Delicious Reading: The Humbled Homemaker's Cheeseburger Tortilla Skillet

Back to school time means back to a meal routine at our house. While we keep a relatively structured schedule with summer school, VBS and road trips during the summer months, we sometimes have a glorious stretch with not much to do and all day to do it. Those are the times when breakfast turns to brunch for late risers. When we might go for ice cream for lunch. And supper might be popcorn while we watch a movie together. As we get back into the routine of early alarms, lesson plans and homework, the weekly menu — of meals with protein and vegetables — again becomes a fixture on the front of our fridge. I inevitably look for a few new options to add to the rotation. Ideally, I find something that’s pretty quick and easy to make on a weeknight with ingredients that will be eaten by almost everyone in the family.

While searching online for meal plans, I stumbled upon Erin Odom, a lifestyle blogger who shares her experiences at thehumbledhomemaker.com. She writes about motherhood, finances, healthy living and homemaking. Something I immediately liked was that she looks for ways to “clean up” convenience foods to make meals healthier, but still simple to get on the table. The recipe I decided to try was her version of Hamburger Helper. Everyone loved it except my youngest, who could detect the diced tomato. While she likes salsa, tomato sauce and ketchup, small pieces of tomato are currently unacceptable. Nevertheless, I think this one will have a recurring role on the weekly menu.

Cheeseburger Tortilla Skillet

* 1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)

* 2 heaping spoonfuls flour

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon California chili pepper, or another mild chili

* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

* 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

* 1/4 cup whole milk

* 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

* 6 small tortillas

* 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger over medium heat. Drain most of the fat, and return the pan to medium-low. (If you use ground turkey like I did, you can skip that step.)

Stir in the flour and spices until the meat is well coated.

Add the milk, stirring while you pour.

Add the diced tomatoes, along with their juice, and let the mixture simmer until it thickens. (I also mixed in about a tablespoon each of ketchup and mustard to amp up the cheeseburger taste.)

Tear up the tortillas and add them to the skillet. (I let them cook in there for a couple minutes to get soft).

Stir in the cheese until it melts and serve!