Southern Beef and Sausage Goulash

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of chopped celery
• 1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 of a large onion, chopped
• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1/2 pound of Italian sausage
• 1/4 pound of andouille sausage, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 large pinches of kosher salt
• 8 turns of the pepper grinder
• 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama)
• 1 (8 ounce) can of tomato sauce
• 1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can of stewed tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon of dried parsley
• 2 cups of beef broth
• 2 cups of uncooked, elbow macaroni noodles

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat; saute the celery, green pepper and onion until softened. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, cooking over medium high heat, until lightly browned and cooked through, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the andouille sausage and the garlic, stir and cook another 3 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning, stir and cook another minute.

Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, bay leaves and parsley, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add the beef broth and pasta, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until noodles are tender and liquids have reduced. Taste, adjust seasonings as needed, remove and discard bay leaves, and serve with a nice side salad and a green veggie.