Here's some recipes from The Dakota Farmer.

Don't expect this to be authentic Chinese food, but it uses safe midwestern ingredients. Although I don't like nearly raw vegetables, I might add the celery halfway through so it would be crisp-tender, not cooked to death, but do how you want.

Pork Chop Suey

1/4 cup minced fat cut from pork (or use oil)
1 quart chopped lean pork
Hot water
1 bunch celery, cut in 1/2 inch lengths (on the slant)
1 sliced onion
2 tablespoons molasses
Salt
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon molasses
(Sliced mushrooms)
(Soy sauce)
Cooked rice

Brown the fat to render some of it, or use oil. Add the pork and fry until it begins to brown. Add enough hot water to cover the meat. Add the celery, onion, 2 tablespoons molasses, and salt. Let simmer one hour. Make a thickening with 2 tablespoons flour, water, and 1 tablespoon molasses. Let cook 10 minutes more. Serve with boiled rice. Mushrooms and soy sauce may be added.

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Cream cheese and sour cream in combination are showing up everywhere these days. This would taste a lot like stroganoff.

Ground Beef and Noodle Casserole

4 cups noodles
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound ground beef
16-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup minced onion
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1 bunch green onions, with tops, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook and drain the noodles. Brown the meat and add the tomato sauce; remove from heat. Combine cheese and sour cream and onions. Layer in the casserole in this order: noodles, cheese mixture, and meat until all ingredients are used. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Serves 6.

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The barley in this soup thickens it.

Beef Barley Soup


1/4 cup pearl barley
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
6 cups white mushrooms, halved if large
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 cups beef stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine pearl barley and boiling water in a bowl; set aside to soak for 10 minutes.
Heat canola oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, celery, and carrot in hot oil until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir mushrooms into the onion mixture; cook and stir until softened and brown, about 5 minutes.
Drain the barley, discarding any remaining water from soaking. Stir the barley into the mushroom mixture.
Stir the garlic and tomato paste into the mixture, stir until combined, then pour the beef stock into the sauce pan. Season with the oregano, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook at a simmer for 1 hour.