Bachelor Stew: In a big skillet, fry up a pound of ground beef, drain. Add a cup or two of water, half to a full envelope of onion soup mix (depending on your
salt tolerance), and whatever vegetables you have handy -- carrots (sliced), (frozen) peas, celery, green beans. Simmer until the hardest vegetable in the
bunch is crisp-tender. If you didn't throw in potatoes, add a handful or two of egg noodles and bring to a boil; add water as needed to keep the stew from
drying out. When the noodles are soft, thicken the gravy with a couple tablespoons of cornstarch or flour mixed with twice as many tablespoons of cold water;
stir this into the stew and keep stirring until it thickens.
If you want to get fancy, replace up to half the original water with red wine.
ETA: I forgot to note spices, if you have them: Dill and thyme work well, and a bay leaf is always good; also salt and pepper to taste. I happen to like a
tiny sprinkle of ground cloves in many things, too, and this would be one of them.
Another one is a recipe my mom made a lot when I was a kid/teenager -- meatballs (beef) made with rice and raisins, served in a sweetish (sweet and sour?)
sauce. These were just called sweetballs.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
salt tolerance), and whatever vegetables you have handy -- carrots (sliced), (frozen) peas, celery, green beans. Simmer until the hardest vegetable in the
bunch is crisp-tender. If you didn't throw in potatoes, add a handful or two of egg noodles and bring to a boil; add water as needed to keep the stew from
drying out. When the noodles are soft, thicken the gravy with a couple tablespoons of cornstarch or flour mixed with twice as many tablespoons of cold water;
stir this into the stew and keep stirring until it thickens.
If you want to get fancy, replace up to half the original water with red wine.
ETA: I forgot to note spices, if you have them: Dill and thyme work well, and a bay leaf is always good; also salt and pepper to taste. I happen to like a
tiny sprinkle of ground cloves in many things, too, and this would be one of them.
Another one is a recipe my mom made a lot when I was a kid/teenager -- meatballs (beef) made with rice and raisins, served in a sweetish (sweet and sour?)
sauce. These were just called sweetballs.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.