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Showing posts with label Ground Beef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ground Beef. Show all posts

Monday, September 28, 2015

Barbecue, Bacon, and Onion Wrapped Meatloaves

Talk about comfort food! This dinner was really yummy and will be making repeat appearances on our table this fall and winter. I saw this idea over at Hugs and Cookies. The original recipe calls to make 3 meatloaves, but next time I'm going to do 4, just to make it a bit more manageable. We served this with a simple green salad and some red grapes. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 yellow onions
steak seasoning to taste
salt and pepper to taste
dash of Worcestershire sauce
bacon
barbecue sauce

Preparation:
Gently combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, steak seasoning, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Don't over mix or your meatloaves will be tough. Next, cut the top and bottom off of each onion. Then cut in half, peel off the skin, and separate the onion's outer layers. Evenly divide your meatloaf mixture into 4 portions. Take one portion and ball it in between 2 onion halves. Wrap a slice or two of bacon around each meatloaf and secure with a toothpick. Bake in an oven safe dish with sides (to catch grease) at 425 degrees F or 40-50 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 F. Brush a good coating of barbecue sauce around each meatloaf and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove toothpicks before serving.


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Friday, March 27, 2015

Porcupine Meatballs

My cute grandma has told me about porcupine meatballs and that they are so good. I didn't have her exact recipe so I turned to this recipe at Jamie Cooks It Up for help. It's a ridiculously simple recipe and it was tasty too. I'll definitely make it again.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (6.8 oz) box beef rice-a-roni
salt
pepper
steak seasoning
1 egg
2 1/4 cups water

Preparation:
In a mixing bowl combine ground beef, a little salt, a little pepper, a little steak seasoning, the egg, and the rice and pasta from the rice-a-roni box. Save the seasoning packet separately. Gently combine the meat mixture and shape into golf ball sized meatballs. Spray a large, deep skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium high heat. Once hot add all your meatballs and brown/sear them on one side, then flip and do the same thing on the other. Combine your water and rice-a-roni seasoning packet and whisk to combine. Pour mixture over the meatballs and reduce heat to medium low. Bring to a simmer then cover and let cook for 30-40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the meatballs are cooked through and the pasta/rice is tender. Mine took the full 40 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!



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Saturday, March 7, 2015

Skillet Beef Enchiladas

This was a "wingin' it" recipe and it turned out really well. We really enjoyed it, Nate had three servings. I'd say that's a keeper recipe!

Ingredients:
0.75 lbs. lean ground beef
6 medium flour tortillas
1 (16 oz.) can fat free refried beans
1 cup mild taco sauce or red enchilada sauce
1 packet + 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
shredded cheddar cheese
pico de gallo
sliced black olives
shredded lettuce

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small pot heat refried beans with 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning. Keep warm. Cook and crumble ground beef in a medium sized, oven safe skillet, add in taco seasoning packet plus water it requires and finish according to packet directions. Once finished cooking remove beef from skillet. Turn heat off and assemble enchilada stack in skillet. Start by pouring some sauce into the bottom of skillet. Top with 2 flour tortillas. Spread half the refried beans over the tortillas. Top that with half the meat mixture and then some shredded cheese. Repeat again with 2 flour tortillas, beans, meat, and then cheese. Finally add the last two remaining tortillas, top with remaining sauce and lastly some shredded cheese. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes or until cheesy is all melted and sauce is bubbly. Serve pieces topped with shredded lettuce, sliced black olives, and some pico de gallo. Enjoy!


Saturday, February 28, 2015

Navajo Tacos

We've been wanting to try these tacos for a while now. I finally got around to making them. There are a lot of versions floating around on the web, but this is how I made ours. We sure enjoyed them and hopefully you do too!


Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (16 oz.) can fat free refried beans
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 envelope + 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning (Nate likes the Taco Bell brand)
1/2 cup water
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
thawed Rhodes dinner rolls (2 per Navajo taco)
vegetable or canola oil for frying
shredded cheese
toppings of your choice, salsa, shredded lettuce, sour cream, etc.


