December 13, 2024

December is the season of the shortest days of the year. When the sun starts to sink at four p.m., people want to pamper themselves with warm and cozy things. This includes big helpings of comfort foods.

 

If you’re of a certain age, comfort food likely includes a can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup. Many of the dishes we remember fondly are based on this little red can. Mom or grandma might have added it to almost any kind of meat (hamburger, pork, chicken, steak) to make a casserole meal. Cream of mushroom soup even makes an appearance on holiday tables in the form of green bean casserole.

 

Americans rely on canned cream of mushroom soup the way cooks in other countries rely on bechamel sauce. It’s the sauce that holds many of our recipes together. Campbell’s Soup Company brought out their recipe for cream of mushroom soup in 1934 when convenience foods were becoming popular. Cream of mushroom soup was the first soup meant to be used as both a soup and a sauce. Home cooks considered it a great way to stretch a little meat a long way.

 

Although I’ve bought hundreds of cans of cream of mushroom soup over the years, I’m sure that I’ve never eaten it as a soup. Like millions of other American women, I still drag out a can when I want to make a nostalgic meal. My mother had a handful of recipes using cream of mushroom soup. My favorite is her hamburger and noodle casserole. It’s simple to make and uses everyday staples. I don’t make it as often as Mom did, but when I want comfort food on a cold, dark day, it fills the bill.

Here’s her recipe:

 

Mom’s Hamburger and Noodle Casserole

 

1 lb ground beef

1 medium green pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

 

Cook the above ingredients until the meat is browned and veggies are tender.

 

Add:

 

1 can of mushroom soup

1 ½ cups of milk

 

Boil:

 

8 ounces of egg noodles

 

When the noodles are done, drain them and add them to the other ingredients. Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish.

 

Cover and cook in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

 

 

 

Carol Stetser

Researcher

Larimer County Genealogical Society