by Lidia Bastianich on
Oct 6, 2025
In the Lidia Celebrates America special A Nation of Neighbors, Lidia Bastianich visits food influencer Kiki Ruff, whose popular “Recession Recipes” series has made cooking approachable with simple, budget-friendly, and adaptable meals. Together, Kiki and Lidia prepare a dish passed down from Kiki’s mother-in-law, Susan Ruff. As Kiki shares, “my mother-in-law raised six boys on one income, and this was a staple dish. So one of the reasons I wanted to make this one is because it’s super versatile.”
Ingredients
Instructions
1
Brown the beef, drain the fat
2
In a large pan on the stove, sauté the onion, pepper and celery in oil
3
Add the meat and the rest of the ingredients
4
Cook for 30 minutes (covered, on the stove)
5
If needed, stir occasionally and add more water
Dining and Cooking