Preparation:
In a large skillet brown and crumble ground beef, halfway through cooking add the diced pepper and onion. Once beef is cooked add the envelope of taco seasoning and water. Reduce heat to medium and allow water to and seasoning to be absorbed. Then add the beans, tomato sauce, and 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning. Mix thoroughly and cook 'til hot. Reduce heat to low and keep mixture hot while you cook the rolls. Heat oil in a skillet to 375 degrees F. Take the thawed rolls and combine two together into a large ball, then roll out flat into a circle. Repeat with remaining rolls. Fry each dough circle in the oil until golden brown on both sides, flipping once. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. To serve, place fried dough on a plate and top with desired amount of the hot meat mixture and garnish with shredded cheese and toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

Friday, December 5, 2014

Baked Fajita Sliders

I threw out my back last week and haven't been doing my cooking. My cute husband has stepped up and been cooking for us. Last night he made these fajita sliders from Picky Palate and we really enjoyed them. Definitely a keeper recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 packet of taco or fajita seasoning
1 onion, julienned
1 green or red pepper, julienned
small rolls
shredded cheese
salsa/taco sauce

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray an 8x8 inch baking dish lightly with non stick cooking spray. Place ground beef and seasoning into a large mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Transfer beef to prepared baking dish and press down evenly into dish. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until baked through. Remove and drain grease if necessary. While burgers are baking, heat a little olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and bell peppers, stirring until softened. Takes about 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
Split rolls and layer with a burger, onions and peppers, then shredded cheese, and salsa or taco sauce. Serve warm.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Loaded Nacho Dip

Yum! This was perfect. We both really enjoyed this dip. I have this recipe saved for at least two years. I wish I hadn't waited so long to make it! This is definitely a keeper dish and one we'll make again and again. This is hearty enough to serve as a meal, which is what how we ate it, but fun enough to be a filling appetizer too. I saw the idea over at Eclectic Recipes and just adapted it to our preferences.

Ingredients:
1/2 - 3/4 lb. taco seasoned ground beef, cooked and crumbled (just depends on how beefy you want it)
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans (we used fat free)
3 Tbsp. taco sauce
1 (15 oz.) jar Tostito's brand salsa con queso
pico de gallo
shredded lettuce
sliced olives

Preparation:
Heat refried beans and taco sauce in a sauce pot over medium heat. While they're warming, also heat up your ground beef and queso. You want all three things to be piping hot. Once hot, get an 8x8" dish and spread hot refried beans over the bottom. Top that with queso. We didn't use the whole jar of queso, maybe 2/3 of the jar. Top the cheese sauce with your ground beef mixture. Shredded lettuce goes next, then the pico de gallo, and finally sliced olives. Serve immediately, and enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips! It's as easy as that!


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Beef and Bean Burrito Skillet

Nate really enjoyed this dinner. He wants it made again. But of course Nate loves all things Mexican. We also cooked together last night which always makes me like dinner time more :). This recipe is kind of like a deconstructed burrito, definitely comfort food. I adapted this idea from one I saw over at Deep South Dish.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 package taco seasoning plus the water it requires
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
3/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup taco sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 taco sized flour tortillas, cut into small squares
toppings of your choice, diced green onion, sliced olives, extra cheese, sour cream, etc.

Preparation:
In a large skillet, brown and crumble the ground beef, halfway through cooking, add the diced onion and green pepper. Then add taco seasoning packet plus the water it requires and cook according to packet directions. Once beef is finished, add the refried beans and taco sauce. Cook over medium heat until beans are heated through. Then add the salsa and cook until heated through. Once mixture is nice and hot, add cheese and cook until all melted. Following that stir in the tortilla squares and mix to incorporate. Make sure mixture is piping hot before serving, top with toppings of your choice and enjoy!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Meatloaf Casserole

Since we had snow this morning I figured a comfort food meal was appropriate for tonight. Nate loved this casserole and gave it a 10. It's a super easy recipe and fairly quick to throw together. I saw the basic idea over at Ore-Ida and I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg
splash of milk
1/3 cup crushed saltine crackers
salt and pepper
steak seasoning
1 Tbsp. dehydrated onions
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
prepared mashed potatoes
shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:
In a mixing bowl combine ground beef, egg, milk, crushed crackers, salt, pepper, steak seasoning, dehydrated onions, and Worcestershire sauce. Use hands and mix to combine but don't over mix or it will be tough. Prep a square 8" or 9" baking dish with non-stick spray. Pat the meatloaf mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Once cooked remove from oven. Spread hot mashed potatoes on top of meat and the sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Set oven to broil and then broil casserole for just a few minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Beefy Queso Enchilada Cups

