My grandfather lived off this smoky hearty meal during tough times. Just 4 ingredients for a rich and savory bowl that fills you up on pennies.

Slice the smoked sausage into 1/2-inch thick rounds. If you have a few extra minutes and want more flavor, quickly brown the slices in a skillet over medium heat until they get some color on each side, but this step is optional.

Lightly coat the inside of your slow cooker with a bit of oil or nonstick spray to help with cleanup. Add the sliced smoked sausage to the bottom of the slow cooker.

In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth and condensed cream of mushroom soup until mostly smooth. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just well combined so the soup isn’t in one big clump.

Pour the broth and soup mixture over the sausage in the slow cooker. Stir gently to distribute the sausage pieces so they’re mostly covered by the liquid.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or on HIGH for about 2–3 hours, until the sausage is very hot and the mixture is bubbling around the edges. This gives the broth time to pick up all that smoky flavor.

About 30–40 minutes before serving, stir in the dry egg noodles, making sure they are mostly submerged in the hot liquid. If needed, press them down gently with a spoon so they soak up the broth and soup mixture.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 20–30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the noodles are tender and the sauce has thickened into a glossy, rich gravy that clings to the noodles and sausage. Slow cookers vary, so start checking the noodles at about 15–20 minutes to avoid overcooking.

Once the noodles are tender, give everything a good stir from the bottom so the sausage rounds and noodles are evenly coated in the sauce. Taste and add a pinch of salt or pepper if you like, then ladle into bowls and serve hot right from the slow cooker.

For picky eaters, choose a milder smoked sausage and slice it smaller so it blends in more with the noodles. If your family doesn’t like mushrooms, you can still stay close to the spirit of the recipe by using cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom, which keeps it creamy and budget-friendly. To make it feel a little lighter, add a handful of frozen peas or mixed vegetables during the last 10–15 minutes of cooking so they warm through without getting mushy. If you prefer a thicker, almost casserole-style dish, cut back the beef broth slightly (to about 3 1/2 cups) or let the noodles sit on warm for 5–10 minutes after cooking to absorb more liquid. For extra smoky flavor, use a very smoky kielbasa or andouille, and if you have it on hand, stir in a tiny splash of Worcestershire sauce when you add the broth and soup. To stretch the meal on really tight weeks, serve the sausage noodles over rice, mashed potatoes, or thick toast—this is exactly how families like my grandfather’s made a small pot feed a lot of hungry mouths.