October 10, 2026
 Hello Friends,
This is the dinner I make on nights when I have my family over on a nice fall evening.
It does not ask you to be fancy about it, which is exactly what I need most weeknights.
I first made this about 30 years ago when my nephew went through a pirate phase and renamed this stew Pirate Stew and we've been calling it that ever since!
Pirate Stew nothing fancy. It is ground beef, a pot, a handful of pantry staples, and twenty minutes of mostly not paying attention to it. It disappears fast every single time.
Happy Cooking,
Anisa
 Photo: All hands on deck for dinner.
Today's Recipe
Pirate Stew
Serves 6 | Prep 15 min | Cook 25 min
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed tomato soup
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Shredded cheddar, for topping (optional)
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned, about 6 minutes. Drain off any extra fat.
- Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring now and then, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning. Bring it up to a simmer.
- Add the macaroni and corn. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks, until the pasta is tender, about 12 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with cheddar if you're using it.
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Today's Pick
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Pair of Meat Shredding Claws
$0.99 $12.99
Shredding a hot roast with two forks usually ends with a bruised knuckle and meat still in chunks. These heat-safe claws shred pork, chicken, or beef in seconds, straight from the pot, no forks needed.
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Kitchen Hack
Brown your ground beef in a single layer and resist stirring it for the first two minutes. You'll get an actual sear instead of gray, steamed meat, and a lot more flavor in the pot.
Keep a bag of frozen mixed vegetables in the freezer specifically for stews and soups. No chopping, no waste, and they go straight from bag to pot.
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