Seems like everyone in the Midwest has a recipe for goulash that has nothing to do with the Hungarian kind. This was my mom's recipe, which I adapted for the crock pot after living in a apartment with an unruly oven that would set off the smoke alarm no matter how often I cleaned it. This is a very simple recipe, but it's my brother's favorite meal in the world (thus I make it for him every Christmas Eve). Good with garlic-cheese bread.