Easy Baked Meatballs

Recipe Found Here

1 pound ground beef 

2 teaspoons garlic powder 

2 teaspoons onion powder 

1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 teaspoon salt  

1 large egg 

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs 

1/2 cup lukewarm water 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

In a large bowl combine ground meat, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, salt, egg, cheese, and breadcrumbs. Slowly add the water, a few Tablespoons at a time, mixing with your hands until everything is just combined. Don't over mix here or it'll make the meatballs tough. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape when rolled into meatballs. 

Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop about one Tablespoon of meat into your palms and roll it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all of the meat. 

Place the baking sheet in the oven to bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they're cooked through. 

Beef Stew

Recipe Found HERE 

3 pounds boneless beef chuck (well-marbled), cut into 1½-inch pieces 

2 teaspoons salt 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

3 tablespoons olive oil 

2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch chunks 

7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 

1½ tablespoons tomato paste 

¼ cup all-purpose flour 

2 cups dry red wine (optional, can replace with beef broth) 

2 cups beef broth 

2 cups water 

1 bay leaf 

 ½ teaspoon dried thyme 

1½ teaspoons sugar 

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal 

1 pound small white boiling potatoes (baby yukons), cut in half 

Fresh chopped parsley, for serving (optional) 

Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower middle position. 

 Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the meat in 3 batches, turning with tongs, for about 5 minutes per batch; add one tablespoon more oil for each batch. (To sear the meat properly, do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a nice brown crust before turning with tongs.) Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside. 

Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the brown bits from bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more. Add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir with wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and braise for 2 hours. 

Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and place back in oven for about an hour more, or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender. Fish out the bay leaf and discard, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve the stew warm -- or let it come to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to serve. This stew improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead. Reheat, covered, over medium heat or in a 350°F oven. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. 

NOTE: If you don’t have a Dutch oven or covered pot that is appropriate for the oven, the stew can be cooked on the stove. The timing will be the same and it should be cooked over the lowest setting. 

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The stew can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the stew in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.

Beef Enchiladas

Recipe Found HERE

SPICE MIX 

1 tsp each onion & garlic powder 

1 Tbsp cumin powder

1 Tbsp paprika 

1 Tbsp dried oregano 

1/2 – 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, spiciness) 

ENCHILADA SAUCE

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp flour, plain/all purpose

2 cups chicken stock /broth, low sodium

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce (eg Hunts) 

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper 

BEEF

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves , minced

1 onion , finely chopped (1 cup)

1 lb  ground beef (mince)

1 can (14oz) refried beans

1 can (14oz) black beans, drained 

ENCHILADAS

8 tortillas

1 1/2 cups grated melting cheese, or more (I like Monterey Jack, tasty or cheddar cheese) 

Cilantro, roughly chopped (optional garnish) 

Mix together Spice Mix ingredients. Set aside. 

ENCHILADA SAUCE 

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix to combine into a paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. 

Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, whisk straight away then it will turn into a thick smooth paste quite quickly. 

Add remaining chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and 2 Tablespoons of SPICE MIX. Whisk. 

Increase heat slightly to medium high. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick syrup. Remove from stove. 

FILLING 

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. 

Add beef and cook for 2 minutes, breaking it up as you go. Add remaining Spice Mix. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until completely brown. 

Add refried beans, black beans, about 1/4 cup of Enchilada Sauce + salt & pepper. Mix and cook for 2 minutes then remove from stove. 

ENCHILADAS

Smear a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish (stops sliding). 

Place filling on the lower third of a tortilla. Roll up then place in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining Filling & Tortillas. 

Pour Sauce over the Enchiladas, top with cheese, bake for 10 minutes covered then 10 minutes uncovered. Serve hot!

1. Make-Ahead/Freezer Friendly Instructions: 
2. The enchiladas can be assembled up to one day ahead of time, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated until ready to bake. If you go this route, bake for 15 minutes covered with foil, and then remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted. The enchiladas can also be frozen for up to 3 months before baking (if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight before cooking).