My menu plan got thrown off a bit this week so I was left wondering what to make for dinner yesterday. I asked Nate what sounded good to him and he told me he was torn between these two recipes - Enchilada Cups and Beefy 5 Layer Burritos. Being the good wife I am, I suggested that we combine the two recipes. Sure enough, it was a winner idea. Nate loved these and definitely wants them made again. These beefy queso enchilada cups are rich so I recommend serving them with a nice crunchy green salad. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef, cooked and crumbled and seasoned with taco seasoning
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
queso (we like Tostito's brand salsa con queso)
shredded cheese
12 small flour tortillas

Ingredients:
Spray a muffin tin with some non-stick cooking spray. This recipe makes 12 enchilada cups. Now cut some circles out of your tortillas. I used the top of one of those hospital mugs and just cut around it with a knife. You want your tortilla circles to line the muffin tin like a baking cup, so it lines the bottom and the sides, but if they are really over-sized you might get some burnt tortillas. I left just a little bit of overhang so it would hold all the filling. Now make your refried beans and taco meat. Add the refried beans and 1 Tbsp. of taco seasoning and cook over medium low heat until hot. Spoon a small amount of refried beans into the bottom of each tortilla cup. Next spoon in some queso on top of the bean mixture. Now add some beef on top of the queso. I made a pound of ground beef and had exactly enough for 12 enchilada cups. Bake filled enchilada cups for 20 minutes in a 350 degree F oven. Remove from oven and top with a little shredded cheese. Return to oven and bake another 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve hot and enjoy!

Monday, February 10, 2014

Mexican Pizzas

Nate and I made these Mexican pizzas for dinner last night and Nate really enjoyed them. You know we love Mexican food at our house. They are a copy cat recipe I saw over at The Country Cook.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
taco seasoning packet + the water it requires
1 can refried beans
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
crisp tortilla shells (we used the Azteca brand found in the refrigerated section at Walmart)
taco sauce or enchilada sauce
shredded cheese
toppings of choice like sliced olives, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, etc.


Preparation:
Start by preparing the ground beef. Brown and crumble the ground beef, once browned add the taco seasoning packet plus the water it requires and finish according to packet directions. Next make the refried beans. In a sauce pot add beans and 1 Tbsp. of taco seasoning and mix well. Heat over medium heat until hot. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lay tortilla shells on a pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 4-5 minutes per side or until golden brown. Now assemble the pizzas. On top of one shell spread a layer of refried beans, then top with some seasoned ground beef. Place another tortilla shell on top. Pour some taco sauce (or enchilada sauce) on top of the shell and then sprinkle on some shredded cheese. Place the mexican pizza back on the baking sheet and return to hot oven and bake until cheese is melted. Top with any desired toppings and serve hot. Enjoy!


Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Meximelts

This dish is very similar to our Grilled Chicken Burritos which is one of my favorite dinners ever. When I saw this idea over at Fanastical Sharing of Recipes, I knew it would be one we would enjoy. Sure enough, both Nate and I agreed this would be a dinner we will have over and over again. I love the pico de gallo and the freshness it adds to the dish. We paired these meximelts with a simple green salad and it was a great dinner. I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
taco seasoning packet plus the water it requires (or 3 Tbsp. of your homemade taco seasoning)
pico de gallo
6 taco sized flour tortillas
shredded cheese

Preparation:
Brown and crumble ground beef. Add taco seasoning plus water it requires and finish cooking according to package directions. Warm tortillas in the microwave for 10-15 seconds so they are pliable and easier to work with. Layer ground beef, some pico de gallo, and some shredded cheese on the tortilla. Roll up like a burrito. In a lightly greased pan over medium heat, place the burritos seam side down. Cook until golden brown and crisp and then flip and do the same on the other side. Serve hot!






