Vern's Delight (20-minute One-pot Meal)

I'm always looking for recipes that require minimum preparation, and which I can whip up quickly with ingredients I already have at hand. As a plus, I like meals that require minimum cleanup!

This one day I came home late after work, and I had to come up with a meal to feed my 2 kids, husband, mother-in-law, and myself. It turned out so good that I decided to write down exactly how I did it. My mother-in-law named the dish after herself, she liked it so much! :) Over the years, this has become a family favorite. It's fast, easy, inexpensive, and so good! What's not to like?

The ingredients listed first are what I use, and allow me to have this meal done in a little over 15 minutes. You can use the optional ingredients, but allow time for chopping, mincing, etc.

• 1 lb. lean ground beef, such as Laura's Lean Beef or Wegman's 95% Lean Ground Beef.
• 1/4 tsp. dehydrated minced garlic or one clove fresh minced garlic.
• 1 tbsp. dehydrated chopped onion or 1/2 fresh onion, chopped.
• 1 can (10 1/2 oz.) beef consomme or 1 1/3 cups beef stock or broth.
• 1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes and green chilies, such as Rotel.
• 1 bag (11 oz., approx 2 cups) frozen vegetables -- baby broccoli blend [broccoli, edamame (sweet soybeans), carrots, and water chestnuts] works best, but any 9-12 oz. bag or box of frozen vegetables will work. If using fresh chopped vegetables, you may need extra cooking time before adding the noodles.
• 2 pkgs. beef ramen noodles.

1. In a large skillet, brown the beef, garlic, and onion over medium-high heat.
2. Add consomme, tomato/peppers, vegetables, and the seasoning packets from the ramen. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, break up the ramen noodles.
4. Add the noodles and mix well. Cover and continue simmering over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Makes 6 servings of only about 350 calories each!

Preparation and cooking times combined are less than 20 minutes.