American Chop Suey?

[Zhizara]

It has troubled me for some time that American Chop Suey is what I think of as Goulash.

I made a dish with vegetables and noodles that I really love and wanted to name it American Chop Suey, but it seems that the Goulash version already has that name.

My recipe includes Rice-A-Roni, bean sprouts, Ramen noodles and marinated pork.

My question is: If I can't call it American chop suey, then what is it?

My second question is, if it's a kind of goulash, why is it called Chop Suey???

I'd really appreciate any thoughts.

 

[jennyema]

American chop suey = Beefaroni

 

[Zhizara]

But why do they call it chop suey, Jenny? To me, that is goulash. That's where I'm so confused.

 

[Andy M.]

ACS/goulash are names that were chosen to name a quick pasta dish with tomato sauce, ground beef and green peppers. It is neither chop suey or goulash.

Real chop suey is a stir fried veggie dish created by Chinese railroad workers here in the early years. Goulash is a Hungarian/Austrian stew with paprikas.

You'll have to steal another name for your dish. Call it New Orleans not so dirty rice.

 

[GotGarlic]

Here's an article that describs the origin of American Chop Suey: http://relish.com/articles/easy-family-dinners-1/

I never heard of it before I heard about it here several years ago.

"American Chop Suey" is redundant There is no Chinese dish called chop suey and there are various theories about its origin: http://www.snopes.com/food/origins/chopsuey.asp

 

[Aunt Bea]

I never heard of American Chop Suey until I grew up, it was always Goulash in our house too. Chop Suey was the stuff that came from LaChoy in two cans and the poor Hungarians were left out altogether.

 

[pacanis]

I call my made up dishes concoctions.
I don't see anything in your description that leans your meal towards the American version of goulash, also known as chop suey.

 

[Zhizara]

I agree that my dish is not goulash. My dish has no tomatos or macaroni.

My dish is intended to be more like the traditional chop suey, vegetables, noodles and meat.

 

[taxlady]

GG, that Snopes article cracked me up. "Whatever is added, the underlying integrity of the dish is never compromised — chop suey must always be bland."

 

[Rocklobster]

American chop suey = Beefaroni

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugazcvzOM0Q

 

[pacanis]

I felt so sorry for that horse...
But not the marble rye.

 

[bakechef]

I grew up with macaroni and ground beef with tomatoes, called American Chop Suey. Goulash was always of the Hungarian variety.

I sent Rob to Work with Hungarian Goulash and his co-workers tried to tell him that it wasn't goulash because there was no macaroni, GAHHHH!

Even though I grew up with "american chop suey" that name really seemed odd, once I started cooking.

 

[Andy M.]

I grew up with macaroni and ground beef with tomatoes, called American Chop Suey. Goulash was always of the Hungarian variety.

I sent Rob to Work with Hungarian Goulash and his co-workers tried to tell him that it wasn't goulash because there was no macaroni, GAHHHH!

Even though I grew up with "american chop suey" that name really seemed odd, once I started cooking.

I remember eating ACS in the school cafeteria as a kid in the 50s. Then my daughter had it in school in the 70s-80s. I always thought of it as cafeteria food and never had it outside of school. Then one night, my then adult daughter asked if I could make it because she really loved it and missed it! After a couple of tries, I got it right and she was in heaven.

Now, I have to make it every year in Aruba because SO's daughter and SIL expect it for dinner the night they arrive.

Maybe I could get a job as a cafeteria lady.

 

[Addie]

I remember eating ACS in the school cafeteria as a kid in the 50s. Then my daughter had it in school in the 70s-80s. I always thought of it as cafeteria food and never had it outside of school. Then one night, my then adult daughter asked if I could make it because she really loved it and missed it! After a couple of tries, I got it right and she was in heaven.

Now, I have to make it every year in Aruba because SO's daughter and SIL expect it for dinner the night they arrive.

Maybe I could get a job as a cafeteria lady.

I will pay for your hairnet at Woolworth's.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I never heard of American Chop Suey until I grew up, it was always Goulash in our house too. Chop Suey was the stuff that came from LaChoy in two cans and the poor Hungarians were left out altogether.

The LaChoy stuff was exactly what my Mom called American Chop Suey. While most of us ate it over the hard-as-rocks canned chow mein noodles, Dad would have his over mashed potatoes. Talk about a meal with no texture.

In my part of the country macaroni and ground meat was known as Johnny Marzetti. Similar to the New England ACS, but fewer ingredients. Johnny Marzetti was created by an Italian immigrant in 1896. She and her husband opened a restaurant in Columbus and wanted to serve food that was both plentiful and cheap...after all, there was a university just down the street and it was full of hungry students!

 

[pacanis]

I remember eating ACS in the school cafeteria as a kid in the 50s. Then my daughter had it in school in the 70s-80s. I always thought of it as cafeteria food and never had it outside of school. Then one night, my then adult daughter asked if I could make it because she really loved it and missed it! After a couple of tries, I got it right and she was in heaven.

Now, I have to make it every year in Aruba because SO's daughter and SIL expect it for dinner the night they arrive.

Maybe I could get a job as a cafeteria lady.

And I'll bet that is the only time it gets made in Aruba.

Where did you go on vacation ths year?
Aruba.
Ooh, what did you eat!?
Goulash.

 

[Addie]

American Chop Suey and other dishes like that in my family are called "Glop" because that is the sound it makes when it hits the plate.

 

[powerplantop]

I have never had this...

 

[bakechef]

I remember eating ACS in the school cafeteria as a kid in the 50s. Then my daughter had it in school in the 70s-80s. I always thought of it as cafeteria food and never had it outside of school. Then one night, my then adult daughter asked if I could make it because she really loved it and missed it! After a couple of tries, I got it right and she was in heaven.

Now, I have to make it every year in Aruba because SO's daughter and SIL expect it for dinner the night they arrive.

Maybe I could get a job as a cafeteria lady.

It's funny how foods from school stick with us.

For many where I'm from it is tuna wiggle!

 

[Andy M.]

And I'll bet that is the only time it gets made in Aruba.

Where did you go on vacation ths year?
Aruba.
Ooh, what did you eat!?
Goulash.

Not goulash! American Chop Suey!