This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Manwich for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Part of busy family life is dinner time. I’ve discovered it can be an amazing time for bonding or like a scene out of horror movie where everyone is running and screaming. (That would be my life with a four-year old who is a picky eater. Sometimes you’d think I’d asked him to walk on hot coals with the way he carries on.) So my goal is to start the week off with a good meal together which means I need a dish they will all love. This week, Baked Sloppy Joe Macaroni and Cheese hit the spot!

Baked Sloppy Joe Macaroni and Cheese

Monday night is one night I always try to make sure my family has a meal together. It just seems like a great way to start the week. Unless it’s a meal like the one mentioned above but most of them aren’t like that… if I am thoughtful about meal planning!

One of my tried and true Monday night dinners is sloppy joes and tater tots. It’s a classic and everyone in my family likes it. Plus it’s easy to whip up.

Plus Manwich has “kid-stopping” power. It gets my kids to stop and sit down to eat every time. So it’s great as a Monday meal solution for busy families! But this week I decided to change it up a bit and see how the family handled taking a classic and giving it a bit of a twist!

What You Need:

• 1 can Manwich (Original, Bold, or Thick & Chunky)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 (16 oz) package elbow macaroni
• 1 egg
• 2 cups milk
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 cups shredded cheese
• salt and pepper, as desired

What You Do:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Brown and drain ground beef.
3. Add Manwich and cook 2 to 3 minutes more or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and boil until half-cooked or for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
5. Whisk the egg and milk together in a medium sized bowl.
6. Add melted butter and 3 cups of shredded cheese. Stir well.
7. In a large bowl, combine noodles and sloppy joe mixture.
8. Pour noodles and meat mixture into baking dish. Pour the milk, egg, and cheese mixture over the macaroni. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
9. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and stir mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
11. Bake uncovered for 5 additional minutes or until cheese on top has melted.

Printable Recipe

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Baked Sloppy Joe Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 1 can Manwich Original, Bold, or Thick & Chunky
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 16 oz package elbow macaroni
• 1 egg
• 2 cups milk
• 2 Tablespoons butter melted
• 4 cups shredded cheese
• salt and pepper as desired

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
• Brown and drain ground beef.
• Add Manwich and cook 2 to 3 minutes more or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and boil until half-cooked or for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Whisk the egg and milk together in a medium sized bowl.
• Add melted butter and 3 cups of shredded cheese. Stir well.
• In a large bowl, combine noodles and sloppy joe mixture.
• Pour noodles and meat mixture into baking dish. Pour the milk, egg, and cheese mixture over the macaroni. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
• Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and stir mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
• Bake uncovered for 5 additional minutes or until cheese on top has melted.

The combination of the hearty Manwich sauce with its sweet and tangy taste and our favorite baked macaroni and cheese was a hit! And I love that Manwich doesn’t have artificial flavors or preservatives! We used the Manwich Original in this recipe but I cannot wait to try with the other varieties — Manwich Bold and Manwich Thick & Chunky!

It’s great to have another way to throw together on of my family’s favorite meals! I wonder what we’ll try Manwich in next? It all depends on what mom can dream up!

Leave me a comment and let me know how you like to enjoy Manwich with your family!

You can get more great ideas by checking out the Manwich Mondays Recipes and signing up for the ReadySetEat enewsletter!