Perfect Pot Roast

Recipe Found HERE

1 whole (4 to 5 pounds) chuck roast 

2 tbsp. olive oil 

2 whole onions 

6 whole carrots (up to 8 carrots) 

Salt, to taste 

Pepper, to taste 

1 c. red wine (optional, you can use beef broth instead) 

2 c. to 3 cups beef stock 

3 sprigs fresh thyme, or more to taste 

3 sprigs fresh rosemary, or more to taste 

First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast. 

Preheat the oven to 275˚. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split). 

Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate. 

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. 

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate. 

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up. 

When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme. 

Put the lid on, then roast in the oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

Goulash

Recipe Found HERE

1 large onion diced (or substitute onion powder)

2 cloves garlic 

1 lb ground beef 

6 oz tomato paste 

1 tsp salt 

1 ½ tsp paprika 

1 tsp dried basil 

1 tsp dried oregano 

½ tsp black pepper 

1 15-oz can tomato sauce 

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes 

2 cups beef stock 

2 cups tomato juice 

1 lb macaroni (dry, uncooked)

6 oz shredded cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese

In a large oven-safe 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, garlic, and ground beef. Break the beef into small bite-size pieces and cook until the beef is browned and the onion has softened, 8-10 minutes. 

Once the beef is cooked, add the tomato paste. Stir and cook the tomato paste until it is worked into the beef and is darker in color, 6-8 minutes.

Add the salt, black pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, and paprika. Stir the spices and herbs in and add the tomato juice, tomato sauce, beef stock, and diced tomatoes with their liquid. Pour in the dried macaroni and stir to combine. 

Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a low simmer. Simmer until the pasta is cooked, 20-30 minutes. Simmering instead of boiling in water will take the pasta longer to cook than the box instructions indicate. While cooking, stir every few minutes to ensure the pasta cooks evenly. 

Once the pasta is cooked, remove it from the heat. 

I like to leave it done at this point on the stovetop and offer cheddar or parmesan cheese for topping it. 

Roast Whole Beef Tenderloin

PREP TIME FOR ROOM TEMP

Recipe combined from HERE and HERE

A larger roast size will take about 45 min or more to roast. I have made it with and without butter, both are fantastic. 

1 (2-5 lb) center-cut whole beef tenderloin roast 

Lawry's Seasoned Salt 

Lemon Pepper 

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 

1/4 cup beef broth (for gravy) 

butter

ROAST

Let the beef stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours before roasting. Set an oven rack in the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F. 

Sprinkle the meat generously with Lawry's Seasoned Salt. You can much more liberally season a tenderloin, because you're having to pack more of a punch in order for the seasoning to make an impact. Start with Lawry's Seasoned Salt. Rub it in with your fingers. Sprinkle both sides generously with lemon pepper seasoning and then the pepper. (There are no measurements because it depends on your taste, but be sure to season liberally. 

Heat the oil in a heavy oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Cook, turning with tongs, until well browned on all but one side, about 10 minutes total. 

OPTIONAL: Throw a couple Tablespoons of butter into the skillet to give it a nice little butter injection before going in the oven. 

Turn the tenderloin so that the un-seared side is down, and transfer the skillet directly to the preheated oven. (If your pan isn't oven-proof, transfer the beef to a lightly oiled roasting pan). Place meat directly on roasting pan or use a rack needed. 

OPTIONAL: Put several Tablespoons of butter all over the meat before placing in the oven. 

Add a little water to the bottom of pan to help from burning the drippings. 

Roast until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 120°F-125° for medium rare (meat in photo is perfectly done at 125°), about 15 minutes, or until done to your liking (115°F-120°F for rare, 130°F-135°F for medium). Keep in mind that these temperatures account for the fact that the temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees while the meat rests. 

I love an oven proof thermometer with an alarm. Just set the meat temperature you want and the alarm sounds when the meat is done and you don't have to keep manually checking the meat opening and closing the oven and losing heat. 

Transfer the meat to a carving board (preferably with a grooved well for collecting juices) and let it rest, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 15 minutes. Place a dishtowel or oven mitt over the handle of the roasting pan to remind yourself that it's hot. 

You can deglaze the pan with about 1/4 cup of water or broth over medium heat on the stovetop. Pour drippings through a mesh strainer to keep smooth. Reserve the drippings for the gravy.

