Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

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Ever think of a fantastic idea for a recipe? Then, just as your arm is aching from patting yourself on the back for being so creative and clever, you come across the same idea in a cookbook, a magazine, or even worse, you google the idea only to find you aren't so creative. Or clever.

This happens to me all the time.

I jotted down the idea for a Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta a couple of months ago on my phone. I was thinking about one my favorite burgers: juicy ground chuck covered in steak seasoning, grilled and then topped with barbecue sauce, crisp bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese, and thought the ingredients would make an awesome baked pasta. Oh boy, was I right. This was delicious. Tasted just like my favorite burger. I even served it with some hamburger buns turned garlic bread.

I love the Neely's barbecue sauce and decided it would be perfect here. Making your own barbecue sauce is so easy and this recipe is perfect for us. It's on the sweeter side, but if you prefer it to be less sweet, decrease the sugar. If you want it spicer, add some cayenne and/or hot sauce. Smokier, add liquid smoke or paprika. Whatever you want to do to make it yours.

The rest of the recipe is just boiling pasta, frying bacon, browning ground beef, and then assembly. Easy. And as good as it sounds. I haven't looked to see if this has been done before. If it has, please don't tell me. Everyone deserves to feel clever every now and then. Right?

Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

8 slices bacon
8 ounces dried pasta (I used thin spaghetti)
1 pound ground chuck
1 teaspoon steak seasoning
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Fry bacon until crisp. Drain. Crumble and set aside.

Pour out most of grease from pan. Return to stove and add ground chuck. Season with steak seasoning. Cook until browned. Drain.

Meanwhile, put water on to boil for pasta. Once boiling, add salt and pasta. Cook following package directions (until al dente.) Drain pasta.

Add pasta to large bowl. Add browned ground chuck, crumbled bacon, barbecue sauce, and 1 cup of cheese. Toss together until well combined and pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let sit for a few minutes and then serve.

Neely's BBQ Sauce
Down Home with the Neelys

2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons light brown sugar
5 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In a medium saucepan, Combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Cook's Notes: The recipe says the yield is 3 1/2 cups, but I generally only get about 1 1/2 cups of sauce. My sauce is always a little lumpy, so I pour it through a fine mesh drainer and it smooths right out.
Linking to:
Mouthwatering Monday
Your Recipe, My Kitchen
Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight - Bacon Fest

Tastetastic Thursday