Southern Style Macaroni

Southern Style Macaroni may be a simple and easy dish to prepare, but it tastes so good. You can transfer the ingredients into a casserole dish, but we always leave ours in the skillet.  This way, we have one less dish to wash.  

Ingredients

1 (12 oz) pkg. macaroni, cooked
salt for the macaroni water
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green pepper, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste
1 to 2 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1/2 to 1 tsp. Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
1 (16 oz.) can red beans
1 (16 oz.) can peas, drained ** see notes below.
1 (16 oz.) can tomatoes
1/2 lb. American cheese, cubed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Fill a large pot with water, add some salt, and bring to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain.

Brown ground beef, bacon, onion, green pepper and garlic in a heavy cast iron skillet. Drain off fat. 

Stir in the beans, peas, tomatoes and cooked macaroni.

Season with salt and pepper, Italian herb seasoning, Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. Taste the mixture and add more seasonings if desired.

Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the surface is bubbly, and the cheese is melted.

**

Instead of throwing out the juice from the pea can, add it to the macaroni water.  It adds some flavor to the pasta.