Carve the tenderloin thinly into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Serve the beef with gravy or you can spoon the olive oil/butter juices from the skillet on top of the meat for a little extra flavor.

GRAVY

4 cups of beef broth (use powdered bouillon)

8 Tablespoons flour

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Melt butter in pan. Add flour and whisk until light golden blonde (about 4 minutes), whisking constantly. Slowly add 4 cups of beef broth and whisk until thickened. Pour in drippings from roasting pan, stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

If it tastes too weak add 1 Tablespoon at a time of powdered beef bouillon. 

(Award Winning) Smoked Brisket Chili

This chili has a record of winning 1st prize across the country - I've won with it also!

This is a very hot and spicy chili! To reduce the heat, discard the seeds from the jalapeños. It will still be spicy, even discarding the seeds.  Tip: when removing seeds from jalapenos wear food prep gloves and scrape seeds out with a small spoon to protect skin/fingers from burning. 

Recipe Found HERE 
Recipe also here: http://itsmyrub.com/award-winning-smoked-brisket-chili/

Yield: 1 ½ gallons

3 cups celery, chopped
3 small jalapenos, thinly sliced (I discard all the seeds)
3 purple onions, chopped
vegetable oil or bacon grease
4 cloves of garlic, pressed (or minced)
½ cup + 2 Tablespoons chili powder (Pendery’s Original Chile Blend)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (Pendery's Mexican Oregano)
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 cup red wine (Pinot Noir or Claret)
1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce (I use Hunts)
3 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (Hunts)
3 cups LOW SODIUM beef stock/broth
12 oz. V-8 juice
3 Tablespoons Knorr Tomato Bouillon w/ Chicken Flavor (powdered) (Amazon, Hispanic food section)
2 Tablespoons of whatever rub you used on the brisket (if other than salt and pepper) (optional)
2 ½ lbs. of cooked smoked brisket, cut into 3/8” cubes (you can buy this already smoked from a BBQ restaurant)
Optional: 1-2 (20 oz) cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed (we do not add beans)

3 cups celery, chopped
3 small jalapenos, thinly sliced
3 purple onions, chopped

Sauté the vegetables in vegetable oil or bacon grease until translucent. 10 min +

Then add: 4 cloves of garlic, pressed (or minced) Sauté for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly,

Add the following spices and bloom them in the hot oil with the veggies:

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons chili powder (Pendery’s Original Chile Blend: http://www.penderys.com/ )
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano (also available at http://www.penderys.com/)
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons granulated garlic

Once this mixture has bloomed, add: 1 cup red wine (Pinot Noir or Claret) Reduce the wine down for about 10 minutes.

Then add:
1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce (I use Hunts)
3 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (Hunts)
3 cups LOW SODIUM beef stock/broth
12 oz. V-8 juice
3 Tablespoons Knorr Tomato Bouillon w/ Chicken Flavor (powdered) (Amazon or hispanic foods section)
2 Tablespoons of whatever rub you used on the brisket (if other than salt and pepper) (optional)
2 ½ lbs. of cooked smoked brisket*, cut into 3/8” cubes
Optional: 1-2 (20 oz) cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I added two 14 oz cans)

Bring up to a slight boil, then turn heat down and simmer until brisket starts falling apart, about 3 hours.

*Cook the brisket as you would cook it to eat it, all the way.  The three hour cooking time allows the brisket to fall apart into silky, smaller pieces.  You don't want "chunks" of bite-sized brisket remaining in the chili.  This way allows you to fully enjoy the brisket BOTH ways!

Rub for smoking the Brisket: "It's My Rub!" Power Blend - You can check out the website at www.itsmyrub.com

Joe-approved Meatballs

Recipe Found HERE 

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 cup beef broth, divided
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 Tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Combine the ingredients, except for the meat well, using only 1/4 cup of the beef broth.

Add the meat and just combine. Do not over mix, but be sure seasonings are well dispersed. Coat a baking sheet with rimmed edges with non stick spray (or use parchment paper) and roll meatballs into 1 inch circles. Pour reserved beef broth around meatballs and bake at 450 for 15-25 minutes (160 degrees). 

