At the McIntyre house, the most requested and most served at holidays was Helen's Chop Suey. We all loved it and when asked what we wanted prepared to celebrate our birthdays, it was always Chop Suey. Though this "recipe" is a little short on directions, what I remember follows:
Cut the meat into cubes. Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Brown the meat in batches. After the meat is browned, place in a Dutch oven. Continue this process until all the meat has been browned. Add the chopped onions and celery and enough water to cover the contents of the Dutch oven. Stir in the molasses and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and then simmer slowly for an hour or so, adding the canned mushrooms and drained water chestnuts (optional) toward the end. Flavor seems to be enhanced if prepared the day before serving. Prepare rice per directions, do not use any butter. Helen always used Minute Rice. And voila, you have a meal fit for a king or queen.
When Helen served the Chop Suey for company, she often also prepared a lime jello mold which included crushed pineapple and maraschino cherries, sometimes adding Cool Whip. Ah, those were REAL meals.
Once Helen served this meal to her sister-in-law, Mary Garrity, when she invited her over to see the new condo. When Mary called the next day to say thank you to her for the invite, she informed Helen that she had told her friends that the new 2-bedroom condo was beautiful (Helen only had a one-bedroom) and that she had served an amazing Hawaiian meal. When Helen asked why she told her friends this, Mary replied with "I couldn't tell my friends that you and Larry had only bought a one-bedroom condo; and, "no one" serves Chop Suey to company!" Ah, families.
