Comments on: American Chop Suey http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/ About finding balance in your life, connecting with who you are, and creating a lifestyle where you wake up each morning eagerly anticipating the day ahead. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:29:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Debbie http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-104634 Debbie http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-104634 I made this last night, although we could not decide what is was called in our youth - from where I am, Newark, NJ, it was American Chop Suey and was a regular feature of the Ann Street School cafeteria in the 60's and early 70's. He says in the country where he grew up, it was goulash. Whatever it was, and whatever variation, it is up there with mac n cheese and meatloaf for comfort food. I made this last night, although we could not decide what is was called in our youth – from where I am, Newark, NJ, it was American Chop Suey and was a regular feature of the Ann Street School cafeteria in the 60′s and early 70′s. He says in the country where he grew up, it was goulash.

Whatever it was, and whatever variation, it is up there with mac n cheese and meatloaf for comfort food.

]]> By: Al http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-70474 Al http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-70474 Me again. Thinking about this I'm going to make some up this Sunday for me and my brothers. Also you can change up the sauce a up little if you want to spice it differently. If you want it a little more spice add some mustard to the mix. Or if you want it a little tangy try ketchup. Both and you have mix but most only like one or the other. Lastly if you need something quick for a school night or the kids have to be at somewhere early, Chef Boy-Ar-Dee Beefaroni is a good base and add some hamburg and onions to bulk it up with salt and pepper to taste and skip the oven, just serve it straight from the pan. I've used this method myself but adding ketchup,salt and pepper to spice it up as the base out of the can is sort of bland. Not as good as the real thing but good if you need to be down and dirty in a hurry. Me again.

Thinking about this I’m going to make some up this Sunday for me and my brothers.

Also you can change up the sauce a up little if you want to spice it differently. If you want it a little more spice add some mustard to the mix. Or if you want it a little tangy try ketchup. Both and you have mix but most only like one or the other.

Lastly if you need something quick for a school night or the kids have to be at somewhere early, Chef Boy-Ar-Dee Beefaroni is a good base and add some hamburg and onions to bulk it up with salt and pepper to taste and skip the oven, just serve it straight from the pan. I’ve used this method myself but adding ketchup,salt and pepper to spice it up as the base out of the can is sort of bland. Not as good as the real thing but good if you need to be down and dirty in a hurry.

]]> By: Al http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-69780 Al http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-69780 We used to call this "beef chopsteak" My mom used to make this all the time and she passed last year and I miss it! She made it a little differently. Once the onion was browned she added the hamburg and then salt and pepper and (maybe) a couple other ingredients to flavor, one may have been parm cheese. Then she add a small can of tomato sauce, (not paste). After cooking the elbow macaroni she coated a baking dish with Pam, so not to stick and then opened a large can of tomato sauce and put a thin layer on the bottom. She mixed in some elbows, and some of the prepared meat and just keep adding more sauce and meat in layers just to get it pre-mixed. Then she took another small can of tomato sauce and mixed everything with a large spoon, (possibly adding some more salt and pepper). The last step was to sprinkle some parm cheese on top and to put it in the oven for about an hour at 350. (Depending on how much you make your time may vary). This was always a family favorite. Lots of parm cheese on top and you had a great meal. We used to call this “beef chopsteak”

My mom used to make this all the time and she passed last year and I miss it! She made it a little differently. Once the onion was browned she added the hamburg and then salt and pepper and (maybe) a couple other ingredients to flavor, one may have been parm cheese. Then she add a small can of tomato sauce, (not paste).

After cooking the elbow macaroni she coated a baking dish with Pam, so not to stick and then opened a large can of tomato sauce and put a thin layer on the bottom. She mixed in some elbows, and some of the prepared meat and just keep adding more sauce and meat in layers just to get it pre-mixed. Then she took another small can of tomato sauce and mixed everything with a large spoon, (possibly adding some more salt and pepper).

The last step was to sprinkle some parm cheese on top and to put it in the oven for about an hour at 350. (Depending on how much you make your time may vary).

This was always a family favorite. Lots of parm cheese on top and you had a great meal.

]]> By: Janet http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-69215 Janet http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-69215 This is one of my favorite things! We just call it "Hamburger Macaroni Casserole." I didn't know other people ate it--I thought my mom just made it up!! Ours had chunks of onion and celery. Mmmm. Equally good with ground beef or ground turkey. This is one of my favorite things! We just call it “Hamburger Macaroni Casserole.” I didn’t know other people ate it–I thought my mom just made it up!! Ours had chunks of onion and celery. Mmmm. Equally good with ground beef or ground turkey.

]]> By: Kate http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-45374 Kate http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-45374 WOW! My late husband use to make this for our family and I always thought he was joking about the name until I heard it said on a TV show. Brought back so many memories. I never could remember just how he made it, it's been 20 years... I'm making it tonite in his honor and sending the recipe to his two sons. Thanks WOW!
My late husband use to make this for our family and I always thought he was joking about the name until I heard it said on a TV show. Brought back so many memories. I never could remember just how he made it, it’s been 20 years…
I’m making it tonite in his honor and sending the recipe to his two sons.

Thanks

]]> By: Susan http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-23075 Susan http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-23075 I absolutely love your page and all of your recipes. I have bookmarked you and will return again and again. Thanks for giving me some of the older more simplistic recipes like my grandma used to make. I absolutely love your page and all of your recipes. I have bookmarked you and will return again and again. Thanks for giving me some of the older more simplistic recipes like my grandma used to make.

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-1149 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-1149 Kristen, guilty as charged! Kristen, guilty as charged!

]]> By: Kristen http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-1141 Kristen http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-1141 You MUST be from New England. Not only are you making American Chop Suey, you're making it not with "ground beef" but with "hamburg." Bless you. :) You MUST be from New England. Not only are you making American Chop Suey, you’re making it not with “ground beef” but with “hamburg.” Bless you. :)

]]> By: Kathryn http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-780 Kathryn http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-780 Good stuff - we also call it goulash, but we add Niblets corn to it too, adds a bit of sweetness. :) Good stuff – we also call it goulash, but we add Niblets corn to it too, adds a bit of sweetness. :)

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/american-chop-suey/#comment-377 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/?p=17#comment-377 Betty, you're right... not all chop sueys are created equal! But when it's made well, it is good. I have to admit that it still is one of my favorites. And yes, Rita, I don't see why you couldn't make it with ground pork or any ground meat. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious I bet. Betty, you’re right… not all chop sueys are created equal! But when it’s made well, it is good. I have to admit that it still is one of my favorites. And yes, Rita, I don’t see why you couldn’t make it with ground pork or any ground meat. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious I bet.

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