Easy Creamy Goulash

This recipe makes approximately 16 cups of goulash.

Directions:

1. Add olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and ground beef, then cook until the beef is no longer pink
3. Drain and rinse the meat, then return it to the pot on the stove
4. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds
5. Pour in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and dried macaroni noodles
6. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil
7. Reduce heat to a light boil and stir occasionally until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes
8. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cream cheese, let cool slightly
9. Spread approximately 4 cups of the mixture onto a parchment-lined tray and place dividers to create 10 equal portions
10. Pre-freeze the tray before freeze drying to help the meal freeze dry evenly
11. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 24 hours)
12. I made these as gifts and stored 4 with a desiccant in individual storage bags.  Store in mylar bags for long term storage.  

Rehydration:

Place 4 portions of goulash in a bowl and add approximately 1½ cups of hot water. Stir well, then cover the bowl and let it sit for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir again and check if the goulash is fully rehydrated. Add more hot water as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Notes:

The high sugar content has a tendency to blow up in your freeze dryer.  If you have portions that do that, you can just powder them and store 4 portions in individual baggies and then store in mylar or jars appropriately.

Nutritional Value Per 1 (4 portions) serving

Calories: 388  Protein: 22 g   Fat: 24 g   Carbohydrates: 20 g   Sugar: 2 g   Fiber: 2 g

Cycle times & rehydration for reference only. Your results may vary.