Taste of the Past: Homemade Hamburger Helper under the tree

They didn't come right out and invoke the words "Hamburger Helper," but when the Taste staff was putting together ideas for make-them-yourself Christmas gifts for an all-holiday issue in November 1972, one story that stood out was entitled, "Burger mix a skill it's easy to give."

Hamburger Helper hit supermarket shelves in 1971 (Tuna Helper followed a year later), and it was a sensation, a time-saver for all the overscheduled women - who, let's face it, were doing most of the cooking at the time- heading into the workforce in droves.

That's where Taste came in. Instead of slapping some Christmas wrap on a few boxes of HH, Taste staffers suggested a homemade formula -- with the addition of a personal touch -- for the harried households on everyone's gift list.

"Quick-to-fix hamburger skillet dishes patterned after the popular add-hamburger packaged mixes can be Santa's helper two ways," the story says. "First, use the simplified recipes to save time and money this busy season. Second, select a handsome skillet and fill it with the recipes on cards plus some of the seasonings, if you wish, as a holiday gift for another busy cook."

The easy-to-prepare recipes are an especially good idea for neophyte cooks, the article emphasized, which went on to use the Hamburger Noodle Skillet recipe as an example. "Measure out the seasonings - cracked pepper, garlic salt and instant minced onion - into a plastic pill vial; measure the cornstarch into a second vial and wrap them together with the recipe as a sort of combination gift and greeting."

Ho, ho, ho!

HAMBURGER RICE ORIENTAL

Note: From the Nov. 15, 1972 issue of Taste. Recipe variations include using brown rice instead of white (cook rice 45 minutes, or until tender), adding 1 16-oz. can of bean sprouts or 1 5-oz. can water chestnuts (drained and sliced) or 1 10-oz. package frozen green peas or frozen mixed vegetables when adding celery and green pepper.

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

2/3 c. uncooked rice

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 tbsp. soy sauce

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions

HAMBURGER NOODLE SKILLET

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: From the Nov. 15, 1972 issue of Taste. Recipe variations include adding chopped celery, diced green pepper or frozen mixed vegetables when noodles are added.

1 lb. ground beef

3 beef bouillon cubes

3 tsp. instant minced onion

Freshly ground black pepper and garlic salt to taste

3 c. wide egg noodles

1 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbsp. cold water

Directions

HAMBURGER POTATO STROGANOFF

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: From the Nov. 15, 1972 issue of Taste.

1 lb. ground beef

2 tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Dash Worchestershire sauce

2 to 4 oz. mushrooms

1 lb. peeled and sliced potatoes

Directions