Slumgullion with Macaroni

Slumgullion is a meat stew. The earliest recorded usages of slumgullion, including one from Mark Twain's Roughing It (1872), refer not to a stew but a beverage. A few decades later, it magically became a stew. It is also called American Chop Suey, American Goulash or Beefaroni.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 medium onions, peeled and diced
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tomato can water
• 2 (4.5 ounce) cans mushrooms, drained (optional)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 3/4 cup shredded cheese (optional)
  

Instructions

1. Add oil to a large pot or Dutch oven and saute onions until fragrant.
2. Add ground beef and brown, breaking into chunks with a spatula.
3. Add tomatoes, water, mushrooms, if using, garlic, beef bouillon, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and macaroni; reduce heat to simmer, and let cook for about 20 minutes until macaroni is done.
4. Sprinkle cheese over the top, if desired. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Attribution

Photo credit: (c) Can Stock Photo / ezumeimages