still frozen] green beans, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until green beans are slightly tender [to your liking].
Add the whole bag of macaroni noodles. Give it a stir, bring to a boil, and add salt and pepper to taste. Turn down the heat slightly and simmer until macaroni noodles are tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Add small amounts of water as needed or if you prefer a "saucier" dish. Make sure to stir often so the noodles don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Serve with freshly grated Romano cheese on top, and a wedge of crusty shepherd's bread on the side. (A salad is a nice accompaniment as well.)
**Fresh or canned green beans can be substituted for the frozen. For fresh, the cooking time may need to be extended. For canned, you can just add the macaroni at the same time as the green beans-there is no extra cooking time needed.
***This recipe makes quite a bit, and is good for a large family. If you have a smaller family, you can always cut the recipe in half, or freeze half for later.
If you end up with leftovers and reheat them in a microwave, sprinkle a bit of water on top first so that the noodles don't dry out.
