Taco Casserole

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup salsa

½ cup mayo or salad dressing

2 tsp chili powder

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

1 cup shredded Colby cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 medium tomato, chopped

2 cups shredded lettuce

In a saucepan, brown ground beef and drain. Add salsa, mayo, and chili powder, mixing well.  In an ungreased 2 quart baking dish, layer half the meat mixture, chips and cheese.  Repeat layers.  Bake uncovered at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.  Just before serving, top with lettuce and tomato. Yields 6 servings.

You can just use cheddar cheese and it works great.

Contributed by GayLynn S.

Meat Muffins

1 egg, beaten

1 c. milk

2 c. soft  bread crumbs

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp. Dried thyme

¼ tsp pepper

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 lbs lean ground pork

Topping:

½ c. packed brown sugar

1/3 c. ketchup

In a large bowl, combine egg, milk, bread crumbs, salt, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and pepper.  Add beef and pork; mix well.  Divide mixture into 16 equal portions, Pat meat portions lightly into 2-1/2 in. muffin cups.  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.  Carefully drain.  In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients.  Spoon topping over each meat muffin.  Bake about 10 minutes more or until no pink remains.  Let muffins stand a few minutes before serving.  Makes 16 servings.

Easy Cheesy Meat And Potatoes

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef

(2) 10 ½ oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1 large yellow onion, diced

(1) 10 ½ oz. can cream of chicken soup

7 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp. thyme

1 1/2 tsp. marjoram

2 bags frozen tater tots

4 cups Colby jack cheese shredded

Heat a 14" Dutch oven using 22-24 briquettes bottom until oven is hot. Add ground beef, onions, and garlic to hot oven, season with salt and pepper, and fry until beef is brown and onions are translucent. Remove ground beef and onion mixture from the oven and place in a large bowl. To the bowl add soup, sour cream, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, and marjoram and stir to mix.

Layer 1 bag of tator tots in bottom of oven. Spoon one half of the ground beef sauce mixture over the tater tots. Sprinkle one half of the cheese over the sauce. Layer again with the second bag of tater tots, the rest of the remaining sauce, and the remaining cheese.

Cover and cook 90 minutes using 12-14 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top heat rotating oven and lid every 10-15 minutes.  Serves: 15-20

Contributed by Amber H.

Tater Tot Casserole

2 lbs. ground beef
salt and pepper to taste, to taste
1 - 10 oz. can low-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream (low fat is okay)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 - 32 oz. package frozen tater tots

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.  Brown ground beef. Season with salt and pepper while browning. Drain.  Spread ground beef in the prepared baking dish. Whisk together soup and sour cream. Spread over ground beef in an even layer.  Sprinkle one cup of cheddar cheese over the soup layer.  Top with tater tots.  Bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Spaghetti Sauce

1 lg. can diced tomatoes, undrained, purred in blender

1/3 c. white onion, chopped, sautéed with garlic in olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced, sautéed with onion in olive oil

1 lb. ground beef

1 (6 oz.) tomato paste

1 Tb. Brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp dried basil

½ tsp. dried thyme

Combine and simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve over pasta.

Lazy Day Chili

1 lb hamburger, browned

1 medium onion half, chopped

1-2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

½ - ³/₄ cups water (mix in a little flour to have thicker chili, if desired)

1-2 Tb chili powder

1-2 Tb brown sugar

1 Tb vinegar

2 tsp mustard

1 tsp salt

¹/₈ tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients in a pot and simmer.  Serve warm.

Lasagna - Four Ways

Traditional Lasagna – Contributed by Amber H.

1 pound ground beef

3/4 pound bulk pork sausage

3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 eggs

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

3 cups (24 ounces) small-curd cottage cheese

1 carton (8 ounces) ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

6 slices provolone cheese

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, sugar, seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
    In a large bowl, combine the eggs and parsley. Stir in the cottage cheese, ricotta and Parmesan.
    Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles, provolone cheese, 2 cups cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup mozzarella, three noodles, 2 cups meat sauce, remaining cottage cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with the remaining noodles, meat sauce and mozzarella (dish will be full).
    Cover and bake at 375° for 50 minutes. Uncover; bake 20 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.

