Fries ‘N’ Beef Bake. Listening To The Bloom.

It has been awhile since I went on a rant, so here goes my latest petsiest peeve.

I’m pretty sure that no one at the grocery stores I shop at knows how to properly bag the items. And I frequent about 5 different stores with regularity.

I always bring in over a dozen canvas bags since I am usually checking out with a near to overflowing cart. Some of those totes happen to be pretty large. So, the baggers ask “Is heavy okay?” and I reply, “Not heavy enough that the bag is going to break.”

And then the bagger proceeds to take the big bags first and fill each one up with 200 pounds of food. Then they put the cereal boxes in the insulated bags and the ground beef in a sack with the flour and candles. They never use the wine bags. You get the picture.

Drives me INSANE. It is not as if I am going to run out of bags and use their precious paper or plastic.

So, now I have taken to rushing to try and beat a bagger to the task or pushing my cart to the side after I leave the register and repacking the whole freakin’ order. I’m pretty sure I am making quite a reputation for myself amongst the staff. One manager tried to shoo me along when I was repacking. Another bagger tried to wrest a bag from me as I tried to pack the groceries alongside of him.

There. Thanks for listening to the crazy bag lady.

I’ll give you a recipe and song in exchange.

I am such a sucker for fries in casseroles. (As evidenced here, here and here. Maybe it’s because I like to go all Jackson Pollack with ketchup.)

Here the fries are teamed up with ground beef and peas in a flavorful gravy. Rib-sticking good comfort food.

Fries ‘N’ Beef Bake

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 pound frozen crinkle-cut French fries, thawed
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
Pepper to taste
Ketchup and pickle relish, to serve if you like

Directions:

1. In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink then drain.

2. In a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, layer half of the French fries, peas and meat mixture. Repeat layers.

3. In a bowl, combine the soup, water, ketchup, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, marjoram, mustard, and pepper. Pour over top.

4. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 45 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 6 to 8

Recipe from Taste Of Home