Monday, September 30, 2013

Homemade Gorditas

Yum! This was such a fun twist on taco night. The gordita wraps are soft and pliable with a great texture. I saw this idea over at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice and knew we would have to try them. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 + 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 + 1/4 cups boiling water*
1 + 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. instant yeast
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
taco fillings-
ground beef
shredded lettuce
salsa
shredded cheese
hot sauce
sliced olives


Preparation:
In a mixing bowl combine 2 cups of the all-purpose flour with the boiling water. Mix until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes. In a separate bowl mix together the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour, salt, and yeast. Also add the vegetable oil. Mix this together with flour/water mixture. Knead by hand for 2-3 minutes on a lightly oiled surface. You want your dough to be a little bit sticky. Spray a mixing bowl with non-stick spray, add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place. Once risen divide dough into 8 equal sized portions. Cover them and let rest for 30 minutes. After resting, roll each dough piece out into a 7"-8" circle. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium Heat. Once hot add the dough to the dry skillet and cook a few minutes per side or until they are speckled with golden brown spots. If they are sticking, lightly grease the pan, but I had no problems with sticking. Keep the gorditas warm on a baking sheet, covered with tin foil in a really low oven (I had mine set at 170 degrees F). Once your gorditas are cooked, fill with ground beef and your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!

*I had to add some extra water to my dough in order to incorporate the second helping of flour. I added an extra 1/3 cup.


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Copy Cat 5 Layer Burritos

It's been forever since I've posted, nearly a month! We've just been so busy with end of summer fun and my in-laws moved back into town. There have been some new recipes that I've tried but nothing that I felt worth posting. Now we're back in the groove of a schedule and hopefully that means regular posting! This is the dinner I made last night. I saw the idea over at Fantastical Sharing of Recipes and I knew it would be something Nate would really enjoy. The recipe is a copy cat of a Taco Bell burrito, I've never had it before so I can't say how close it is, but we liked it. It's such a simple dinner and we just had it with a green salad.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning plus the water it requires (or 3 Tbsp. homemade taco seasoning)
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
shredded cheddar cheese
queso
sour cream (we didn't use sour cream)
flour tortillas

Preparation:
Brown and crumble the ground beef. Halfway through cooking add the diced onion and green pepper. Once cooked add the envelope of taco seasoning plus the water it requires and finish cooking per package instructions. Meanwhile in a saucepan heat the refried beans with 1 Tbsp. of taco seasoning. Heat queso cheese. Once the ground beef mixture and refried beans are completed it's time to assemble the burritos. On half the tortilla spread a spoonful of queso cheese. Top that with a scoop of refried beans, follow that with some ground beef, next add some sour cream if you're using it, and then finally top that with some shredded cheese. Fold in the sides and then roll up the burrito. Serve immediately. We thought that they'd be good put in the oven for a few minutes to get a nice crisp texture to the tortilla. Enjoy!





Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Lettuce Wrap Tacos

Had these for dinner tonight and we really enjoyed them. We'll definitely be having these again and again. It's not really a recipe, per se, more of an idea for you. Just take your favorite taco fillings and toppings and instead of using a shell or tortilla use a piece of lettuce. Then wrap them up and enjoy!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Cheesy Taco Dip

This is one hearty dip. We ate it for dinner last night and it is super filling. We have lots of leftovers. Nate and I decided it needs to be eaten with friends! This recipe is really quick and simple to throw together and then it bakes and gets nice and bubbly. I loosely based this recipe on one from Just Get Off Your Butt and Bake. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cups salsa
2 envelopes taco seasoning (or 6 Tbsp. of homemade, divided)
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese (more or less depending on your tastes)
sliced olives, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, sour cream, hot sauce etc. for topping if you'd like

Preparation:
Brown and crumble the ground beef. Halfway through cooking add the diced onion. After beef is finished browning add 1 packet (3 Tbsp.) taco seasoning and the water it requires. Reduce heat and finish cooking per packet instructions. After the beef mixture is finished add salsa, Italian dressing, frozen corn, refried beans and remaining taco seasoning. Mix well. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture is nice and hot. Add half the mixture to a glass 8x8" baking dish. Top with half the cheese. Add remaining beef mixture and then top with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until nice and bubbly hot and cheese is all melted. I recommend putting a baking sheet below the dish in case things bubble over! Serve with your favorite toppings and tortilla chips.

