Family Goulash (I call it "Deliciousness on a Plate")

Family Goulash

So, I'm having a little trouble with the word "goulash." It sounds disgusting to me. And this dish is far from that. I tried to come up with a better name for it, and all that kept coming into my head was the word "delicious," so that explains the title up there. You can call this meal whatever you like, but you MUST make it. It's too easy and yummy not to.

Ingredients: 

1 lb. Lean ground beef

1/2 cup sliced onion

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 cup water

1/2 cup ketchup

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

2 t. brown sugar

2 t. paprika

1 t. salt

1/2 t. dry mustard

dash ground black pepper

1 T. cornstarch or flour blended with 2 T. water

6 cups American Beauty Extra Wide Egg Noodles, uncooked (can you tell where this recipe came from?)

Directions:

In large skillet, brown beef; drain. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender.

Combine water, ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, paprika, salt, mustard, and pepper; stir into meat mixture. 

Cover; simmer 15 minutes.

Add cornstarch and water to meat mixture. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until sauce thickens and begins to boil.

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. 

Serve goulash (shudder at the word) over hot cooked noodles. Makes 4 servings.

Husband's reaction: This is very good. Thanks, honey. (He sounds way more polite in writing than he is in real life sometimes).

I was surprised  by how much I enjoyed this. I substituted a little onion powder for the onion (I didn't have one on hand) and some barbecue sauce for the Worcestershire sauce. I used cornstarch in the second to last ingredient. And I can see how this recipe could work with many other substitutions: different noodles, no mustard, more salt and pepper to taste, different spices if you're feeling adventurous, etc. I love recipes like that, and this one is a keeper!

Porcupine Meatballs

Porcupine Meatballs

1 pound ground beef

¼ cup chopped onion

¼ cup water

1/3 cup rice, uncooked

1 can tomato soup

½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

½ cup water

Combine ground beef, onion, ¼ cup water, and rice.  Shape into balls.  Arrange in greased baking dish.  Combine soup, chili powder, salt, and ½ cup water.  Pour over meatballs.  Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

  


Remove from oven and serve!

*I only made half as much as this recipe says. It was the perfect amount for two people.

If making a freezer meal: Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Place in gallon freezer bag.  Label and freeze.  To serve: Thaw. Heat until hot throughout.

This recipe may be frozen prior to baking.  Freeze in freezer bag.  To serve: Thaw.  Bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

I haven’t had this for a long long time.  My family used to like them and eat them all the time when we were kids, probably more for the name than anything else.  I didn’t remember that it could be a freezer meal.  That’s pretty handy.


AND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Husband's Reaction= Skeptical at first sight, but he finished every bite (and then some...he stole half of one of mine!)

Beef & Bean Enchiladas

Tonight I made enchiladas for the first time. I looked up a recipe online and had to subsitute a few ingredients along the way. Luckily, it turned out amazing! I think this is the best meal I have made for my new husband since we have been married.

Beef & Bean Enchilads: (adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 can kidney beans
• Enchilada Sauce (see recipe below)
• 8-10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon onion salt
• 1/4 teaspoon season all

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground beef until beef is evenly browned. Add enough kidney beans to make a mixture of half meat and half beans. Season with onion salt and season all, if preferred.
2. Prepare the enchilada sauce according recipe below. Pour about 1/2 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, so the bottom is covered in a thin layer of sauce.
3. On each flour tortilla, place an equal portion of the ground beef and bean mixture and about 1 ounce of Cheddar cheese, reserving at least 1/2 cup of cheese. Then tightly roll the tortillas and place seam side down in the baking dish. You will need at least 8 tortillas to fit this pan, but 10 can be squeezed in.
4. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and cheese is thoroughly melted.

Serve enchiladas with lettuce and sour cream, and you have a meal that is easy and tasty too.

Enchilada Sauce: (adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup chili powder OR taco seasoning packet (I didn't have chili powder, so I used taco seasoning and it turned out really well!)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and taco seasoning/chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.
2. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and taco seasoning/chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.