“My husband Joe says this is one of his favorite meals. Maybe I can make it for his birthday!”

Prepare the oven and macaroni:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Cook the macaroni according to package directions, but for 1 to 2 minutes less than the recommended time. Drain and set aside.
Cook the beef and onions:
In a large skillet, season the ground beef with garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Brown the ground beef with the chopped onions until the beef is cooked through and the onions are tender.
Combine the sauce:
Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and drained mushrooms into the skillet with the beef mixture.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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.
Bake the casserole:
Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 minutes.
Top with the rest of the cheddar cheese, and continue baking until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 10 more minutes.
Serve:
Let stand a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!