Nacho Skillet Dinner

Recipe Found HERE

Ground beef, ground turkey, or shredded chicken are all excellent for this dish. If you are short on time you can substitute garlic & onion powder for the fresh stuff. You can also buy a bag of shredded Mexican cheese blend, to save time on shredding. Eat with chips or roll in flour tortillas.

Heather E.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb of ground Turkey, or ground beef, or 2 large shredded chicken breasts (we've done all ways and they are all good)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 cup basmati rice (white rice can be substituted)

1 1/2 cups water
1 (10-ounce can) Rotel, Mild
1 cup corn kernels, frozen
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup crushed tortilla chips
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground turkey, garlic and onion. Cook until turkey has browned, about 5-7 minutes, making sure to crumble the turkey as it cooks; drain excess fat. Stir in rice until toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in Rotel and 1 1/2 cups water, and bring to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Stir in corn, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked through, about 13-16 minutes. Stir in red peppers until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and top with cheeses. Cover until cheeses have melted, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with tortilla chips, tomato and cilantro, if desired.

Beef Burritos

Ground Beef, 7-10% fat 

Pepper

Toppings: 

soft Flour tortillas/hard corn tortillas 

Mexican blend shredded cheese

Sour cream

Rice

Refried Beans 

Tomatoes

Lettuce

Salsa/Taco Sauce

Saute ground beef over medium high heat, until no longer pink. Pepper the meat. 

If using Taco Skillet Sauce, follow directions with the meat. If no sauce you can serve salsa and/or taco sauce on the side. 

Add desired toppings, fold and roll, and eat!  

Sloppy Joe's

• Recipe FOUND HERE
• 
  
• 1-1/4 pounds 90% lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 (14-oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste (or 1 small can)
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco 
• 1-3 teaspoons brown sugar (optional, if you like a sweet sauce)
• Hamburger buns
• butter

In a medium bowl, using your hands, combine the beef with baking soda. Let it sit on the counter for 20-25 min to tenderize. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position.

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until bubbling. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the beef, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and dry mustard and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until mostly brown, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, butter the inside of the buns and place on a baking sheet, butter side up. Toast in the oven until warmed through and lightly crispy, about 5 minutes.
4. Spoon the mixture onto the toasted hamburger buns and serve.

Easy Tin Foil Dinner (camp fire food)

Recipe Found Here 

heavy duty foil
cream of mushroom soup
¼ - ½ pound ground beef
frozen diced hash browns (or cubed and peeled fresh potatoes)
peeled & sliced carrots
sliced onions (or some onion powder)
corn
shredded cheddar cheese
seasonings: salt, pepper, steak seasoning, and/or garlic powder
ketchup

All quantities are approximate. Spray foil with cooking spray. Spoon about ⅓ cup of cream of mushroom soup in the center of the foil. Place a small handfull of beed in the center and top with potatoes, carrots, and onions. Season well with salt and pepper.

Add additional spices as desired. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Fold up securely. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. Thaw frozen dinners before cooking. Cook over campfire coals for 45-90 minutes, checking periodically and turning and rotating until done. May serve with ketchup.

Juicy Perfect Hamburgers

Burger Tips Found Here

Ground Beef (15% fat, 95% lean), I have found this to be the best tasting without excessive fat
Lawry's seasoned salt
Pepper

I use store bought ground beef already ground (I hear grinding your own fresh meat is best). Take meat out of fridge. Form patties without over handling/kneading the meat.

I make smaller patties about 1 inch thick, 4-5 per pound of meat. Lay them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. For expert cooking weigh each patty to help determine cooking time needed for desired doneness.

Just before putting them on the grill, sprinkle each patty liberally with Lawry's seasoned salt and pepper (fresh ground for an extra kick). Flip each patty over and season again on the other side.

Don't salt the patties until they are formed and ready to go on the grill. Grill over medium heat about 4 min per side. Use a meat thermometer so you don't over cook.

*Be aware that store bought meat should be cooked all the way through. Fresh ground beef can be served with some pink, since it was freshly ground and hasn't been sitting and growing bacteria.*
See more HERE

Finish off with desired toppings: cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc.

