Sharlene's Slumgullion from the Solar Oven

Perhaps a rough definition of slumgullion is in order, here. Basically, it's a watery meat stew and some vegetables. Webster's Dictionary suggests it's a combination of slum slime and the English 'gullion' mud, cesspool, first used around 1890. Other suggestions are from the muddy deposits in a mining sluice and the Irish Gaelic 'goilin', mud, pit.  It can also refer to a beverage made thin with water, the refuse from processing whale carcasses. And, of course, you have a dandified version of slumgullion at allrecipes.com and other cooking sites. I do promise you that my recipe does NOT include whale carcass refuse, slime from a mining sluice, or mud from an English cesspool! I, too, have my limits.
No, my version of slumgullion is far more refined and slumdeliumptuoulicious. You can find everything at your neighborhood grocers in pretty packages and not get a drop of mud in the car! It super easy to make, looks like a loose stew, and will feed a crowd.

Sharlene's Slumgullion
1 package defrosted ready-to-cook meatballs
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
4 cloves finely-chopped garlic
14 oz tomato puree
15 oz beef broth/stock plus 15 oz hot pasta water
1 carrot, finely-chopped (it will almost disappear)
8 oz parboiled ziti (or your favorite cut pasta)
7 oz kernel corn
2 T olive oil/tallow/lard
1 T fresh finely-chopped Italian parsley
1 T fresh finely-chopped oregano
1 T fresh finely-chopped chives
2 T molasses
1 tsp fresh finely-chopped stevia
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Preheat solar oven to 225F.   6-quart stock pot

Directions:
1.  Precook pasta just to al dente, while preparing vegetables. Drain, reserving water, and set aside. Finely-chop onion, bell pepper, garlic, and carrot.

2.  In a high-sided sauce pan over medium-high heat, saute onions and garlic in 2 T olive oil until starting to brown; add rest of chopped vegetables and stir until they soften.

3. Add tomato puree and beef broth; add meatballs and bring to high simmer, heating through. Using hand masher, crush meatballs in pan into small chunks; pour contents of sauce pan into stock pot, add hot pasta water, corn, cooked ziti, and rest of ingredients; stir to blend.

4. Cover and bake in solar oven for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.

Serve with favorite stew crackers or breads. This has nothing to do with "pretty is, pretty does." It performs and surrounds you with a table of rollin' eyes and gnashin' teeth, and grateful burps! Enjoy.

Lots of juice with every spoonful! A meal in itself.