Monday, August 11, 2008

Monday Recipe - American Chop Suey

Almost typed American Chop Suet. And man would that be a really damn different recipe. Ugh.

I've had a craving for American Chop Suey for a couple weeks now, and finally got around to looking up a recipe online and making it this weekend.

Somehow, the onions I bought turned out to be the gold medalists in attacking eye ducts. I'd cut up half an onion and then my eyes would sting so badly I'd have to screw them shut for about five minutes while OCD washing my hands to get the onion smell off. Then repeat. Managed to get through an onion and a half without slicing a finger off, which is always a good thing.

And this was even after I put the onion in the freezer, which is my personal trick for cutting down on the onion-y smell. Hmph. I've also heard of breathing through your mouth and chewing gum. Any other tips?

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American Chop Suey

medium onion, finely chopped
green pepper, finely chopped
red/italian pepper, finely chopped
lb ground beef/turkey (I used beef)
lb whole wheat elbows
2 cloves garlic (or more)
a shake of celery seed
a shake of chili powder
salt/pepper
olive/grapeseed oil
4-5C tomato sauce (used the same sauce as with the eggplant parm last week, and added about 1/4-1/2 lb mushrooms)

Make the sauce first, as it needs to cook for a while. The recipe listed for the eggplant parm above will make more than you need for this recipe (about 10-12C total), but it can be frozen or used for any tomato sauce based recipe you want to make.

Put onion, peppers, and oil in a large pan and saute until onion is translucent. Add meat and cook until brown. Drain fat. Stir in garlic, celery seed, and chili powder. Add tomato sauce and let simmer. While sauce is simmering, prepare pasta until al dente. Add to meat mixture and serve.

I don't know how well it comes out frozen and reheated, but I had a bunch extra, so I'll find out! This recipe made about 10 servings, if I recall correctly.

7 comments:

Missicat said...

Sounds yummy! Can someone come over and chop the onions for me?
:-)

JavaChick said...

Huh. We have always just called this sort of thing 'Macaroni Casserole'. First time I've ever heard 'American Chop Suey'. Makes it sound more fancy.

:)

The Lethological Gourmet said...

Missicat, I wish I cut put my cat to work for me, to earn her rent. I keep trying to teach her how to do dishes or clean the kitchen floors (her crazy amounts of fur should be perfect, right?), but she just kinda stares at me. Kinda doubt I could get her to chop onions.

Java, that's funny! It does sound more fancy than macaroni casserole. Interesting, when you say macaroni casserole, but I didn't know you were referring to this, I probably would have thought you were talking tuna macaroni casserole.

JavaChick said...

He he...Now where you say tuna macaroni casserole I would probably just say tuna casserole...Except I haven't made one of those in years bcs Husband can't stand tuna. Ah tuna...I miss it.

The Lethological Gourmet said...

Actually, I prolly would say tuna casserole, come to think of it. And that sounds sooo yummy. But since I just cook for me, and eat it all week, that'd be waaaay too much tuna and mercury to eat all on my own (dangit!)

Anonymous said...

Im with missicat
kind of
except I want someone to make the whole thing.
ILL SUPPLY THE WINE!

Charlotte said...

Ahhh... I had no idea American Chop Suey even existed! Kind of like gourmet hamburger helper? I like MizFit's idea of a dinner party. Can we please please do that??

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