American Goulash & Toe Update

American Goulash, not to be confused with dishes with a similar name from Europe as the latter is usually a meaty stew whereas the American version is basically macaroni in a tomato meat sauce.  I don’t recall ever making the American version but it has been on my radar for a pretty long time.

When I recently saw a post for American Goulash and remembering some items we had on hand, I thought it would work well for our Friday card night on a chilly winter day.  It’s one pan, can be partially cooked early to finish while we play, and uses the gluten free pasta and some mushrooms (my addition) we had on hand.  There are many recipes on line but the one I chose was American Goulash Recipe (One-Pot) from Jessica on her “The Forked Spoon” blog.  I followed the recipe except for the addition of eight ounces of mushrooms.

American Goulash – Adapted from The Forked Spoon

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion - minced

1 green bell pepper - seeded and diced

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

8 cloves garlic - minced

2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

2 pounds ground beef

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoon tomato paste

2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce

2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

2 cups low-sodium beef broth - (or 2 cups water)

2 cups elbow macaroni - uncooked

2 cups cheddar cheese – shredded

Chopped parsley, garnish 

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat (Larry used a 12" saute pan) Add the onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes, or until starting to soften and turn translucent. Add the bell pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add the salt, pepper, and paprika to the mirepoix. Mix well.  Remove to a bowl.

3. Add the ground beef to the pan. Use a wooden spatula to break apart the ground meat into small crumbles. Stir frequently and continue to cook until meat is browned.  Tilt the pan and spoon out the fat.

4. Add the Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste and veggies. Mix well to combine. 

5. Stir in the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer. 

6. Add the bay leaves, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

7. Stir in the broth (Larry made it to this point earlier in the day) and elbow macaroni, cover, and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until noodles are cooked to al dente. Stir every couple of minutes to prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

8. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese. 

9. Plate and garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

The Verdict:

It was very good and we couldn’t tell it was gluten free pasta except it did not get as big as regular macaroni.  

Toe Update

I got my cast off on 1/25 and moved to a boot and if all goes well with therapy, I’ll be walking in a shoe in 3-4 weeks.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

01/27/23 meal date