I remember goop being my favorite meal as a little girl. It was always a comforting food. A bed of warm rice, and a little bit of meat and veggies in a thick, creamy sauce. I didn’t know at the time we ate goop because it was all the food we had in the house and mixing it together was the best way to make a meal of it. To me, it was a perfect blend of all the best foods.
It’s not a meal I regularly make as a parent. I typically forget about it until I’m stuck staring at a pound of hamburger wondering what in the world I’m going make with it. It’s probably something I should throw into the regular rotation between mac and cheese casserole and taco soup, but more than likely it will go on the back burner for another evening.
Tonight was a night of two kiddos sick with the back to school crud, two parents working, and transportation to and from one kiddo’s after school events. Go Wolves! I needed something easy, yummy, and nutritionally well-rounded. Goop to the rescue!
After settling on a grab and go dinner style (think eat on your own time in your own place because: busy!) when each kiddo came to grab their food they each commented about how much they loved goop. I had forgotten how much they enjoyed it! I am glad I remembered how easy it is to make.
This recipe is very flexible. Use whatever veggies you have on hand. You can use whatever leftovers you have in the fridge or take the easy route and just use a Normandy veggie mix. Use whatever “cream of …” soup you have on hand. I usually use cream of mushroom soup, but I’ve used cream of broccoli and cream of celery in the past and both have been good.
Tonight’s recipe had brown rice, onions, garlic, celery, leftover peas, a can of corn, leftover garlic green beans, and leftover riced cauliflower all mixed in with cream of mushroom soup. And, true to their expectations, it was delicious, and it brought back so many warm memories.
Recipe for Goop
- 1 lb hamburger
- 1 cup rice + enough water to cook the rice
- veggies (onions, garlic, corn, peas, corn, broccoli, celery are my go-to veggies)
- 1 can cream of mushroom (or whatever) soup
- Cook your rice.
- While your rice is cooking, cook your meat. Season it with (all seasoning, or season salt, or garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper).
- Once your meat is done throw in your veggies that need to cook for a while (onions and celery) and cook until soft.
- Throw in your soft veggies (peas, corn, cooked carrots, etc) and your can of creamed soup. Mix it all up.
- Once your rice and mixture are done cooking you can either mix them both together in one pot, or just scoop some rice into your bowl and top with a scoop or two of goop.
- Enjoy!