Mini Meat Loaves

1 cup ketchup

4 TBSP Brown Sugar

1 1/2-2 lbs ground beef (or 1 lb beef, 1/2 lb pork,  or any other combination you like equaling about 1 1/2-2 lbs meat)

1/2 cup bisquick mix

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1 small onion finely chopped

Mix together ketchup and brown sugar.  Mix meat and all other ingredients together.  Add in 1/2 cup ketchup mixture.  Form small loaves/balls… make between 10 and 12 mini loaves.  Place in a 9x13 pan and pour remaining ketchup mixture over the top of each loaf.  Cook at 450 for 20 min. or until thermometer reaches 160 degrees.

I got the idea for this recipe on Betty Crocker’s website here and changed it according to what I had on hand (I didn’t have the onion, but it was still very good).  This is a keeper recipe because it was super easy, very fast and all my kids liked it.  Those are the kind of recipes I’m looking for!

Sunday Beef Stew

An Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew

1 1/2 lbs.  Stew Beef (I bought a big package from Sam’s and split it in half)

5-6 peeled carrots

6-8 Red Potatoes

1/2 onion

Place Crock pot setting on Low.  Layer Beef in bottom.  Sprinkle, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Salt, and Steak n’ Shake (or other steak seasoning) over beef.  Add carrots and potatoes.  Add more salt, pepper, garlic salt, and steak seasoning. 

Mix together 2 cups beef broth and 1 can cream of mushroom soup.  Pour over veggies and beef.  Cook on Low for 7 hours.

After 7 hours, use 1 pkg brown gravy mixed with 1/4 cup cold water.  Pour into sauce to thicken.  Use a mixture of 1 TBSP flour to 1/4 cup water to thicken as needed until the desired consistency is met.

Baked Ziti

This is a recipe a friend shared with me. She got it off of allrecipes.com.  I made a few changes according to what I had in the fridge.  I haven't frozen this recipe, but my friend has and says that it freezes great.  It made A LOT!!  you could split this in half and freeze part of it when you make it.  It calls for a 9x13 pan, you could use 2 8x8 pans and freeze one and eat one.

1 lb ziti pasta, cooked and drained
2 26 oz jars of your favorite pasta sauce
1 lb ground beef
1 med onion (I just used 1/4 cup dehydratd onion this time)
10 slices provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 oz. shredded mozzerella or Italian cheese
mozzerella, parmasen, or italitan cheese to sprinkle on top (whatever and how much you prefer)

Cook ground beef and onion until browned.  Add sauce and simmer for 15 min.  Cook pasta and drain.  Sprinkle a little salt and toss. 

Layer
1/2 Ziti pasta
Provolone cheese slices
Sour Cream spread on top of cheese slices
1/2 pasta sauce mixture
Rest of pasta
 6 oz Shredded Cheese
Rest of Pasta Sauce mix
However much cheese you want sprinkled on top.

Cook at 350 for 30 min.

Enjoy with a beautiful green salad.

Crock Pot Roast & Veggies

 
I'm sure you all have your own Roast Recipes.  It seems that every time I make one, I do something different so I decided to write this one down because it turned out pretty good.

Dredge Roast in Flour
Season with Salt, Pepper, Dehydrated Onions and Garlic (whatever proportions you like to your taste)
Brown in a few TBSP olive oil

Place in a warm Crock Pot

Chop 7 Red potatoes
Chop 5 carrots
Add 1 tsp Rosemary
Add 1 tsp Sage
Add 1 tsp Salt
Add 1/2 tsp pepper
Add 1-2 TBSP olive oil

Mix up veggies and pour around roast in the crock pot

Cook on High for ~5 hours

After I removed the meat and all the veggies, I added some beef boullion granules and thickened it with 2 TBSP flour and 1/4 cup water (shake all together and pour into hot drippings).  Pour over the meat and veggies and serve.

Meat Loaf

I know that not everyone is a meat loaf fan- but my family really is. All of us really like it and I really like this recipe. It has shredded carrots in it so they get some extra veggies hidden in it.

Meat Loaf

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (I always us the leanest you can buy- usually the 90 or 93% lean)

1 egg beaten

2/3 cup milk

3 slices bread crumbled up really small (I always use wheat bread and break it up very small instead of blending it and making crumbs)

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 med. onion, chopped

2 med. carrots, shredded

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients together and put in a 9 X5X3 in. loaf pan. Cook at 350 for 60-75 min. or until meat thermometer reads 160. The last 15 min I make a sauce and put it on the top. The original recipe says place it on there the whole time, but I think you loose less sauce if you put it on at the end and just let the brown sugar melt and get hot.

Sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

2 TBSP mustard

(the original recipe calls for half of this (I double the sauce) but we think it's better with doubled sauce- the recipe above is already doubled)

Spaghetti Pie

Here's a new twist on an old favorite- Spaghetti!! I came across this recipe a few years ago and have tried a few different variations- depending on what kind of meat I had on hand. The original recipe calls for a cut up sausage kielbasa- never tried it that way, but I've tried it with ground turkey sausage and regular 90% lean ground beef. It's good both ways, but I usually have the ground beef on hand more than the ground turkey sausage. My kids really like this and even Brady does- who is not a fan of noodles in any casserole form.

1 lb ground beef or sausage

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce

1 cup cottage cheese

3 egg whites

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

12 oz spaghetti

Mozzerella cheese for the top

Cook beef and add pasta sauce- simmer for 10 min. Cook Spaghetti noodles, drain, let cool for a few minutes. Add 2 egg whites and Parmesan cheese to spaghetti noodles. In a seperate bowl, combine cottage cheese and 1 egg white- mix until blended. In a 9 in Deep Dish Pie Plate pour in noodle combination and flatten on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Add the cottage cheese mixture in the center and cover with the meat sauce. Bake uncovered 350 for 20 min. Add as much mozzerella cheese as you desire on top and bake for 5 more min. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Note: the noodles not covered by the pasta sauce will get kind of crispy- so spread the sauce out accordingly.

Black Bean n' Pumpkin Chili

This is a new recipe I found and altered to my families taste. Everyone really liked it. Great for this time of year.

1 med. onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBSP olive oil
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans black bean, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cup cooked turkey or chicken, chopped up
1 can (15 oz) canned pumpkin
1 can Italian style tomatoes, undrained, blended
1 cup frozen corn
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil. Add to soup pot with broth, beans, pumpkin, Tomatoes (put them in the blender and blend them so they aren't chunky and then add them to the pot) corn, chicken and seasonings. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about an hour- until thickened. YOu can also do this in the crock pot on low for 5 or 6 hours.

Beef Stoganoff

Forgive this picture, it looks more orange than it should be. I assure you that it is just the lighting.

I had a great Beef Stroganoff recipe a few years back and it has come up missing. I had been wanting to make it but I couldn't for the life of me find my "good" recipe. So, I remembered all of the ingredients that went in it and used the internet to help me come up with the right porportions and came up with this recipe. I think it is just as good as my original recipe.

1 lb. Beef sirloin, cut into 1 inch strips
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 8 0z pkg mushrooms
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup sour cream
2 TBSP flour
Medium Egg Noodles

Brown meat and set aside. Combine mushrooms, onion, garlic and olive oil. Cook until onion is tender. Add broth and let boil. Add ketchup, W. sauce, salt, pepper and stir. Add cooked meat. Stir flour into sour cream and add to beef mixture. Serve over Egg noodles.

Easy To Freeze:
You can freeze the leftovers or make a double batch and freeze half. It thaws easy and serve over fresh noodles. Another quick idea is to use leftove pot roast meat for the beef.

Cheesy Beef and Spinach Enchiladas

Sorry this isn't the best picture of this dish. It doesn't do it justice. I didn't get a good picture of it until we had almost eaten most of the pan. It is really good though. Even Savannah liked it, which is saying a lot when it comes to enchiladas.

Enchiladas:
1 lb. ground beef
2 gloves garlic
1 1/2 cups frozen cut leaf spinach
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp cumin
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or the colby jack preshredded kind- easier to find)
1 pkg (8 or 10) 8 inch flour tortillas (I try and find a 10 pack because I usually have one that is messed up- breaks- and I like to have a few back ups- then I have an extra tortilla to give Alyssa since I don't think she'd eat these)
1 can (19oz) Old El Paso Red Enchilada sauce (you can use mild or medium depending on you taste. I use mild to make it more kid friendly, but Brady would prefer the medium)

Toppings if desired:
Sour Cream, Salsa, Fresh Cilantro

Cook ground beef and garlic in a skillet until browned. Drain or pat with a paper towel to get off extra grease. Add spinach and cook until it is thawed. Stir in cream cheese, cumin, chiles and 1 1/2 cups cheese and cook until all combined. Spoon about 1/3 cup beef mixture into each tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in a greased glass baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-25 min. I cover them for the first 15 min and remove for the last 5-10 min. Put your favorite topping on. This is great with rice or the Texas Caviar recipe that is under appetizers.

Easy to Freeze:
Make and put in a throw away aluminum pan. Cover with foil and the plastic lid and freeze. Note: Let it cool before you freeze or it will sweat.

