Tuesday, August 27

Sprucing-up hamburger helper

          I just do not consider chili without beans to be real chili. I know that's probably just me, else it wouldn't be sold in stores. I've accidentally bought it a few times because I didn't see the word "no" on the can when looking for chili with beans. (late edit: there are no cans labeled chili with no beans, only 'chili with beans'). I didn't know what to do with it when I opened the cabinet to make chili (okay, heat some chili), so one time I mixed it with a can of chili with beans for my son and I. The flavor was okay, but it just didn't blend well; too soup like for my taste. Since it (buying the wrong type of chili) has happened since that first time, I've had to find another use for it. A couple of things I do is add a can (with or without beans) to spaghetti, which makes it taste very yummy. Another thing I've done, like tonight, is add it to the browned ground beef (after it's drained), then added the macaroni and cheese sauce from the box of Hamburger Helper. Chili with beans has also been used this way, but if I have a can without beans, it's works great too. So now when I open the cabinet, see a can of chili without beans, after I think, "Shit! I did it again!" Calm is quickly re maintained because I know I've got a use for it, so it's really not a big deal anymore.
          After making tonight's box of macaroni and cheese "Hamburger Helper", I decided that it would be extremely easy to make it myself and not buy the boxes of the stuff. Yeah, I know I could've been doing that all along, but I didn't want to buy the ingredients separately to combine them into an actual meal. It's just easier when the stuff is already in a box and just needs cooked and mixed. Can't say anything except that I plead being a guy who does NOT like to cook. I'm learning however that sometimes it's necessary, so I do it from time to time. Do you know how much macaroni they give you in a box of the Hamburger Helper? Or am I going to have to measure it the next time I make some? It's just that there's exactly enough for two people, which is how many I'm cooking for most of the time. Thanks.

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7 comments:

Lee said...

You might have to measure it if the proportions are exactly right for 2. We do our own versions of those things here but I have to feed 6 so we use a whole box of elbows. LOL It is good that you use packaged foods a little less. You probly all ready know this but you usually eat healthier when you make it yourself. Less sodium and other stuff. Love the chili spaghetti idea too!

Todd said...

The Hamburger Helper is actually about the only prepackaged food we eat, other than cereal once in a while. Oh, and frozen corn dogs. But yes, I know it would be better not to use that sort of thing at all, but I don't worry about such things as much as I'm "supposed" to. :) Mostly we eat frozen burgers, summer sausage, canned chili, and of course that 'helper' stuff which I'm going to just start buying ingredients for and making it myself. I *need* a cook I'm telling ya! LOL

They are not aware said...

You are backwards on that *real* chili does not have beans; chili with beans is very common in most of the US but is not *real* chili, it is "chili with beans" and that is what you need to look for on your cans. not "chili no beans."
Personally, I much prefer the beans in it too but I am a mid-westerner. The closer one gets to Mexico, the more "pure" the Mexican food and so your chili has no beans.

Todd said...

I do know to look for "chili with beans", I just said that I missed the "no" so you'd know that I got the can without the beans. So I suppose I just missed the "with beans" on the can. :)

They are not aware said...

I am not totally sure what you meant so this is a response to what I think you meant:
You missed the "no" because there is no "no." Why would they label "no beans" in a food that is not supposed contain it. If you are buying lemonade do you look for "no lime" on the label? Lemon-limeade is very common but you still don't look for "no lime" on your lemonade so why look for "no beans" on you chili just because it is common to put beans in it? You want "chili with beans" not "chili." Another example: A Hershey bar does not label itself "no almonds" they label the one "with almonds."

Todd said...

They wouldn't. I was just trying to be, oh, I don't know, funny. You know I'm NOT normal and say things that no one else would. I just didn't feel like correcting what I *should've* wrote when writing the original post. I responded the way I did 'off the cuff'. Anyway.

Todd said...

FYI: I edited the original post.