# Hey, All You Cooks! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 28, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268 "2003-02-28T23:42:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hepcat421](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/34f0e0/32.png) [@Hepcat421](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hepcat421)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/1 "2003-02-28T23:42:05Z")
I have a question. I was reading a magazine a while back that had recipies for all those things like hamburger helper and what not. I wish so badly I had writen it down, but I didn’t. So, the other day when I was cooking hamburger helper I though some one has to know how to make this from scratch. I mean it can’t be that hard. Noodles, seasoning, topping. Do any of you know how to make it? Or does anyone have an idea on how to make your own hamburger helper type sauce mix? If so, I would love to have that and save a bunch of money and sodium and I’m sure others might like to know how to do that too. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/2 "2003-02-28T23:55:03Z")
Well, I have made something similar to this, but it’s a little more bland than Hamburger Helper (HH). I usually just brown some ground beef, then dump in about 8 oz of noodles, and then dump in about 3 to 4 cups of water and then add one can of any variety campbell’s creme of (insert your fav here) soup. It’s usually pretty good, and I guess the blandness probably comes from a lack of all that sodium and preservatives. I have also used rice instead of pasta, and I have added some dried veggies to the mix, too. Garlic helps it immensely, as does pepper. Happy eating! ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/3 "2003-03-01T00:15:10Z")
I can buy HH for about 99 cents a box when it is on sale. Unless I was to buy in bulk at a discount, I don’t think a person could make the same thing for the same cost. I do agree though, they put way too much salt in HH though. ---
**Author:** ![Hepcat421](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/34f0e0/32.png) [@Hepcat421](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hepcat421)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/4 "2003-03-01T00:15:38Z")
Thank you so much, I’m going to do that! ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/5 "2003-03-01T00:21:51Z")
FWIW, I’d been taught to stretch the recipe by adding about 30% more meat and noodles, with an appropriate increase in water. This works with Tuna Helper recipes also, and helps to lower the sodium by serving amount. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/6 "2003-03-01T01:35:49Z")
Where is that thread about complete misunderstanding of sentences? I read the word ‘Cooks’ as if it was the slang insulting term for Vietnamese people. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/7 "2003-03-01T03:02:58Z")
Hepcat, [this](http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/) might interest you. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/8 "2003-03-01T04:55:16Z")
Cooks don’t use hamburger helper. If we feel the urge to make prole food we call it a casserole. Find a restaurant supply store and spend $200 on bulk seasonings, soup concentrates, frozen meats, etc. This is the stuff they use in restaurants and it is amazingly good and cheap. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/9 "2003-03-01T21:01:31Z")
You can use canned soup (as **Scylla** mentioned) for the sauce. For example, a very good stroganoff is: 1 lb browned hb meat sauteed onion (1 small) 1 can cream of mushroom soup Pour this over egg noodles. It’s even better if you stir a half cup sour cream into it. Use your imagination and the pasta-bilities are endless !!! sorry I got carried away there ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-all-you-cooks/158268/10 "2003-03-01T21:30:32Z")
My own chicken helper: $1.49 worth of chicken thighs 99¢ - 1 box stuffing (generic equivalent of Stove Top) 99¢ - 1 can cream of chicken soup $1.29 - 1 bag egg noddles 89¢ - bag of mixed veggies (I like peas & carrots) Cook chicken thighs in water until done. remove to cool. Retain chicken flavoured water. Remove bones, fat, gristle so that only edible chicken meat remains. Pull into small pieces or shred; set aside. Mix soup with equal amount of chicken water & heat up. Prepare stuffing according to directions. Cook veggies according to directions. Line bottom of rectangular baking (casserole) dish with prepared stuffing. Layer chicken meat next. Pour veggies over top. Cover with cooked noodles. Pour chicken soup mixture over whole affair. Sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs, grated parmesan, pepper, parsley, whatever you like for appearance & seasoning. Bake @ 400° for 20 minutes. There you go. Modify to your own taste. A tasty lunch for 4-5 days for only $6.00.