Skip to main content

Opa's Goulash


Ah, winter holidays.  Turkey, ham, casseroles, breads, pies, and cookies.  Or in our case, none of the above.  Me and my table counterparts are visiting Opa and family for next few days and not once in the planned meals ahead does anything have to do with anything holiday-ish.  Expect maybe the cookies.  But seriously, who only eats cookies during the holidays?  To start off what maybe will become a new tradition of non holiday traditional meals, Opa's Goulash.

Modifications Made:
As with most meals Opa makes, if the recipe calls for any onion and/or tomato then Rotel is used.  Goulash was the same.  Giving credit where credit is due, the only other modification made to this entire recipe was venison instead of beef.  And I am not sure how much of a modification those two swaps really were in the big picture.

Scaled for Likability: Great
What a fabulous way to start the new non traditional holiday menu.  Maybe it was because we worked all day or maybe it was because I didn't have to cook.  Whatever the reason, this dish was fantastic and I am not a goulash kinda person.  Luckily enough there was enough for two servings of leftovers the next day and let me tell you it was a fight.  A fight I did not win.  Bummer.  This recipe will not be able to make it another 365 days before serving it again.  This is gonna be a lunch in the next coming weeks, or two lunches, or maybe even three lunches.  Delicious!

Popular posts from this blog

Better Than Campbell's Old Fashion Vegetable Soup

Went to the store with the hopes of gathering fresh produce for soup. With more than 45 people in line for two packages of any meat product and the produce section containing only avocado, orange, and most randomly, strawberries, I settled upon canned soup.  Well not canned soup since that section was still void of food, too.  Instead soup made from canned goods as the canned vegetable section had been mostly restocked. Soups like this 15 Minute Vegetable Soup  are ideal in dire food situations such as current times. Modifications Made: Plain petite diced tomatoes omitted, frozen carrots instead of canned, green beans and corn undrained, peas omitted (gross, nasty little pods), one cup celery, three cups diced potatoes, one can tomato sauce, two beef and two pollo de tomate bouillon cubes, six cups water.  Once onions were softened, carrots/celery/potatoes/juice of green beans and corn, sauce, bouillon cubes, water were added and allowed to simmer until carrots almost tender.  Green be

Papas a La Mexicana (Ranchera)

It  is a crying shame that there are six hens and not a egg in sight. What am I supposed to do with homemade ranchero sauce? Thankfully with a few quick searches of the internet a recipe from my hometown newspaper was discovered: Papas Ranchera . Not once in the thirty years I lived in my hometown did I ever eat at a local food joint serving papas rancheras. No time like the present to remedy this cultural dish. Because this recipe is hidden behind a paywall (grrr...) I have included it here for you: Servings: 4-6  Ingredients: 1 pound potatoes, diced 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 large onion 1 1/2 medium tomatoes 3 jalapenos 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup juice from canned tomatoes Instructions: Fry potatoes in vegetable oil until lightly browned (about 4-6 minutes).  Saute onions, tomatoes, jalapenos until soft.  Add garlic powder and salt. Add tomato juice until vegetables are covered (may need to add water).  Bring to a boil and then add potatoes.  Cover and reduc

Sour Cream & Chive Scalloped Potatoes

Can't believe the Month of the Potato is over.  There are so many more potato recipes saved.  Guess I will have to work them into another month. Last week's scalloped potatoes were one of the best new recipes during the month of potatoes.  With today being the last day in the Month of Potatoes, I decided to go out with a bang by cooking another batch of scalloped potatoes but this time sour cream and chive.   The Best Scalloped Potatoes , or so they said. Modifications Made: Recipe was reduced by half.  Mayo was omitted and one entire package of chives were chopped and added to sauce before pouring onto layers. Scaled for Likability: Good Betty Crocker Sour Cream and Chive Box Scalloped Potatoes were the standard for this recipe.  These were a family favorite for years but have long since been discounted.  Bummer.  Trying to replicate this seemed easy enough.  Alas, it was not. These had a nice texture but were too oily from the cheese and did not contain enough onion, garlic,