When I was a child, one of my favorite meals that my mom made was “oomiegoolie,” a dish that is as fun to say as it is to eat.
It was a simple, hearty one-pot casserole made from macaroni with cheese, tomato sauce and ground beef mixed in. Sometimes, she would toss in a few peas, too.
It was delicious, quick to make and our whole family liked it except for my dad, who probably found it unsophisticated.
I have no idea where my mom got the recipe, but she made it throughout my childhood and I’ve continued to make it as an adult.
I loved to make it when I was a broke college student and 20-something starting life on my own. Heck, I still love oomiegoolie! This meal is a working mom’s dream because it’s so quick and easy after a long day.
I recently learned that this meal was essentially a DIY version of an early Hamburger Helper meal and is known as “American chop-suey” or “goulash” in other parts of the country. I’ve also heard it called cheeseburger casserole.
Imagine my surprise when I found out that this same dish is also known as “Johnny Marzetti,” a recipe created right here in Columbus, Ohio back in the late 1800s or early 1900s!
You can find the recipe for Johnny Marzetti online. By the 1920s, it was a popular dish across Ohio and the midwestern United States.
Whatever one calls it, I still love this dish today. It’s one of my top comfort foods, especially when the weather outside is cold and grey. It is warming, tasty and easy to make!
You can of course make this dish from scratch, the way my mom did. However, when I was in college, I figured out the easiest way to make oomiegoolie (or Johnny Marzetti, or any of its other colorful names). Simply make two boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese according to the box instructions. Then, add in half a jar of marinara sauce and a pound of browned, seasoned ground beef. Mix it all together, add any additional seasonings you like (salt, pepper, garlic salt, etc.) and enjoy!
Is that not the easiest, yummiest comfort food meal ever? Look, I love gourmet fancy food as much as anyone, but sometimes you just want to stir together a pot of pasta, ground beef and cheesy-tomato sauce, and call it a night!
Do you have any favorite comfort foods from childhood, and have you tried recreating them as an adult? I’d love to hear about it! Also, if you used to eat a variation of this dish, what did you call it?
