Mild Taco Seasoning

Recipe from tablespoon.com

1 TBSP chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika 

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp kosher salt

-Combine all ingredients into a bowl, mixing well.

-To Use: 

Brown 1 1/2 lbs of ground meat. Drain off any excess fat. Sprinkle with mild taco seasoning and stir well. Add 3/4 cup water and stir. Cook over medium heat until the water is fully absorbed. 

Stuffed Meatloaf

Meatloaf:
1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb of ground mild Italian sausage
1 egg
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Filling:
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sliced mushrooms, sautéed to release excess water
2 cups sautéed baby spinach
1 tsp minced garlic (opt)

-Spray 9x13 inch pan. Preheat oven to 375*
-Mix all of the meatloaf ingredients together well. Form into a loaf on the sprayed 9x13 inch pan.
-Make a hollow center down the entire length of the meatloaf, shaping the sides to stretch tall, like a canyon.
-Sautee mushrooms, garlic, and spinach using 1-2 TBSP of olive oil until mushrooms are soft and spinach is wilted.
-Sprinkle half of cheese on the bottom of the meatloaf "canyon", put the sautéed mushrooms and spinach on top, then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
-Pull the long sides up over the meatloaf, sealing the ends together over top of the filling. Make sure all the filling is completely covered!
-Bake for 45-60 minutes, until the meat reaches 160* internally.
-Allow to sit and cool for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to solidify a little bit before serving.

DELICIOUS Chili

*adapted from bettycrocker.com

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 lage onion
3 cloves minced garlic
3 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 cans chili beans in sauce
2 TBSP chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP brown sugar

-add ingredients into slow cooker
-cook on low for 6 hours(ish) or on high for 3 hours(ish)

Pizza Pasta

GREAT meal eaten right away, but also a GREAT freezer meal. Double the recipe and do both!!

16 oz. spiral pasta

6 oz. pepperoni (that's one little pkg)

1 jar tomato sauce (24 oz)

15 oz container of Ricotta Cheese

1 pound ground beef

1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1) Cook pasta, and drain. 

2) While pasta is cooking, brown ground beef and drain off fat. Cut the pepperoni slices in half or in quarters (you can also buy the diced pepperoni by Hormel...easier!)

3) Mix together the pasta, beef, pepperoni, tomato sauce and Ricotta cheese. Stir until everything is covered with sauce.

4) Spread into SPRAYED 9x13" pan (disposable foil pans are GREAT for freezer meals instead of wasting your glass pans). Put Mozzarella cheese over the top of the pasta mixture, then the Parmesan cheese.

*Double layer the foil if you're freezing this meal, and label so you know what it is :) 

**Let it thaw in the fridge for 48 hours before heating and eating. Bake at 400 degrees until it's warmed through. Bake the first 20-30 minutes with the foil loosely on top of the pan, and then remove for the last 10-15 minutes for the cheese to melt.

Italian Meatballs

original recipe here

1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg

1/4 marinara sauce
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dried oregano

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients well. Shape into golf ball size balls and put on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes.

Dressed Up Sloppy Joes--Our Best Bites

1 lb. lean ground beef

salt to taste

1 medium onion, minced

1/2 green pepper, minced

3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

3/4 c. ketchup

1 tsp. mustard

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar

3/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Stovetop Instructions:

Brown ground beef with onion, green pepper, and garlic. Season to taste with seasoning salt. Add in mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Combine tomato paste and water and add to hamburger mixture. Add more water if desired. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve on hamburger buns.

Crockpot Instructions:

Brown ground beef with onion, green pepper, and garlic. Season to taste with seasoning salt. Transfer to slow cooker. Add in remaining ingredients and combine well. Cook on low for 3-4 hours and serve on hamburger buns.

