When I was growing up my father didn't buy our family any "Hamburger Helper".
His version of this American staple was a time consuming, homemade bolognese sauce, made from twice ground pork, veal, beef, onions, tomatoes and garlic. The pot of bolognese would simmer on the stove for hours until the diced vegetables melted away and combined with the tomatoes into a heavenly flavor. This was what we put on our macaroni, yet secretly I would crave the Hamburger Helper that I couldn't have.
Introduced during a recession in 1970 by the General Mills Corporation one box of Hamburger Helper was designed to help the family on a budget turn one pound of inexpensive ground meat into a meal.
If you're not familiar with how this product works, it's simple: The meat is browned in a frying pan. Then hot water, milk, quick cooking noodles and dry seasoning are added. Bring the mixture to a boil, simmer on low heat for 15 minutes and dinner is done. So what's in the box? Just a bag of dry noodles and a bag of powdered sauce mix. At about $2.50 a box, it's a time saving bargain.
Following the success of Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper and Chicken Helper soon followed. Now with over 60 different variations of these products, no doubt Hamburger Helper is once again coming to the rescue of many during this recession.
It looks like delicious
ReplyDelete