I know, I know, terrible photo.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Taco Pot Pies

Nate is still talking about this dinner! He loved it! This is definitely a different twist on taco night and one we'll definitely make again. I saw the idea over at Plain Chicken. Nate can't wait to have these again.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning plus the water it requires
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 can refrigerated pizza dough (we used Pillsbury)
4 large ramekins
shredded lettuce
hot sauce
sliced olives
tomato
salsa
sour cream

Preparation:
In a large skillet brown the ground beef. Halfway through cooking add the diced onion and bell pepper. Once browned add the taco seasoning and the water it requires, reduce heat and finish cooking according to packet instructions. Once beef is all finished mix in the black beans and salsa. Keep burner on medium low heat and continue to cook until mixture is nice and hot. Spray ramekins with non-stick spray including the outside rim. Roll out pizza dough and cut out 4 circle of dough that are about an inch larger than the ramekin. Sprinkle some shredded cheese into the bottom of each ramekin. Next scoop in taco meat (we had just a little leftover). Top each one off with a little more shredded cheese. Place a dough circle on each ramekin and let it drape over the edge. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Flip each pot pie upside down on a place and carefully lift off ramekin. Top your taco pot pies with some shredded lettuce, sliced olives, taco sauce, etc. and enjoy!





Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Taco Cups

Such a great variation of tacos! We love Mexican food at our house (especially the man of the house) and so I always love a good Mexican recipe. I saw this idea over at my favorite food blog, Mel's Kitchen Cafe and knew we had to try it. We weren't disappointed, we loved this dinner. I served these with a green salad and some corn, yum!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 taco seasoning packet plus the water it requires (or your favorite homemade mix)
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
12 small fajita sized flour tortillas
toppings- shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, olives, salsa etc.

Preparation:
First lightly grease a muffin tin. Cut out about 4" circles out of each of your tortillas, I just used one of those hospital mugs. I flipped it upside down and then cut around it with a paring knife. Place a tortilla into each muffin well and set aside. In a skillet start to brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Halfway through cooking add the diced pepper and onion. Once finished cooking add taco seasoning packet and water and cook according to packet instructions. Once that's done add the tomato sauce and cook over medium-low heat for a couple minutes. After the meat is done cooking, spoon some into each of the tortillas. Nate topped his with some queso and sriracha before baking. You can add your shredded cheese now or after baking. Bake at 375 degree F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the tortilla cups are a nice light golden brown. Serve and top with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Cowboy Style Salisbury Steaks

Salisbury steak holds such a tender spot in my heart. This creamy salisbury steak was the first "new" recipe I tried on my quest to become a better cook. It was such an instant hit with Nate and I, and it sparked my desire to learn about recipes and cooking and improve my skills. Since we love salisbury steak so much, I knew I had to try this recipe when I saw it over at One Lovely Life. Now, you'll have to picture this dish smothered in sauteed onions. I cut into my onion and it was not up to par so I had to omit it. This dish is a nice rich and hearty meal, great for cold winter nights. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/2 packet Lipton's beef onion soup mix
1 egg
1/4 cup crushed saltines or breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. McCormick's hamburger seasoning (optional, anytime I make ground beef I add some of this)
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups beef broth (I used low-sodium)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Preparation:
To make the steaks, combine ground beef, soup mix, hamburger seasoning, a bit of salt and pepper, garlic powder, egg, saltines, and 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce in a medium sized mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix, but don't over-mix or it will become tough. Divide and shape the meat into 4 equal sized patties. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter. Once hot sear the patties on both sides. Once browned, place the patties in a lightly greased 9x13" glass baking dish. Reduce the heat on the stove to medium and add the sliced onions and a bit of salt and pepper. Sautee for 3-4 minutes or so, until onion starts to soften. Spoon cooked onions over the salisbury steaks. Return pan to stove, keeping the heat on medium. Add remaining Tbsp. of butter and melt. Once melted, add minced garlic and sautee for a 30-60 seconds, stirring often so as not to burn the garlic. Add flour and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Add beef broth and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce to pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often until sauce reaches your desired consistency. Pour gravy mixture over beef patties and onions. Cover baking dish with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, flipping patties halfway through. Serve hot with mashed potatoes.