Sloppy Joes

I wish I could say this is a Family Favorite, but I cannot for the life of me get Savannah to eat Sloppy Joes. However, Kayla can't get enough of them. She'll eat a whole one and want more and want them for 3 nights in a row.

I know some of you may be Manwich people out there, but I never grew up on Manwich so to me making them from scratch is easier than having to remember to buy the Manwich.

2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 1/4 cups ketchup
1/2 cup water
1 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP white vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard (the dry kind, but I'm sure you could use the wet kind if thats all that you had)
1/2-3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground allspice (the secret ingredient that makes these so good)

Cook and drain ground beef. Add the rest of the ingredients and put on toasted buns!! Yummy and really fast!!
Easy to Freeze:
Freeze leftovers or make a whole batch and freeze for a busy day.

Beef & Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

MMMMM.... Yummy!!! That's all I can say about these shells! And my kids like them too. Add a green salad and garlic bread or rolls and it's a great meal, even for company!!

24 Jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained
1 lb lean ground beef
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (28-32 oz)
1/4 cup water
1 8 oz container chive & onion cream cheese
1 bag (2 cups) Italian blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
Italian seasoning sprinkled on top

Cook ground beef and drain of grease. Pour 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce in a 9x13 pan bottom. Add the water to the rest of the spaghetti sauce and save for the top of the shells. Mix together the cream cheese, ground beef, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, parmesan cheese, and egg. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of mixture into each cooked shell and place in pan on top of sauce. Pour the rest of the spaghetti sauce/water mixture over all of the stuffed shells. Top with remaining shredded cheese and sprinkle with Italtian seasoning. Cover with tinfoil and Cook at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Easy to Freeze:
Freeze in an aluminum pan. Cool before placing in the freezer. Thaw before cooking- or if still frozen- double cooking time (that tends to toughen the shells that aren't in the sauce so it's better to cook after it thaws- however, I've done it this way and it still tastes great- just a few tough edges).

Italian Wedding Soup

As I said in my last post, I love soups; especially this time of year. This is the first time I tried this one and Kayla and Brady loved it. Savannah was not a big fan of it, but she had been really sick and not eating anything well so I don't hold it against her. It wasn't very hard either (well, at least my version of it, and if you're familiar with my recipes thus far, you know I like to change them up).

The actual recipe call for making you meatballs from scratch, which I would gladly do if I had 2 more hands to make them with and hold the baby who likes to whine at my feet when I make dinner. I actually used the frozen meatballs from Sam's Club and they turned out great. I just threw them in the pot of boiling soup frozen and it was so easy. I'll provide the meatball recipe for those who feel so inclined to make them from scratch.

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

In a large bowl, combine eggs and bread crumbs. Crumble meats over mixture; mix well. Shape into 3/4 in balls. Place meatballs on a greased rack in a foil-lined jelly rolls baking pan. Bake at 250 for 15-18 min.

Soup recipe

3 medium carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 1/2 tsp olive oil
4 cans (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
2 cans beef broth (14 1/2 oz
1 cup frozen spinach leaves
1/4 cup minced fresh basil ( or about 1 tsp dried)
1 envelope onion soup mix
4 1/2 tsp ketchup
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta

Saute onions, carrots, celery, garlic in oil until tender. Sitr in broths, spinach, basil, soup mix, ketchup, thyme and bay leaves. Bring Soup to a boil. Reduce heat, add meatballs and pasta and cook for 13-15 min or until pasta is tender. Discard bay leaves.

Mom's Famous Meat Pie

I have to give credit where credit is due. This was a family favorite all growing up and continues to be a favorite in my family too. My Mom said that the original recipie actually cam from my Aunt Diane Behiling and that she got it from a Crisco can (is that true Diane?) I think my recipie could be altered since the original but this is the way I do it. You were originally supposed to make the crust from scratch (using the Crisco) but I'm all abou the Pillbury Dough Boy doing the hard work for me when it comes to pie crust. Just open the box, cut open the package and unroll!!

1 Pillbury Refridgerated Pie Crust
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 small onion chopped or 1/4 cup dehydrated onions
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 TBSP Sugar
1 tsp Oregeno
1 can drained Green Beans
1 can Tomato Soup

Brown hamburger and drain. Add onions, salt, pepper, sugar, oregeno and stir in. Add beans and soup. Pour in pie crust and top with 2nd pie crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes with a square of tinfoil covering the top. Remove tinfoil after 20 minutes and cook for 15-20 minutes longer (checking regularly for crust to be browned
My kids love this one!!