Freezer Instructions:

Brown ground beef with onion, green pepper, and garlic. Season to taste with seasoning salt. Transfer to a freezer-safe container. Add in remaining ingredients and combine well. Freeze. When ready to cook, transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low to 3-5 hours. Serve on hamburger buns.

Super Burritos with Sauce

MMM! One of my favorites from growing up!

FILLING:

1 pound ground beef

1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup green pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup water

1 TBSP chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1 cup cooked rice

1 4-ounce can green peppers, drained AND divided

8 10-inch tortillas

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1) In a large skillet/electric frying pan cook ground been, onion, garlic, and green pepper till the meat is brown. Drain off fat, and return to skillet. Add water, chili powder, and cumin. Cook for about 5 minutes until most of the water has evaporated.

2) Turn off heat and add cooked rice and HALF of the chili peppers (the remained chili peppers will be used in the sauce).

3) Assembly: warm tortillas; add 1/2 of filling into center of tortilla, then sprinkle cheese over filling. Fold the bottom of the tortilla over the filling, then the top, then each side until it forms a square. You can secure it with a toothpick if you'd like.

4) Arrange burritos on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until the tortillas start to brown they're heated through.

BURRITO SAUCE:

2 TBSP butter

3 TBSP flour, DIVIDED

1 cup chicken broth

8 oz. sour cream

remaining chili peppers

--Melt butter in saucepan, then stir in 1 TBSP of flour. Mix well. Whisk in chicken broth all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, then cook and stir 1 minutes more.

--Combine sour cream with the remaining 2 TBSP of flour. Add sour cream mixture and remaining green chili peppers into the sauce. Cook and stir for about 1 minute until warm and combined.

*Pour over the burritos.

Grilled Sour Cream Hamburgers

1 pound ground beef

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp kosher salt

1) Mix everything together, and form into patties (this made 4 regular sized burgers)

2) GRILL to perfection (however you like it)!! These burgers DO fall apart easily, so move them as little as possible.

**We grilled the buns for a few minutes and that really made it yummy. Incredible. MOIST. Delish. We'll never do burgers any other way!

Cheeseburger Soup

*Recipe from my friend, Lisa*

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes (or frozen hash browns)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cubed Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream

1. In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.
2. Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.
4. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Beef Stroganoff

1 pound ground beef

8 oz sour cream

2 TBSP flour

2 tsp beef bouillon granules

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 TBSP butter

*egg noodles or mashed potatoes

1) Mix sour cream and flour. Stir in bouillon, 1/2 cup water, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Set aside.

2) In skillet, cook meat, then stir in mushrooms, onion, garlic, and butter until cooked and soft.

3) Stir in sour cream mixture. Cook and stir frequently on medium-low heat until thickened and bubbly.

4) Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Mom's Spanish Rice

**To make this a meal, add about one pound of cooked ground beef to rice after the rice is finished cooking.**

1/4 cup butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups rice

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 cup tomato sauce

4 cups water

1) Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onion and saute until translucent.

2) Add rice and stir for 2 minutes.

3) Add salt, cumin, and sauce and stir well.

4) Add 4 cups of water, stir, and cover with lid. Turn heat down to medium.

5) Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, until the water is mostly gone. Turn off heat, and let the rice stand for 5 minutes. Stir again.

Chimichangas

1 pound ground beef
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small-medium sized onion, chopped
4 TBSP flour
-cook these 4 ingredients together until beef is no longer pink, and the onion is soft. Drain, and return to frying pan.

1/2 can corn
7 oz. cooked tomatoes
1 TBSP chili powder
-add to meat mixture, and heat until thick.

shredded cheddar cheese

1) Empty meat mixture into the middle of 6 warmed flour tortillas; put grated Monterrey Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese on top of filling.
2) Fold up all four sides of the tortilla. Spray both sides of tortilla with cooking spray. Place on baking sheet with the folded side down.
3) Bake first side for 5 minutes at 500 degrees.
4) Turn the chimichangas over, and bake the second side for 3 minutes at 500 degrees.