Tacos & Green Chili Salsa

Source: Nancy Ramberg

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced

***

• oil for frying
• tortillas 
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups chopped lettuce

Mix beef and onion, shape into a large patty, brown in butter 5 minutes on each side, then break into chunks.
Stir in tomato, soy, Worchestershire sauces, then garlic; simmer 10 minutes.
Keep hot.
Fry tortillas in hot oil, shaping into taco shells using 2 forks.
Serve with trimmings

Green Chili Salsa

Finely chop 1 large tomato, 1 medium bermuda onion, 2 jalapenos (OR chili peppers), 2 cloves garlic.
Combine, stir in 1/2 tsp. salt.
Let stand to season at least 15 minutes.

Swedish Meatballs

Source: Naemi Johanson

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 slices bread, crumbled
• 1 egg
• scant tsp. salt
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup water

Combine all ingredients until well mixed, your hand works best.

Add more water if mixture is too stiff.

Form into small meatballs and brown  over medium high heat.

After they are browned on all sides, turn heat down to low and cover.  Continue cooking until done all the way through. Or, put meatballs in a casserole dish and heat at 350º until done, or in crockpot.

*2 slices of bread = 1 1/2 cup soft crumbs or 85 grams

Microwave Hamburger Soup

Source: Microwave Cooking Class

• 1 lb. ground beef (or 2" strips beef)
• 2 stalks celery (with leaves)
• 1 large onion
• 1 to 2 tsp. instant beef bouillon
• 16 oz can tomatoes
• 3-4 whole cabbage leaves
• garlic to taste
• 2 carrots
• 2-3 green onions
• soup bone (opt)

1. Wrap 2 carrots in paper towel and wet.  Microwave on high 2 minutes. (1 1/2 minutes for one)
2. Put onions, cooked carrots, celery, and cabbage leaves in a 3 1/2 quart covered casserole.  Cook 5 minutes on high.
3. Heat browner for 5 minutes.  Brown meat and return to oven for 2-3 minutes.  Drain grease.
4. Drain tomatoes and cut into small chunks and add to veggies.
5. Add 1/2 cup water and bouillon.
6. Stir gently to combine.
7. Microwave on high for 30-35 minutes. (Covered)

David's Favorite Casserole

Source: Pam Ostrander
Yield: 2 quart casserole

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce (or tomato)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• dash pepper
• 8 oz. cooked spaghetti (any pasta)
• 2 cups sliced carrots, cooked
• 1 cup yogurt (or sour cream)
• 1 cup cottage cheese (or ricotta)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup grated cheddar

1. Brown beef and onions.
2. Add sauce and spices, simmer 5 minutes.
3. Combine cottage cheese, parsley, yogurt.
4. Layer in a greased 2 qt. casserole: meat, noodles, carrots, cottage cheese, sauce.  Repeat, ending with noodles.
5. Top with grated cheddar.
6. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.

Note: Freezes well.

California Casserole

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 lb. jack cheese, grated
• 2 cups small curd cottage cheese
• 2 cup cheddar, grated
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup black olives, sliced
• 4 oz. green chiles, diced
• 12 corn tortillas, fried in oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 cup sour cream

1. Brown meat.
2. Add onions & garlic.
3. Sprinkle on chili powder and mix well.  
4. Add tomato sauce, sugar, salt, chilis, 1/2 cup olives. Simmer 15 minutes.
5. Beat cottage cheese & egg.
6. Layer 1/3 meat mixture in the bottom of a greased 13"x9" pan, then 1/2 the jack cheese, half the egg mixture, 6 tortillas.
7. Repeat: meat, jack, cottage, tortillas, meat.
8. Top meat layer with grated cheddar.
9. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes.
10. Serve with green onion, sour cream & remaining olives.

