[FlDebra]

Originally Posted by jencar98

Bonny....my grandma made goulash the same way your Mom did, it was simple but oh so delicious♥. I know her recipe was ground beef, canned whole tomatoes (she would crush them in the pan, but for me it always smashes the macaroni, so I do crush them in a bowl first, or buy crushed). I know she used onion and I add garlic powder although I don't know that was one of her ingredients (lol...even garlic powder back then was considered "exotic" by some). I think the secret to my Gandma's was chili powder....I know she used it, just not sure how much....you couldn't really taste it and think "hmmmm....chili powder", it was not a strong note in the dish.

Brown ground beef and onion, while you're cooking the macaroni. Cook the macaroni a minute or so less than package instructions because you'll cook it for a bit, after adding to the ground beef mixture.

To the beef add....can of tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder (if you don't use fresh onion browned with your beef), salt , pepper and probably a tablespoon of chili powder. Now, add your macaroni, simmer for another few minutes.

I'm known here for my "one-dish" meals so I add a cup or so of frozen corn to my goulash. The goulash along with a nice salad and bread and your meal is complete with 2-3 vegetable servings.

Oh...also, don't know how much of a difference it makes but I think it must be huge for the best flavor.....My Grandma always cooked her goulash in a great big cast-iron skillet.

My group likes to added shredded cheddar cheese but I don't, preferring the flavors of the goulash not be overwhelmed by cheese flavor.

Except for the corn, that sounds like what my mom used to make and me too when the boys were all home. We call it Chili Mac instead of goulash. We call it goulash if we start out with roast beef either cut in small pieces or just sort of pulled apart and then use egg noodles instead of macaroni. I like comparing what we call different foods depending on where we lived or what we grew up with.