Comfort Food

A chilly day + snow + lazy attitude = GLOP!


This is a throw-together recipe with endless variations.  My mother used to make her version.  One night when I was about 11 or 12, I asked her what we were having. She answered, "Oh, just some hamburger glop I'm throwing together."  So it's been called Glop ever since.  It's EASY.  It's QUICK.  It's yummy!

BASIC GLOP

1 lb hamburg
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 cloves minced garlic (or lots of garlic powder!)
basil or oregano or both to taste  (I often use about a tbs of fresh basil)
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup cooked rice

Brown hamburg in a skillet with chopped onion and garlic.  Drain fat. (I dump it into a colander and let the fat drain, and then plop the meat back into the pan.) Add herbs, chopped pepper, and tomatoes. Cook a few minutes until peppers are slightly soft.  Add rice and mix.  Continue cooking until rice is thoroughly heated.
Serves about 4, with a salad.

This recipe has endless variations.  I've used big cans of tomatoes as well as small cans, depending on the amount of meat I started with.  I've added a can of corn to it at times.   I sometimes make a "Mexican" version --- instead of sweet peppers, I'll use some chilis and add some chili powder.   I've made a Cuban version -picadillo- same basic glop without the rice but with the addition of some halved olives and about 1/2 cup of raisins.  I've usually served that version with rice and black beans on the side.

This picture is what's left over tonight.