Meatloaf

Source: A-1 bottle
Serves: 6-8

Combine:

• 2 lbs. ground beef 
• 3 tbsp. A-1 Sauce
• 4 oz. tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 cup dry bread crumbs (can sub oatmeal for part)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 tbsp. parsley flakes
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot

Mix sauce:

• 4 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp. A-1 Sauce

1. Press meat mixture into a loaf pan and spread the sauce over the top.  
2. Bake at 400º for 1 hour.

Seven in One Casserole

Source: Gretchen Garza

Layer in a 13"x9"pan:

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 16 oz. corn
• 1/2 diced green pepper
• 1 lb. ground beef, browned & seasoned 
• Medium onion, sliced
• 16 oz. stewed tomatoes
• 16 oz. V8 Juice
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 6 slices American cheese 

Cover and bake at 350º for 1 1/2 hours

Lasagna

Source: Pam Zunker

1 lb. ground beef (optional, Pam doesn't use meat.)
3 cups (30 oz jar) spaghetti sauce (Prego original)
1 1/2 cups water
1 3/4 cups (15 oz) ricotta or cottage cheese
3 cups (8 oz) shredded Mozzerella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (powdered or fresh, use more)
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 oz. uncooked lasagna noodles
salt, pepper, oregano, basil, & garlic powder to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Spray 13"x9" pan.
2. Brown meat, drain.
3. Combine sauce, water, spices to taste (except for the salt & pep).  Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Combine ricotta, salt, eggs, parm, parsley, pepper.
5. Pour 1 cup sauce on bottom of baking dish.  
6. Layer: 3 dry noodles, 1 cup sauce, 1/3 to 1/2 of the cheese mixture, shredded cheese.  
7. Repeat twice. 
8. Top with 1 cup shredded cheese.
9. Cover with foil, bake for 45 min.
10. Remove the foil, bake for an additional minutes.
11. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.  If you don't let it stand it won't firm up as well and it will be runny.

*Variations to try: use Swiss cheese and Ragu cheesy sauce

Taco Salad

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 pkg. dry taco seasoning mix
• 1 head lettuce, shredded
• 2 tomatoes, cut up (or 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered)
• 1 onion, diced (small to medium)
• 8 oz. grated Cheddar (or Mexican blend)
• 8 oz. corn chips, crushed
• 16 oz. Wishbone French salad dressing (OR 1000 Island, Catalina, or Western)

1. Brown ground beef & seasoning thoroughly.
2. Drain & cool.
3. Mix everything together.

Additional suggestions:

• Make sure to really drain the grease off meat, drain on paper towels.
• Don't prepare the taco seasoning, just add dry.
• Wait until serving to mix in chips and dressing or it will get soggy.
• Use French, Catalina, or Western dressing instead of 1000 Islands.

Hamburger Soup

Source: Microwave cooking class

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 to 2 tsp. instant beef bouillon
• 16 oz. can tomatoes
• 2 or 3 cabbage leaves
• garlic to taste
• 2 carrots
• 2 green onions
• soup bone (opt)

1. Wrap 2 carrots in paper towels and wet.  Micro on high 2 minutes until soft (1 1/2 min for 1)
2. Put onions, carrots, celery and cabbage in a 3.5 quart covered casserole.  Cook 5 min on high.
3. Cook & drain.
4. Drain tomatoes & cut into small chunks.  Add to veggies.
5. Add 1/2 cup water and bouillon, stir to combine.
6. Micro on high 30-35 minutes, covered.

Nancy's Curried Meatballs

Source: Nancy Perri

Meatballs

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup tomato juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 cup flour (to roll balls in)
• 2 T. butter (to fry in)

Curry Sauce

• 2 medium onions, sliced (1 cup)
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 cup currant jelly (OR orange marmalade OR apricot preserves... Nancy uses apricot preserves from Aldi)
• 1/2 cup tomato juice (OR sweet bbq sauce like Sweet Baby Rays... Nancy uses bbq sauce)
• 1 cup beef broth

1. Reserve the flour and butter, combine all other ingredients for meatballs.
2. Shape into balls, about 1" in diameter, roll in flour.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet and brown meatballs on all sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.
4. Add jelly, beef broth, and tomato juice to skillet and bring to a boil.
5. Add meatballs to skillet.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring often.  (Can thicken with a roux or cornstarch if you want it thicker.)