I made this hamburger noodle hotdish tonight. I love the term "hotdish." This recipe is made in one pot, so the cleanup is easy, too.
The word originated in the upper Midwest, particularly Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas; by solid old Lutherans like my relatives who immigrated here from Denmark. We need to start using this cozy word more here in Nebraska!
I'm a first-generation American, the daughter of immigrants. My folks came here in the early 1950s, about when this word came about. It is a wonderfully descriptive but non-specific term for a casserole-like comfort food meal. The word even made it into Wikipedia.
Hotdish is usually made from simple, affordable, and easily available ingredients and can be made in large, family-size portions if needed for a church potluck. Tonight, let's be honest. I was not in the mood to make supper. It happens, especially when cooking for two. It can get boring.
This hamburger noodle hotdish is ready fast! Even if you have a rock-hard frozen hamburger, like I did, one pound of hamburger takes about eleven minutes to thaw in the microwave on the defrost setting. Believe me, I have learned that process well!
It's perfect for those days when suppertime sneaks up on you! Eek! Is it 5:30 already? Here in Nebraska, we have breakfast, lunch, and supper!
We had breakfast, dinner, and supper when we lived on the farm. The biggest meal (dinner) was served at midday, often followed by a little snooze before heading back to the field. Looking back, it was a pretty good plan!
Supper was served when the day's work was done. I absolutely love Alfred Eisenstaed's wonderful old photos. He artfully captured the essence of hard-working men and women of the last century.
I kind of swoon to see these old black-and-white pictures. Bread and butter with every meal. Notice the hot coffee with their dinner and those aluminum tumblers! Oh my stars, I can still feel the cold metal zapping against my teeth!
But I have to tell you something. I vividly remember what it felt like in my hot, sticky kitchen on the farm before we had air conditioning. So, I'm in awe of how hard women worked to put that kind of meal on the table three times a day!!
And I'm extremely grateful today for a cool kitchen, a dishwasher, a microwave oven for defrosting, and non-stick cookware!
This is super quick and easy to make in a non-stick skillet with a tight-fitting lid! My 10-inch T-fal skillet is a mealtime workhorse and very tough! It's not expensive and works great on my smooth-top stove!
I love my Pampered Chef Chop and Mix tool. It breaks up ground beef or sausage or, heck, lots of things beautifully. It's one of my favorite kitchen tools! It's been redesigned since I took this picture, and I love the new shape just as much!
Brown and season the hamburger, draining any excess grease. This recipe uses seasoned salt, pepper, instant minced onion, garlic powder, and parsley —but if your family likes it seasoned differently, feel free to do that!
Next, stir in a can of cream of mushroom soup, water, and beef-flavored Better Than Bouillon for a deep, rich flavor. Stir well.
I ALWAYS have Better Than Bouillon on hand and love every flavor they offer! This product also comes in a low-sodium version, and low-sodium condensed soup is also an option if that is a concern for you.
If you have time and prefer to make your own sauce, that's great, too!
And the perfect tool for this step? My trusty Pampered Chef Classic Scraper. The silicone head works great for mixing ingredients and is heat resistant.
I chose medium egg noodles because they cook quickly and evenly without boiling them first! I love that about this recipe. If you use thicker or wider noodles, you may need to add more water and give it a little more time to cook.
One more tip: Make it into hamburger noodle stroganoff by stirring in some sour cream.
My husband loves canned peas. It's a nostalgia thing for him. They were one of only three vegetables he would eat when I married him. Sometimes, when I'm really lazy, I put the drained peas right into the hamburger noodle hotdish, just long enough to heat them through.
This recipe made plenty for supper and plenty to reheat for lunch today. (He still has a young appetite!) One of the best things about this recipe is that it reheats beautifully. The welcomed leftovers (I call them plan-overs) are wonderful.
Before I started working from home, I'd pack a smallish serving in a wide-mouth pint jar and have it for lunch the next day!! Love it! I think your family will love it too!
It's a complete meal, but why not whip up a batch of muffins from a box and add some cool, crisp baby carrots?
Hamburger noodle hotdish is not the prettiest food, so I suggest serving it with a nice green vegetable for a pretty plate. I wish Papa liked broccoli, but I settled for peas again.
We go out to eat very little, so I have some fast recipes I often fall back on. I think you'll love my One-Pot American Goulash and Easy Runza Casserole, too!
Here's a speedy and simple hamburger noodle hotdish made in one pan. It's delicious comfort food in a hurry. Easy enough for weeknights.
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