Again, picture the onions on top :)

Friday, November 30, 2012

Make-Ahead Cheesy Bacon Mini Meatloaves

Katie emailed me this recipe yesterday. She said it was a big hit with everyone at her house! That's always a sure sign of a winner recipe. It's also a recipe you can make ahead and freeze, bonus! Katie adapted this recipe from one over at Kraft Foods. She told me she thought Nate would really enjoy it. Bacon, Stove Top stuffing, barbecue sauce, three of his most favorite foods. I'm sure once he sees this he'll be asking for it to be put on the menu. This also seems like a recipe that would be great to take over to someone who's just had a baby or surgery, I'm sure they would enjoy it.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. ground turkey
1 (6 oz.) package chicken flavored Stove Top stuffing
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
3 green onions, sliced
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
8 slices of bacon

Preparation:
Whisk the eggs and milk in large bowl until blended. Add all remaining ingredients (except bacon); mix lightly. Shape into 8 one inch thick patties and then wrap the bacon slice around the edge of each patty.

I doubled the recipe and cooked half at 375 degrees for 20 minutes and then added a scoop of mashed potatoes on the top while they finished cooking (another 15 minutes). So yummy!

With the remaining patties I flashed froze them and then individually wrapped and then put in freezer bag for another night when I am tempted to buy dinner because of a crazy day. Then it says to cook the unwrapped frozen patties for 45 minutes.
I suggest spraying the pan with cooking spray before placing on the rimmed baking sheet! Enjoy!



Here is a batch all wrapped and ready for the freezer.


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Homemade Crunchwraps

Don't even be surprised that it's another Mexican dish! They are always a hit at our house. Poor Nate had gone a week or so without Mexican food due to the holiday, he was overdue! This recipe is a copy cat idea from a dish they serve at Taco Bell. I don't know how close this is to the actual crunchwrap, but we both liked this version and will definitely be making these again. I really liked that you can individualize these crunchwraps, that way Nate can make his as spicy as he wants and I can have mine the way I like. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can refried beans (I used fat free)
1 packet + 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
shredded lettuce
salsa
hot sauce (Nate's favorites are Tapatio and Sriracha)
queso (we like Tostito's brand salsa con queso)
tostada shells or broken up tortilla chips
large flour tortillas (the largest ones I could find were burrito sized and they worked well)
shredded cheddar cheese
vegetable oil

Preparation:
In a large skillet brown and crumble ground beef. Halfway through cooking, add the diced onion and green pepper. Once browned, add the taco seasoning packet and water and mix thoroughly, reduce heat and finish cooking according to packet directions. Once complete, set aside. Heat the refried beans with 1 Tbsp. of taco seasoning added. I just do it in a small pot over medium heat. Also heat up your queso. The crunchwraps just get grilled for a few minutes, so you want your fillings to go in hot. Now you'll need to assemble your crunchwraps, you can do it in any order you like, this is just how Nate and I made them last night. I microwave my flour tortillas for just 10-15 seconds so they are pliable and easier to work with. Place a tortilla down, then spread a bit of queso in a circle in the center of the tortilla. Remember you're going to be folding up the sides, so don't make too huge of a circle. Then spread some refried beans on top of the queso. Place a tostada shell on next, you can also just break up some tortilla chips instead. You don't want the chips to be powder fine, just broke into large pieces so you still get a good crunch. Next top the chips with some ground beef. Then add some hot sauce or taco sauce or salsa on top of the beef. Sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on next if you like and finally top with some shredded lettuce. Now you'll gently fold up the sides of the flour tortilla. Be careful not to pull too tight or you'll break the tortilla. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. I brushed a tiny bit of vegetable oil over the bottom of the pan. Once hot, place the crunchwrap folded side down into the skillet. Grill for a few minutes or until you get that nice golden brown color. Then flip the crunchwrap over and grill the other side until golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy!





I shared this over at High Heels and Grills.