Wintertime dishes to keep Kats warm

Idea Alley is still in desperate need of recipe submissions and culinary questions. Submissions do not need to be in response to a request. Any new or old favorite or seasonal recipe is welcome. I only ask that you include where you got it and, if possible, what you like about it.

Alison Harris sent in the recipe a few months ago but suggested we save it until soup weather returned to publish it. I think it’s safe to say, soup season is here.

Hamburger Helper Soup

1 pound ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped

(about ½ cup) ¼ cup chopped green pepper 1 package Hamburger Helper Chili Tomato flavor, divided use

1 teaspoon chile powder ½ teaspoon garlic salt 1 (15-ounce) can petite diced

tomatoes

1 can corn (size not given)

Cook and stir ground beef, onion, and green pepper in Dutch oven. Drain. Stir in sauce mix from Hamburger Helper box, 5 cups water, chile powder, garlic salt and tomatoes. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in macaroni from Hamburger Helper box and corn. Cover and cook about 10 minutes longer.

Makes about 9 cups.

If you prefer something you can eat with a fork, but equally homey and comforting, this stroganoff from a Little Rock cook may hit the spot.

Hamburger Strogonoff

1 pound lean ground chuck ½ cup chopped onion 2 tablespoons flour ¼ teaspoon minced garlic ¼ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 (4-ounce) can mushrooms 1 can mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

2 cups cooked flat noodles

Cook ground meat and onion until tender; drain well. Stir in flour and seasonings and cook 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and soup; reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream and then the cooked hot noodles. (At this point mixture can be put in a covered casserole and kept in a warm oven until ready to serve.)

REQUEST

■ Shrimp etouffee like that previously served at Oyster Bar for Karen Branton. Little Rock’s Oyster Bar recently changed ownership, and if memory serves, the shrimp etouffee under the previous owners was creamier than most and studded with tender, cooked-just-right shrimp.