The phrase “poor man’s meal” came about during the Great Depression, when many families struggled to put food on the table. While there are many variations of the recipe, all typically feature a combination of potatoes, onions and some type of inexpensive meat. This poor man’s meal recipe, which is baked in the oven rather than made on the stovetop, features a rich and savory sauce made with cream of mushroom soup.

Prep:20 min
Cook:1 hour 15 min
Yield:6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 5 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• Minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Season with pepper and garlic powder. Layer the beef, potatoes and onion slices in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Combine soup and milk; pour over all.
2. Cover and bake at 350° for 1-1/4 hours or until potatoes are tender. Garnish with parsley.

Nutrition Facts

1 each: 272 calories, 9g fat (4g saturated fat), 39mg cholesterol, 410mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 17g protein.