Favorite Recipes: Shellroni

Welcome to Clays Kitchen

 It’s mid October and already the leaves are starting to turn. There’s a cool crispness in the air, which means it won’t be long until we start smelling everyone’s cozy fireplaces. I love this time of year. The smothering hot days of summer are passed, the trees are showing off their beautiful fall colors, football season has begun, and all the small towns are having fall festivals.

As soon as it gets cool outside I start thinking about making meals that stick to your ribs like chili, hot soups and casseroles. One our family favorites is called Shellroni, which consists of shell noodles, ripe diced tomatoes and ground beef. This simple meal is filling, tastes great, and it’s inexpensive to make.

Through the years I have discovered there seems to be a lot of different versions of this dish. Some make it with tomato soup and call it goulash. My mom used to put diced onions and whole canned tomatoes in her's. My recipe is a variation of my mom's, except I substitute the whole canned tomatoes with diced canned tomatoes, and I leave out the onions for my boys. My oldest son told me last week he's changed the recipe again. He substitutes one can of tomatoes for some V-8 juice and he really likes it. Sounds like Mom is going to have to give it a try. No matter which way you make it, I hope you enjoy Shellroni with your friends and family.

Shellroni

 

Ingredients:

2 - 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 lb. ground beef 

1 lb. medium shell noodles
onion salt
black pepper
1 tsp. salt
water

Directions:

Meat

1. Brown ground beef over a medium-high burner in an extra large skillet.
2. Season generously with onion salt and pepper to taste.
3. Break up meat with a spatula as you brown the meat.
4. Add canned tomatoes and 1 can water.
5. Reduce heat and mix all ingredients together on low.

Noodles

1. Put the shell noodles in a large sauce pan and add enough water to cover the noodles an inch or so above the noodles.
2. To this add the salt, then bring the noodles to a boil.
3. Cook until noodles are done, not mushy.
4. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse with hot water.
5. Add to the meat mixture and mix well.
6. Add more onion salt and pepper if needed.

Serve alone as a one-dish meal or with a side salad, bread or crackers and butter.
This recipe will feed 4-6 people.


Cooking Tip:

• I recommend using 90% lean ground beef or better for this dish so it is not greasy from the meat fat. It just does not taste the same, even if you drain and wash the meat.
• Don't over brown your meat, you don't want crunchy crisp bites of meat.
  
• Make sure you rinse your noodles well so the dish does not taste starchy.
• Make sure you buy ripe canned tomatoes