There's another carnival going on at the Nourishing Gourmet. I thought I'd add what we ate for dinner tonight to the list.

I lived on hamburger stew many a time while I was in college. A big pot, some bread and or salad, and you had a good, nourishing, tasty meal. The next day, I added some water or a few extra vegetables and ate it some more. This could last me a week when I was single. It does seem to be a little like the never ending pot, and is perfect for a family trying to live frugally. If you don't want to eat it all week, make up a big pot, eat it for dinner, add a little more liquid and freeze the rest for another time.

There isn't really a recipe for this. There are a few things I always put in it, but it is pretty flexible and can work with whatever you have and fits your tastes. Tonight, I left out the potato/squash/turnip/rutabaga portion, because we had so much of everything else and didn't add any of the optional things.

Hamburger Stew

1 pound ground beef
Any combination of onion, garlic, shallots, leeks, scallions that you like - I tend to use an onion and five cloves of garlic
About a pound of peppers/celery/carrots used singly or in any combination
About a pound of peeled and cubed potatoes/winter squash/turnips/rutabagas in any combination you wish
About 2 cups of cooked beans (canned or cooked from dry)
About 2 cups of chopped greens such as kale/cabbage/chard/spinach in any combination
2 cans diced or stewed tomatoes (home canned is best, but store bought works fine)
Liquid to cover - any combination of water/bean broth/tomato sauce/meat broth will work
1 bay leaf
Oregano
Thyme
A little basil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
About half a pound of corn/summer squash/peas/green beans (optional)

We buy locally raised, pastured beef, so I don't ever drain the fat. I brown the meat, add the onions and cook until they are translucent, add the garlic and any veggies that benefit from a little browning and pre-cooking. Then I add in the cooked beans, the greens, the tomatoes, stir it up and add the liquid, herbs, salt and pepper. I bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook it just long enough to soften the vegetables. If I'm adding the optional, quick cooking vegetables, this is when I do it. I taste to season it, and serve with bread, cornbread, salad, or whatever we have around (like applesauce!).

Labels: Frugality, Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen