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Flavors for mac and beef.

16 years ago

I used to flavor my mac and beef with Knorr's leek soup. I am looking for something different. What do you folks add for flavoring? I always use onion and a ton of green pepper in almost any food I cook. I also use both tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes along with a little chopped garlic.

Nancy

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Comments (10)

ci_lantro
16 years ago
Sometimes I use Chili Powder. Other times I use cilantro or ground coriander if I don't have fresh cilantro. Lots of garlic always. Or you can go Italian w/ either fennel or oregano or an Italian seasoning blend. Or, leave out the tomatoes & use cheese for a cheeseburger mac.
dgkritch
16 years ago
Or go creamy.....
leave out the bell pepper & tomatoes, add some mushrooms, sour cream or white sauce and cheese.
Kind of a ground beef stroganoff.

Deanna
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mudlady_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
I eat very little that doesn't have a LITTLE bit of garlic and lots of tomatoes, onions and green peppers. I enjoy most vegetables lightly steamed with a little butter, salt and pepper and I eat them when I don't have a casserole. Because I am cooking for one it is easier to make casseroles. I also love beef stroganoff and stuff like creamed chickened and vegetables over mashed potato. When I am willing to gain five pounds I make my own (double crust) chicken pot pie :-) I don't cook anything with canned cream soup but I will use chicken broth and thicken it myself. At least all the tomatoes and peppers I eat have vitamin C.
mustangs81
16 years ago
Our family favorite mac and beef is "Bob's Casserole" that is served a my go-to restaurant in Exeter, NH. It's with macaroni, ground beef, tomato sauce, cottage cheese, parsley, and a few other ingredients. Almost a downplayed lasagna.
triciae
16 years ago
mustangs,

Might that be the Loaf & Laddle on the river? If so, the Gilman Garrison House across the street is an ancestral home of mine. I used to be a guide for the tours & had many meals at Loaf & Laddle.

I'll have to try Bob's Casserole next time if I'm thinking of the right place.

/tricia
seagrass_gw Cape Cod
16 years ago
Nancy,

This is the mac and beef recipe I've worked on for a few years, and when I finally got it to our taste I wrote it down - so I'll share it with you. It's a slurpy, mild version of American Chop Suey/Johnny Marzetti...I can't eat much spice since I've gone through chemo, but this has lots of flavor and agrees with just about everybody.

1.5 lbs. ground round
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 small sweet red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely sliced celery
1/4 cup finely chopped carrots (shredded, then chopped)
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped
2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice (I use Hunt's, because that's what the neighborhood store sells)
2 tsps. sugar
a tiny, very tiny bit of cinnamon
l lb. cooked casserole macaroni (elbows on steriods :0)

In a heavy deep pot, saute veggies & garlic in a bit of olive oil, when they start to soften, add beef and brown well. Then add tomatoes, sugar and cinnamon - salt & pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered until flavors are blended (about an hour). Serve over macaroni.

seagrass
seagrass_gw Cape Cod
16 years ago
P.S. This freezes really well. I cook a lb. of pasta and freeze it separately in individual portions too.

seagrass
mustangs81
16 years ago
Tricia, Yes ma'am, it is the Loaf and Ladle. I went to L & L in October when we were up leaf peeping. I mentioned to my uncle that the menu had changed and I was a little disappointed in the food; he jumped up a went to the kitchen and told Larry what I said! But, no matter, I have the Loaf and Ladle Cook Book.

How interesting, I have toured your home!!

My family relocated to NH from Italy. I have posted this before, it's my grandfather's grocery store on Park St; my uncle owned Exeter Lanes.
mudlady_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi Seagrass--
I printed you recipe to try sometime when I want something different.
Nancy
jonsgirl
16 years ago
When you say mac and beef, do you mean goulosh? I make mine the way my step mother did, the usual ingredients onion, garlic, celery, beef, noodles, various tomato products, some chili flakes and seasonings, put in a casserole dish and lay bacon slices on top, bake @ 350 until the bacon is crisp and the flavor (fat) of the bacon flavors the dish. Very good.

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