Hamburger Helper My Way - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (6 ounce) box Hamburger Helper double cheeseburger macaroni (including macaroni and cheese sauce packets)
1/2 1/2 lb ground beef or 1/2 lb pork sausage
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup water

Preparation

Brown the meat in a medium sized skillet.
Do not add water to it unless there isn't enough fat in the meat.
If water is needed, add very little.
Bring the 3 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan.
Add the packet of macaroni.
Boil until the macaroni is done and tender.
When the meat is done, drain the grease from the skillet and return skillet to the burner.
Don't remove the meat from the skillet.
Drain the water from the macaroni and rinse with hot water.
Add the macaroni to the meat and stir.
Lower the burner to medium.
In a shaker bottle or large cup, mix the half and half and the 1/2 cup water.
Add the packet of sauce mix/powder and shake vigorously or stir in cup very well, until sauce mix/powder is completely dissolved and there are no lumps in it.
With one hand, slowly add the sauce mixture to the hamburger mixture, while stirring constantly with the other hand.
Stir constantly so that it doesn't start to stick to the bottom of the skillet.
Sauce will start to thicken.
Continue stirring constantly.
You might need to lower the heat again.
Once sauce has somewhat thickened, remove from heat and let stand.
The sauce will completely thicken on its own.