{"id":3134,"date":"2012-12-03T09:22:00","date_gmt":"2012-12-03T09:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bostonzest.com\/?p=3134"},"modified":"2012-12-03T09:22:00","modified_gmt":"2012-12-03T09:22:00","slug":"american-chop-suey-a-new-england-tradition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bostonzest.com\/?p=3134","title":{"rendered":"American Chop Suey, a New England Tradition"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a traditional time of year, so why not make a big pot of this area's American Chop Suey.<\/a> I like to have old fashioned, comfort food around when life gets busy. This is also a great dish to feed a crowd or to bring to a pot luck. <\/p>\n

If you follow the tips you've learned from watching food shows, you can add a note of refinement \u2013 a je ne sais quoi<\/a> \u2013 to your version of this hearty dish.<\/p>\n

For example, I started this batch with this recipe from Saveur Magazine.<\/a> I love their addition of crushed, red pepper flakes and cinnamon. Neither one of those was in my family's version.<\/p>\n

I used red pepper instead of green. And, after I browned the beef, I used some white wine to deglaze the pan and capture all that lovely caramelization.<\/a> For macaroni, I did use elbows but I selected the elbows with ridges and a bit of a twist because they seem to hold on to the sauce and meat better than smooth ones.<\/p>\n

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When we have a stock of something like this in our refrigerator, we are most likely to pop some into a bowl and microwave individual portions. This is a great option if you have a bunch of different schedules to accomodate or some big appetites home for the holidays. A meal for some of us can be a between meal snack for others.<\/p>\n

But, if you're feeding holiday guests and want a different look for this dish on day two, put a twist on tradition. Bake this pasta under a blanket of cheese and breadcrumbs and present it with a golden, cripsy top and a melty, cheesy layer. <\/p>\n

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon<\/a>\"\" from here to support this site!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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