Goulash - Russ Pickett

        Well ... this is a recipe that I started from scratch ... had no idea what I was doing at the time ... LOL !   But over the years with constant experimenting ..... it is now one of my most requested meals by both " Family and Friends ".
        In fact most of our grandkiddos, if they hear that they are coming over, respond with " Sure ... We'll come over ... is Pop-Pop going to make his Goulash ? "

        When I first started making this recipe I always made a " Big Pot Full " but over the years my wife and I both really enjoyed it as well but that " Big Pot Full " would sometimes go to waste ... so I started making this " Smaller Version " for our dinner.
        Now when I made this " Smaller Version " I was having trouble figuring out how much " Sauce " to use ..... and the first time I made it it had more sauce that my larger version.   But then my wife decided she liked it that way ..... and that's now the way I make this " Smaller Version " for us !

Ingredients:

  1/2  -  Pound of ground burger  -  ( or a more if desired )
  20  -  Slices of your favorite pepperoni  -  ( each slice cut into fourths  -  whole slices also works well )
  1  -  45 oz. jar of Spaghetti Sauce ( or 2  -  24 oz. jars )  -  ( See Tip #1 )
  1/2  -  1 lb. box of elbow macaroni  -  ( 2 cups dry )
  1  -  small can of sliced black olives  -  ( " optional " - but better with )
  1  -  Small Onion  -  ( diced - or 1 Tablespoon of dried minced onion can also be used instead )
  2  -  Tablespoon of Olive Oil
  1  -  Tablespoon of sugar  -  ( cuts the acidity of tomatoes )
  2  -  teaspoons of dried basil  -  ( or 1 tsp. of basil and 1 tsp. oregano )
  2  -  teaspoons of dried italian seasoning
  4  -  teaspoons of minced garlic  -  ( can use more or less to taste )
  Salt & Pepper  -  ( to taste )
  Grated Parmesan Cheese  -  ( for topping )

Directions:

  Add the following to your Slow Cooker:  -  ( See Tip #2 if you're " not using a Slow Cooker " )

  Spaghetti Sauce
  Sugar
  Basil
  Italian Seasoning
  Pepperoni
  Minced Garlic
  Black Olives
  ( dried minced onion if using instead of real onions )

  Mix all ingredients and turn your slow cooker on low to start heating up your sauce.
  While your sauce is starting to heat up cook diced onion & burger in olive oil in a frying pan until burger is no longer pink.  -  ( See Tip #3 )
  Then add your burger & onion ( drained ) to your sauce and stir.
  Cover your slow cooker and cook on low for at least 4 hours.
  When it gets close to your sauce being done ... Cook your macaroni in a medium-large soup pot to the texture you desire.
  Once macaroni is cooked, " turn burner off ", and drain it and then " place macaroni back in the same pot on the same burner ".
  Then slowly ( cause it's hot ) stir your sauce together with the macaroni, cover, and let stand ( without the burner on ) for at least 5 minutes.
  And then serve topped with grated Parmesan Cheese and .....


  They help all the flavors to cook through your meal better making it more delicious ...
  Within about an hour the " smell of the meal cooking " slowly spreads across the whole house ...
  The smell actually creates an " anticipation " in everyone for the meal to come ...
  And we all know that the " smell of food cooking helps us to enjoy the food as much as taste ! "

         My wife's favorite Spaghetti Sauce ( and my grandkids as well ) is " Ragu  -  Flavored with Meat " which comes in a 45 oz. size which is what I use ... ( Pop-Pop actually likes other brands better ... but I'm just the husband and Pop-Pop so that doesn't matter ).   Using 2 - 24 oz. jars will even make it a little more saucer .....

You can also cook this meal without a " Slow Cooker ".   And the directions for cooking that way are as follows:

  Add spaghetti sauce, sugar, basil, italian season, pepperoni, minced garlic, black olives, ( dried minced onion if using ) to 4 quart size pot.
  Turn your burner on medium-low to start heating up your sauce.
  While your sauce is starting to heat up cook diced onion & burger in olive oil in a frying pan until burger is no longer pink.
   ( See Tip #3 )
  Then add your burger & onion ( drained ) to your sauce and stir.
  Then turn your sauce and burger mix to low or simmer and heat for about 1/2 hour - Stiring when needed to avoid bubbling.
  While sauce is simmering cook your macaroni in a medium-large soup pot to the texture you desire.
  Once macaroni is cooked, turn burner off, and drain it and then place macaroni back in the same pot on the same burner.
  Stir your sauce together with the macaroni, cover, and let stand ( without the burner on ) for at least 5 minutes for sauce to combine with the macaroni.
  And then serve topped with grated Parmesan Cheese and .....

         Now ... I know this takes " a little more time " ... however its actually a " great cooking technique " and one of my tricks for this meal and others as well.   Whenever I'm cooking onion and burger ahead of time ( and that includes celery when needed ) to include in a meal like this one this is what I do:

  I add the oil to my pan ...
  Then I add the diced onion to my pan ... ( and celery when called for in a recipe )
  Then, " by hand ", I break apart the burger into small bite sized pieces and place it on top of and covering the onion ...
  Then turn on the burner to medium-low and slowly start cooking ...

  Since it takes longer to actually cook the onion this give the onion time to soften up quicker ...
  And also helps the onion flavor to slowly rise into the burger itself ...

  Once I see the burger starting to change color then I start mixing it all together until the burger is no longer pink.

or at
( russpickde@comcast.net )

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