American Chop Suey

RECIPE FORUM Recipe Exchange
1

Another “older” recipe from days gone by -

1 pound ground beef
2 small cans of tomato soup, one can for more cheesy taste
1 medium onion,cut into small pieces (I use onion powder or minced onion instead)
1 large green bell pepper cut into small pieces
1 pound elbow macaroni
1-1/2 pounds sliced American cheese,(preferably not singles, as they take time to peel)

Cook pasta in boiling water. Be sure to occasionally stir the macaroni so it won’t stick. Sauté onions, pepper, and beef. The beef will be done first, drop the temperature on the burner to low or simmer, add the cheese to the ground beef, and stir it in to completely melt. Drain the macaroni when done, add the now cheesy beef and the tomato soup to the macaroni, mix in well.

NOTE - I know how hard it is to find a good old-fashioned cheese that is no over-processed - but look for a “drier” American cheese - one that “breaks” instead of folds easily.

2

My mother used to make something like this, but she called it American spaghetti.

4

My mother got the recipe from my father’s mother as told to her by my father. My father had seen his mother make it, but never wrote anything down. When my mother made it my father told her not to drain the spaghetti. My mother questioned him, but he insisted he was right. It turned out to be a soupy mess. Then my mother asked her mother in law and found out that my father had no idea how to cook. Every time my mother would make this dish we would hear the story and get a good laugh.