• 120°F and below for rare (red/raw in the center)
• 130°F for medium-rare (pink and warm)
• 140°F for medium (totally pink, starting to dry out)
• 150°F for medium-well (grayish pink, significantly drier)
• 160°F and above for well done (completely gray, very little moisture)

Meatballs

Recipe found HERE 

1 small onion, grated (or onion powder)
2 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 large egg
3 Tablespoons ketchup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2/3 cup grated Parmesan (freshly grated, not Kraft)
1/4 cup plain Panko
9 ounces ground beef
9 ounces ground pork

Whisk the first 9 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese and Panko. Mix in the beef and pork (if you can't find pork just use all beef). Gently combine all.

Using about 2 Tablespoons of meat for each, shape the meat mixture into meatballs. Place on a baking sheet and bake 350' for 20 minutes. Add to sauce before serving, about 10 minutes before, to heat through.

Hamburger Gravy

(Louise H.)

1 lb. ground beef

3 cups milk

1/2 cup flour

mashed potatoes
Peas

Brown beef in pan until no longer pink. Mix flour in milk with a fork until smooth. Add liquid to the beef and bring to a boil until thickened. Serve over mashed potatoes and peas.   

Shepherd's Pie

Another fabulous recipe for Shepherd's Pie is found at Once Upon a Chef, it is more work, but very "restaurant quality."

1 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (14oz ) can cut green beans, drained
1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato soup (can substitute can tomato sauce in a pinch)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Mashed potatoes (I just buy pre-made in the refrigerated section)

Brown ground beef until no longer pink, drain. Add onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix well. Put into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with drained green beans. Spread tomato soup over beans. Spoon potatoes over mixture. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

San Giorgio Oven Ready Lasagna

Whole milk mozzarella and whole milk ricotta make an extra good dish!

1 lb ground beef (or sausage)
3-4 cups sauce (I use 1 1/2 jars of Classico Four Cheese)
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 pieces Oven Ready Lasagna noodles, uncooked
4 cups (16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese (this is just enough)
1/4 to 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350. Remove 12 pieces of pasta from package. 

In large skillet, cook meat until browned; remove from heat. Drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce.

In a small bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, egg, basil and oregano

Assembly
In a 13x9 inch baking dish, spread 3/4 cup meat sauce.

Place 3 pieces uncooked pasta crosswise over sauce. Pieces should not overlap or touch side of pan since they will expand when baked.

Spread about 2/3 cup ricotta mixture evenly over pasta. Spread 3/4 cup meat sauce evenly over ricotta covering pasta completely; sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 TWO more times. Top with remaining 3 pasta pieces. Spread remaining meat sauce completely over pasta; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and the parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; remove foil. Bake 10-15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with additional sauce, if desired. 10-12 servings.

MAKE AHEAD DIRECTIONS

Prepare as directed; DO NOT BAKE. Cover with foil and refrigerate up to 48 hours or freeze up to 2 months. Bake refrigerated lasagna at 400 about 45 minutes and frozen lasagna 1 hr and 35 min, removing foil during the last 5 minutes of baking. 

The Best Taco Soup

(AnnDee N.)

1 46 ounce can of V-8 juice
1 15 ounce can corn, drained
1 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 7 ounce can diced green chilies
1 package taco seasoning
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef

Toppings (optional)
Sour cream
Tortilla chips/saltine crackers
Graded cheddar cheese

Brown meat in skillet, drain and rinse. Mix remaining ingredients in pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat. Add meat and let simmer for up to 3 hours. May cook in crockpot.

Filet Mignon

Filet Mignon steaks, butterflied if more than 2 inches thick
Olive Oil
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
Fresh ground pepper

Brush filets with olive oil on both sides. Rub pepper and fresh garlic on meat and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. Remove garlic before grilling, to prevent garlic from burning. Grill on medium heat about 4-6 minutes per side, or until desired redness (the redder the better).

Super Fast & Easy Dinner

1 pound lean ground beef, or 2-3 chicken breasts, or 1 container firm tofu
1 jar salsa (preferably fresh, not canned)
Brown Rice
Cheese (optional)

Brown ground beef until no longer pink, or boil chicken breasts about 10 minutes and shred when no longer pink, or drain and dice tofu. Add the jar of salsa to the meat and warm on stove. Serve over rice with cheddar cheese or other toppings.