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Easy Lasagna

{This happens to be my personal favorite because it's so easy!  And it doesn't hurt that everyone else raves about it, too.}

2 eggs mixed with cottage cheese (1 lb. Container)

1 lb browned hamburger, mix in 1 large can tomato juice and 2 packages Schilling Spaghetti Sauce Mix

Lasagna noodles

Parmesan cheese

Mozzarella cheese

Layer in the following order in a 9x13 pan:

•                  Noodles

^{•                   1}/₂ meat mixture

•                  Cottage cheese mixture

•                  Parmesan Cheese

•                  Noodles

•                  Meat mixture

Bake for 1 hour at 350°.  Add mozzarella cheese last 15 minutes of baking.  Allow to set up about 15 minutes after baking.

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Lasagna Toss – Contributed by GayLynn S.

 1 pkg. (12 oz) large shell pasta, uncooked

1 pound ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ½ cup (14 oz. jar) spaghetti sauce

 1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

Grated parmesan cheese, optional

Heat oven to 350°.  Cook pasta according to pkg. directions for 11 minutes; drain.  Meanwhile, in large skillet brown ground beef with onion and garlic; drain off excess fat.  Stir in sauce and simmer 10 minutes or until meat is thoroughly cooked.  Remove 1 cup meat sauce; set aside.  Stir cooked pasta into remaining sauce.  Place half pasta mixture in 2 qt casserole.  Combine ricotta cheese with parsley; evenly spread on top of mixture in casserole.  Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.  Place remaining pasta mixture on top of cheese; cover with reserved meat sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese.  Cover and bake 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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Taco Lasagna

{How about breaking with traditional Italian and going Mexican?}

1 lb. Ground beef

½ c. chopped green pepper

½ c. chopped onion

2/3 c. water

1 envelope taco seasonings

1 can black beans

1 can Mexican diced tomatoes, undrained

6 flour tortillas

1 can refried beans

3 c. shredded Mexican cheese blend, separated

In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes.  Stir in the black beans and tomatoes.  Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Place two tortillas in a greased 13x9 inch baking dish.  Spread with half of the refried beans and beef mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.  Repeat layers.  Top with remaining tortillas and cheese.  Cover and bake at 350° for 25 – 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.  Makes 9 servings. 

Easy Taco Soup

ground beef or turkey (as much or as little as you like)
1 package of chicken taco seasoning

1 can tomato sauce

1 can water

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can sweet corn

1 can black beans (or kidney beans or both)

Fritos or corn chips

sour cream

shredded cheese

Cook the meat with the taco seasoning.  Mix the meat and all of the canned ingredients (un-drained) in a large sauce pan.  Heat thoroughly and serve over Fritos and top with sour cream and grated cheese.

Contributed by GayLynn S.

Sloppy Joes

1 lb ground beef, browned

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1-8 ounce can tomato sauce

1-10 ³/₄ oz can condensed tomato soup

Dash of bottled hot pepper sauce

³/₄ teaspoon salt

¹/₄ tsp chili powder

Combine ground beef, onion and celery in a skillet.  Cook until onion and celery are tender.  Add tomato sauce, tomato soup, hot pepper sauce, salt and chili powder.  Simmer uncovered about 30 minutes.  Spoon onto buns.  Makes 8 servings.

Contributed by Sharlene C.

Long Boy Cheeseburgers

1 lb. Lean ground beef

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Pepper

1 Tb Worcestershire sauce

¼ c. ketchup

¼ chopped onion

½ c. crushed cornflakes

½ c. whipping cream

2 loaves French bread

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Mix together first eight ingredients.  Cut each loaf of bread in half lengthwise; spread one-fourth of meat mixture over each half, covering all the way to edges.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for about 25 minutes, or until meat is cooked, sprinkling with cheese during the last 5 minutes of baking.  Serve sliced.  Makes 8 servings.