Hamburger Helper and Popsicles?

Yesterday, I had a dinner typical of American poverty, Hamburger Helper. Not to slight Hamburger Helper but it has enough preservatives and chemicals to send my disease into overdrive. While the product is not for me, I made it from scratch. Yes, absolutely everything was from what most consider scratch. I didn’t milk the cow to make the cheese though.

And yes, even I was laughing at the absurdity of it. I have a friend and neighbor who recently jokingly asked me if I made my own shampoo too. I thought about her teases the entire time and thinking that she’ll be rolling her eyes at me and saying, “Geez Louise, Darcy. What are you going to do next?” when I tell her about it.

It actually wasn’t as difficult or time consuming as it sounds. I make a cheese sauce with onions in large batches and freeze it in reusable quart containers, the plastic ones from restaurant supply stores. I prefer the lighter and less breakable plastic to my mason jars.

Although the sauce can separate a bit with each reheating, I find it tolerable. It is cheaper to make a large batch with a gallon of milk, especially when a half gallon isn’t much cheaper. Having it on hand saves time in a pinch too.

I didn’t want to make my usual au gratin potatoes. I wanted something a bit heartier and noticed a nearby pound of hamburger. I figured that I would make my own Hamburger Helper.

I had bought the hamburger in bulk; used a scale to divide it into one pound portions; and sealed the portions into freezer bags that I flattened out to aid in thawing and storage. I took it and the sauce out the night before and left it in the fridge.

I have only one lone box of spaghetti noodles from when I moved in. Totally wrong kind of pasta. Thankfully I have a pasta machine. It is bougie. I admit it. It is so much easier though. I store my semolina flour in 5 gallon buckets. I buy in bulk and have plenty available. The same is true for the all purpose flour. The only other ingredient is water which is included in my rent. Since I am relatively poor; living in the projects so to speak; and it’s the end of the month, free is the only thing I can afford right now. A bit of hard work is free physical therapy, the only kind I can afford and currently require, Hamdulillah wa Mashallah.

The machine mixes the dough before extruding it through a die for the desired shape. I chose penne. I used the edge of a fork to cut the pasta to about two inches long from the extruder and that was it.

Since fresh pasta cooks quickly, I gently folded it into the sauce and put it in the oven to bake. I then seasoned and cooked the hamburger. I drained the grease and added it to the dish. I folded it in about halfway through the cooking process. It was simple and delicious. I might add some diced tomatoes for a bit of brightness. The heavy sauce, pasta and meat could use a bit more balance.

I had previously made these simple popsicles which were in my freezer. They are incredibly easy and delicious. They are simply equal parts plain Greek yogurt and fruit, in this case strawberries with 1/4 part honey blended in my food processor. I bought popsicle molds cheaply. I filled them with the mixture and froze them. For quicker access, I took them out of the molds once frozen and put them in sandwich bags. When really wanting to cool off, I don’t care to work for relief.

I ended up with a delicious meal that reminded me of my childhood but made in a way that I could enjoy. Is it healthier? Yeah. More importantly though, it tastes good. That’s what makes food a part of the Good Life, even when poor, sick and living in the projects. We still eat well and have good times with our friends and neighbors.

Good times. Ain’t we lucky we got ‘em? Hamdulillah wa Mashallah! Thank God and God preserve it!

Until next time, y’all!

Masalam. Min sadiqatuk, Drsy.

Peace. From your friend, Darcy.