This recipe has been passed down from mother-in-law who learned it from my her mom.  Whenever I serve it up with guests, they always want the recipe.  The recipes I share here seem so popular that I thought I would share this one as well. I will say, I made it my own as I often do, this time by adding a little twist of sour cream.

ITALIAN DELIGHT
1 1/2 pounds ground beef1/2 green bell pepper1 small onion (I use purple onion)1/2 a small can of mushrooms1/2 a small can black olivesMinced garlic (1 tablespoon; more if you like garlic)1 can tomato soup4 – 6 tablespoons sour cream (enough to make mixture slightly creamy)Velveeta (1/4 of a one pound loaf)Salt, pepper, seasoning of preferenceCheddar or American for topping1/3 pkg. spaghetti or a small box (I like thin spaghetti)
Chop the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and olives. (You can buy the finely chopped black olives).  For my family, I diced all of this really fine because if my children see something that looks similar to a vegetable they gag.  But in this recipe they don’t care, because they are too busy shoveling this delight into their mouths and tummys.
Cook meat with onion, bell pepper, olives and mushrooms.  Season your meat during this process as you are cooking it. Cooking the chopped/diced vegetable ingredients with the meat allows them to take on the flavor of the meat and seasons. When the meat mixture is cooked, drain any grease from the mixture.  I typically use a 90+ % lean ground beef so there is no grease to drain.
A about medium heat add tomato soup to meat, stirring until well blended.  Next add in cubed velveeta, stirring slowly until completely melted. Once the meat, soup and cheese are well blended turn off heat and add in sour cream.  Stir until evenly distributed.
Next, boil your pasta.  Obviously, you can boil your pasta while you are cooking the mixture above to save time. Drain well. Stir in pasta until you have a fair mix of pasta to meat mixture ratio.  Pour into a 9×11 dish and top with American or Cheddar.  [My family prefers American for this recipe]. Or, you can split this into two smaller dishes.  Having one to eat one tonight and one to freeze for later.
Bake at 325-350 covered for 30 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and hot in the middle.  If you want your cheese to cook a little more then uncover towards the end, about the last ten minutes.
NOTE:  Some people do not like black olives or mushrooms and might consider leaving them out of this recipe. I would suggest trying this recipe at least once without omitting either of these ingredients.  Something about the chemistry of the ingredients as they cook together, blending with the tomato soup and cheese, creates a wonderful flavor.
In my family, I am the only one who likes black olives and mushrooms.  However, when I make this recipe they come running and almost always ask for seconds.  And as I suggest with all recipes, play around with it.  Add more pasta if you prefer.  Take it and make it your own delight your family and friends will love.
Other popular favorites I have shared:Pan Seared ChickenHealthier King Ranch ChickenSpanish Rice by Glass Half Full Gal
And, for more of me, you can find me at my place:  I’m an Optimist; I’m a Glass Half Full Gal.