Gary's Favorite Hamburger Hotdish

In Wisconsin, casseroles are often called hotdish. This is a recipe from Grandma Lorraine Loomans, but its provenance prior to her is unknown. (This is not to say that she invented it; Lorraine does not profess to be especially creative in the kitchen.) It is indeed Gary's favorite, but I have not made it for years because of the carbs. Hans likes it, too.

Hamburger Hotdish
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1/2 a medium onion, chopped (optional)
1 lb Velveeta, sliced or cubed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can of milk
8 oz wide or extra-wide noodles, cooked and drained
garnish (chow mein noodles, sliced almonds, or french-fried onions)

Process
1. Brown and drain the beef and onions (if you want them). Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare noodles as directed on package and drain.

3. While the noodles are cooking, make the sauce: over medium heat, blend milk and soups together, adding the cheese and stirring constantly until the cheese is melted.

4. Combine all into a large casserole or 9x13 baking dish. Heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes until hot through and bubbly. Sprinkle with garnish. If you go with almonds or fried onions, you can toast these an additional 5-10 minutes.

Notes
*Gary prefers chow mein noodles, and he likes them toasted on the top. I have found, however, that chow mein noodles do not make good leftovers. They get soggy. I have in the past sprinkled them over only half of the surface, since that was as much as I could plan on being eaten in one meal, and if additional cmnoodles were required, they could be added.
*You can use two cans of the same kind of soup. You can use any kind of cream soup, and the variation in flavor will only be slight.
*You can add steamed broccoli or cauliflower in the mix, if you wish to seen vegetables into your family's diet.