A Casserole with Rice and Beef, It’s an Unexpected Feast.
There have been hard times when I didn’t know how my family would be fed. In a seventeen-year marriage there are instances when one spouse or the other becomes unemployed, when this happens putting food on the table becomes a challenge for many families across America. I was fortunate to grow up in the South and I was taught how to cook by five women that lived through the Great Depression. They mainly taught me how to use what I have and how to live as frugally as possible. I am going to share an easy recipe that came from one of these unexpected experiences; a casserole my son calls the Beefy Feast.
The first step when cooking should always be sanitation. Food poisoning occurs when kitchen surfaces and poor hand washing practices occur. To prevent this start by washing dishes, cleaning the preparation space, and stove. This is also a good time prepare the main ingredient, the beef. After cleaning my space, I use a gallon size Ziploc bag to marinate two pounds of beef stew meat with two teaspoons of garlic paste, three teaspoons of ginger paste, one half teaspoon of salt and pepper, one fourth of a cup of honey and soy sauce. Seal and massage the bag for a moment to make sure that the meat is evenly coated then set to the side or return to the refrigerator. The longer the beef sets the more flavorful it is; although, if time is short marinating can be skipped.
Next, gather the dishes needed which are: a thirteen by nine-inch baking dish, a searing pan with lid, measuring cups and spoons, a whisk and a mixing bowl. The ingredients needed are a Family Size Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup, two cups of milk, two cups of rice, a can of drained green beans, French fried onions, and two pounds of beef stew meat. Green beans can be substituted with a can of drained peas and carrots if preferred. This is the perfect time to preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. It is important not to forget using cooking spray or the rice will stick and bake onto the pan which makes for difficult clean up. Who likes staying up late scrubbing at stuck on food?
Moving to the next step is cooking the marinated meat on low and covered until thoroughly cooked, stirring occasionally. Cooking the meat on low and with the lid on ensures that the beef will be tender and easy to chew. As the meat cooks, this is enough time to assemble the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl, whisking the soup and milk together, while making sure the lumps in the soup dissolves. Incorporate the rice and green beans into the wet mix, then transfer to the baking dish. Use a fork or spoon to make sure the rice is in an even layer across the bottom of the dish. When the beef is finished cooking, drain off the fat and any leftover soy sauce mixture using a slotted spoon to evenly distribute the beef across the wet mix. Garnish the top of the casserole with French fried onions and sprinkle with a pinch of pepper; by this time the oven should be preheated. Next comes the simple part.
The final step is to cover your baking dish with a sheet of aluminum foil, this allows for the rice to fully cook without turning crunchy and guarantees that the meat will remain tender after cooking on the stovetop. Place the baking dish on the center rack of the oven for the best results and cook for one hour. When finished remove the pan from the oven to rest while remaining covered for an additional fifteen minutes. This will give plenty of time to wash the dishes used during the preparation stage and do a few other household chores, such as taking out garbage or sweeping the floor. Afterwards, serve with brown gravy and with a side of deviled eggs.
This is a simple process that has a delicious outcome that surprised my entire family. I’m grateful to my deceased family members for teaching me their tricks to cooking; however, my only regret is I couldn’t share this wonderful meal with them. Little did they know their wisdom would be shared to the next generation with my daughter and son which are now able to cook this dish. I have prepared this several times for various family reunions, yet this is the first time I have ever shared the recipe with anyone excluding my children. If a twelve-year-old can make this dish, then anyone should be able to make it with relative ease. Try it tonight!
*Written in October 2019 for EH101 as a process essay.