A Great Big Skillet Full

I made this dish for dinner last night and wanted to share it with you. It's from Betty Crocker's Outdoor Cook Book, copyrighted 1961. My copy is held together with a thick rubber band because both front and back covers have long ago fallen away from the pages of the book.

It's a great meal for a casual company dinner . . . as popular as a favorite soup would be, but much easier to serve. The name of the dish is Tagliarini and in the book it's described as "a hearty Italian skillet dish with noodles, meat, tomatoes, corn and olives." (I wonder what "tagliarini" means in Italian. Anybody know? Jane? Ice Man?)

TAGLIARINI

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Few grains cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium green pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 cans (15-16 oz. each) Italian-style tomatoes (I use stewed tomatoes.)
1 can (10 oz.) whole kernel corn with liquid (I use 2 cups frozen corn and one cup
water.)
1 can (7 oz.) pitted ripe olives, drained
4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) noodles, uncooked
1/2 to 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in large heavy skillet. Brown meat.

(Above picture is with remaining ingredients just added but not mixed)

Add remaining ingredients except cheese and cook covered over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes. Remove lid from skillet and cook another 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and fold carefully into the mixture and serve. 8 servings.

If you don't have a really large skillet, you might want to make this in a medium sized stock pot because it does make a big bunch. I used my biggest skillet and it was a little difficult to stir because the skillet was so full.

Because there were just three of us for dinner last night, I have plenty leftover, but that's a good thing as my husband LOVES it and it tastes really good reheated.