A recent 24 hour period in my life can only be described as “ topsy turvy – upside down – backside to”  with a myriad of events that left me breathless. (I think I am finally in recovery mode.)

First of all, sweet Wilhelmina, our 12 year old girl kitty, who never gets sick on a week day between 9 AM and 5 PM, tangled with some sort of insect Labor Day morning and had a major reaction to the bug bite. Cup of Joe in hand, we whipped down to the kitty ER and spent the morning in the company of all creatures great and small getting her patched up. All it took was lots of patience and a hefty check and we were on our way home.

Five o’clock rolled around. Time for cocktails on the deck in the peace and quiet of our back garden…aaah. Think again – the phone rang and the 38 year old “never been married and never will” son called and announced without preamble “I proposed and Lisa and I are getting married at your house in the Keys in March.” I’ll have another martini, thanks. (But this is wonderful news – the wedding, not the martini. Okay, the martini, too.)

Tuesday morning (hour 23) along comes Mommy. My almost 85 year old sometime spitfire Mom called bubbling forth with the news that not only has she figured out what she will be wearing to favorite grandson’s wedding (see above), but she treated herself to a special little (?) gift – a brand new Cooper Mini – deep purple with a white top and all the bells and whistles and sunroof and whatever. (Note that her last car was purchased brandy-new in 2005 and she traded it with 3100 miles on it – yes that is three thousand one hundred miles, 150 of which I put on it when my fancy schmancy German roadster died in her driveway and I had to be in Boston.) Way to go, Mom, but did you really need a new car?

OY! as my Nana would say. So what the heck do the events of the past 24 hours have to do with food? Simple: STRESS = COMFORT FOOD and that is exactly what was on the menu for dinner – my Mom’s American chop suey.

Mom – she is the best…purple Cooper mini and all. Mina is feeling up to snuff again, wedding plans are being made. American chop suey to the rescue.

Mom’s American Chop Suey
3 cups dry elbow macaroni
2½ pounds lean ground beef
2-3 medium onions, peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
¼ cup ketchup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated cheddar cheese for topping

Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain. Sauté onion, green pepper, and garlic for 3-4 minutes in a bit of vegetable oil. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Drain fat and add cooked macaroni. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes and ketchup. Season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper and mix well. Heat through and serve with grated cheddar cheese.

Paula Anderson is a contributing writer to Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine, as well as a columnist for 3 Maine Newspapers with a focus on food, nutrition, and entertaining.