Instructions:
Prepare oven and macaroni:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease a 2-quart baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Cook macaroni according to package directions, but 1 to 2 minutes less than recommended. Drain and set aside.
Cook beef and onions:
In a large skillet, season ground beef with garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Sauté the ground beef with the chopped onions until the beef is cooked through and the onions are soft.
To combine the sauce:
Add the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and drained mushrooms to the pan with the beef mixture.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble the casserole:
Arrange half of the meat mixture in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
Layer half of the cooked macaroni over the meat.
Layer half of the grated cheddar cheese over the macaroni.
Repeat the layers, starting with the remaining meat mixture, then the remaining macaroni.
To bake the casserole:
Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 minutes.
Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and continue baking until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown, about 10 minutes more.
To serve:
Let stand for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
