We called it American Chop Suey but some call it Goulash.
This is my way of making Hamburger Helper better, cheaper and healthier. Try it and you decide. Eating out of a box is more like eating cardboard or drinking drain cleaner.
Ingredients:
1 pound of hamburger of any grade
1 8 oz. can of chopped tomatoes, I love to use the ones with celery, peppers and onions in them but any kind will do. By changing the flavor of the tomatoes you can change the chop Suey to Italian, Mexican or American.
1 cup of dry elbow macaroni or any type of pasta
1 small can of tomato sauce
pepper, seasoning of your choice, I don't add salt until later since I try to only use salt when needed and most condiments like tomatoes and sauce have enough salt in them already. This is the kind of recipe that you can play with and make it your own or your children's.
(I sometimes put a 1/4 cup of red wine in mine just for richer flavor)
Take a medium size sauce pan fill half way with water and bring to a boil. When water is at full boil add the 1 cup of pasta, stirring occasionally. While the pasta is cooking, scramble the hamburger in a skillet until brown add pepper, if a higher fat ratio meat is used drain the excess fat off of the meat before adding any other ingredients.
When pasta is cooked to half way remove, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside. When meat is browned to your liking add can of tomatoes, sauce, (and wine if desired) along with any other spices you desire. Mix completely add pasta and turn heat down to a low simmer. Finish cooking until pasta has absorbed some of the sauce. Serve with a salad or some bread and sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy.
Now I have no idea how much a box of hamburger helper costs but I am going to estimate the cost between using a box vs. scratch.
Boxed Scratch
Hamburger Helper - $2.00
hamburger - $3.00 $3.00
Pasta - In the box $.25
Tomatoes - $1.00 $1.00
Sauce - $.33 $.33
Total - $6.33 $4.58
Compare these images and tell me which one looks more appetizing to you:
This is my way of making Hamburger Helper better, cheaper and healthier. Try it and you decide. Eating out of a box is more like eating cardboard or drinking drain cleaner.
Ingredients:
1 pound of hamburger of any grade
1 8 oz. can of chopped tomatoes, I love to use the ones with celery, peppers and onions in them but any kind will do. By changing the flavor of the tomatoes you can change the chop Suey to Italian, Mexican or American.
1 cup of dry elbow macaroni or any type of pasta
1 small can of tomato sauce
pepper, seasoning of your choice, I don't add salt until later since I try to only use salt when needed and most condiments like tomatoes and sauce have enough salt in them already. This is the kind of recipe that you can play with and make it your own or your children's.
(I sometimes put a 1/4 cup of red wine in mine just for richer flavor)
Take a medium size sauce pan fill half way with water and bring to a boil. When water is at full boil add the 1 cup of pasta, stirring occasionally. While the pasta is cooking, scramble the hamburger in a skillet until brown add pepper, if a higher fat ratio meat is used drain the excess fat off of the meat before adding any other ingredients.
When pasta is cooked to half way remove, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside. When meat is browned to your liking add can of tomatoes, sauce, (and wine if desired) along with any other spices you desire. Mix completely add pasta and turn heat down to a low simmer. Finish cooking until pasta has absorbed some of the sauce. Serve with a salad or some bread and sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy.
Now I have no idea how much a box of hamburger helper costs but I am going to estimate the cost between using a box vs. scratch.
Boxed Scratch
Hamburger Helper - $2.00
hamburger - $3.00 $3.00
Pasta - In the box $.25
Tomatoes - $1.00 $1.00
Sauce - $.33 $.33
Total - $6.33 $4.58
Compare these images and tell me which one looks more appetizing to you: