Taco Dip

This taco "dip" is more like a meal. I made it for dinner, and it went over really well with Brent.


Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 lb ground beef
taco seasoning packet
4oz tomato sauce
4 oz cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup salsa
tortilla chips

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo together until smooth. Meanwhile, cook the beef over medium heat. Drain, and stir in the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Cook and stir about 5 minutes.

To mix: In a bowl, pour the lettuce, followed by the cream cheese mixture, then the meat mixture. Finally, top it off with the cheddar cheese and salsa. Use the chips to dip.

4 - 6 servings.

Beef and Cheese Manicotti

I still love Italian, and this is wonderful. I will make this often. Brent, who usually complains about pasta, happily ate the left-overs the next day.

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
Salt
Black pepper
14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
1 (15-ounce) container skim-milk ricotta
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups tomato sauce

Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool. Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Meanwhile, cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes.

2 servings.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

Peasant Pasta

Ingredients:

1 pound extra lean ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup frozen or can green peas

1 Tablespoon basil

1 pound penne rigate pasta, cooked to al dente

Grated Italian cheese

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Cook beef in large skillet over medium high heat until cooked. Drain. Add garlic to the pan. Deglaze the pan drippings using chicken broth. Stir in crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce up to a bubble, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir cream into your sauce, this will blush the color and cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir peas and basil into your sauce to combine. Toss hot drained penne rigate in pan with the sauce, then transfer pasta to serving bowl. Top with cheese.

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6 Servings.

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Source: adapted from Rachel Ray

Smothered Steaks with Peppers and Onions

This recipe is wonderful - delicious, yet quick and easy. I will definitely be making it again. I made it for Brent's lunch, and it was a big hit.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice

4 beef cube steaks or beef patties

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons EVOO

1 green pepper, cut into strips

1 small onion, sliced

2 Tablespoons flour

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons parsley

Make rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Brown in hot oil in pan over medium-high heat. Cook until done. Remove from pan. In pan, saute onions and peppers. Sprinkle with parsley. Meanwhile, in bowl, mix flour, soy sauce, and 1 cup water. Mix well and pour over vegetables. Cook and stir until sauce thickens. Spoon sauce over steaks. Serve with rice.

2-3 servings.

Mexican Meatballs

DH loves Mexican food, but I get tired of tacos all the time. I decided to try something different but still with a Mexican flare. We both loved them.


1 lb extra lean ground beef
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped object
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs object
1 large egg
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 16-ounce jar salsa


Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, preferably ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat; let cool. In a large bowl, combine the beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, and onion mixture. Shape into 12 meatballs. Wipe out skillet, add the remaining oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 7 minutes total. Pour the salsa over the top and cook on medium for 20 minutes.

I served this with Mexican rice, and topped the meatballs with diced tomatoes.

4 servings.


Source: RealSimple cookbook

Easy Baked Ziti

This recipe is tasty but easy.

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef

8 oz ziti

14 oz jar spaghetti sauce

7 oz ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon Parsley

1/2 onion, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions. In skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic until done. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix egg, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan, and Parsley. Drain beef and add spaghetti sauce. Preheat oven to 350. In casserole dish, spoon in spaghetti meat sauce. Top with 1/2 of pasta. Top with cheese mixture. Top with 1/2 of pasta. Add remaining 1 cup of cheese to top. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake and additional 5 minutes.

4 servings

Nacho Spuds

These are wonderful! I made as an appetizer when my family visited. They were so perfect, delicious, and went over well. For recipe info, see Celeste's blog: http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com/2008/01/nacho-spuds.html

Rigatoni Toss Baked

I am on a vegetable kick lately, as you can tell. Brent is not good about eating vegetables by themselves, so I've been putting them in any foods I can. This turned out so good. I wish I had made more.

Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (20 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced black olives, drained (optional - I did not use)
1 beef bouillon cube
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pounds rigatoni pasta
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

In soup pot, brown beef and drain. Add bell pepper, carrots, onion, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, except rigatoni. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Preheat oven to 300. Toss the pasta with the sauce and mix well. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

5 - 6 servings.

Mushroom Burger Steaks

Sorry, we were so hungry, we ate these before I remembered to take a picture. These turned out great. Its just a new twist on a traditional burger.

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, diced
5 oz small mushrooms
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Parsley
1 Tablespoon tomato puree

Directions:
Mix onion and mushrooms in food processor. Add beef, breadcrumbs, tomato puree, and parsley. Process for a few seconds. Divide into 4 pieces and shape into 4 burger patties. Cook in non-stick pan for 12 -15 minutes, turning once.

Serving option: (1) on a bun, as a traditional burger, or (2) with beef gravy and mashed potatoes - my personal favorite

4 servings.

Meatball Soup

This "soup" is very hearty, more like a stew. It was so good and easy to make, this will become a go-to meal for me when I'm too busy to cook dinner. Just place this in the crock pot in the morning and dinner will be ready when you get home.

Ingredients:

Meatballs - either 12 oz pkg frozen cooked meatballs or make your own like I did (recipe below)
6 - 7 red potatoes, quartered
16 oz pkg baby carrots
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 can (10 1/2 oz) beef gravy
1 cup water
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules

Directions:
Place potatoes, carrots, onion and meatballs in crock pot/slow cooker. In bowl, mix all remaining ingredients. Pour over meatball mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 - 10 hours.

6 servings.
Source: Taste of Home Slow Cooker Classics Cookbook


Meatballs:

Ingredients:
3/4 lb extra lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup diced onion
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Parsley
2 Tablespoons ketchup

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a bowl, mix all ingredients together with mixer. Mix for about 3 minutes, until well blended. Divide into pieces and shape into 1 inch meatballs. Place in greased glass pan about 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Cool in refrigerator over night.

Swedish Meatballs

This is reminiscent of stroganoff, but it still turned out great.

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Ingredients:

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1 lb extra-lean ground beef

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup onion, minced

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cup beef broth

2 Tablespoons flour

1 Tablespoons lemon juice

Egg noodles, cooked

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Directions:

Heat skillet with EVOO. Add onions and salt and cook well. Mix 1/4 cup evaporated milk with bread crumbs. Mix well. Add cooked onions, yolk, salt, allspice, and pepper. Add meat and blend well. Shape into 1 inch balls. In skillet, melt butter and cook meatballs. When cooked, remove from skillet. Add flour to skillet and cook for 1 minute. (Add more butter if necessary). Whisk in broth and mix well. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add remaining 3/4 cup evaporated milk. Heat over medium. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add meatballs and lemon juice. Heat until sauce thickens. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

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2 - 3 servings

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

1 lb extra-lean ground beef

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 cup ketchup

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 Tablespoon French mustard

1/8 teaspoon Basil

1/8 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Hamburger buns

Directions:

Cook beef in skillet until no longer pink. Drain well. Return beef to pan. Stir in tomatoes, ketchup, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, French mustard, basil, and Cajun seasoning. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns.

Makes about 4 - 5 buns. I served this with homemade French fries.

Source: Southern Living Magazine (with a few of my alterations).

Spaghetti with Cheesy Meatballs

I love spaghetti, and these meatballs are really great. Anything cheesy is good with me. I served this with Italian salad. The meatballs are so filling, we could barely eat half our plates.

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup (1/2 slice) bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
2 - 3 Tablespoons Romano cheese
2 - 3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can spaghetti sauce
Spaghetti noodles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions. In bowl, mix all ingredients except spaghetti sauce and noodles. Shape into 1 inch balls. Places in a large greased dish. Bake 20 - 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat spaghetti sauce in pan over medium heat. When meatballs are fully cooked, place into pan with spaghetti sauce. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Serve spaghetti sauce over noodles.

4 servings

Meatloaf

This is one of my favorites. Its not very pretty, but it tastes great. Its so easy to make - just mix up the ingredients and pop it in the oven. I usually help myself to two servings.... DH likes it too :)

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Ingredients:

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1 1/2 lbs. extra lean ground beef

1 tomato, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 bread slice, torn into small pieces

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

8 oz can (1 cup) tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons mustard

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients together. Form the meat mixture into a greased pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

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4 - 6 servings.

Blue Cheese Sirloin Patties

This take on the traditional hamburger is something that everyone should love.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs extra-lean ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup blue cheese
1/8 cup parsley flakes
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon EVOO
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Shape beef into 8 very thin patties. In a bowl, mix the cheeses, parsley, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire, and salt. Place 1/4 of the mixture onto 4 of the patties. Spread evenly. Top with the remaining 4 patties. Mash the sides together to seal. Heat the EVOO in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties at about 5- 7 minutes on each side.

4 servings. These go great with French Fries or baked beans

Farmhouse BBQ Muffins

This is not low fat, but these are so delicious!! My little brother won a 4H cooking contest with these years ago. DH loves these, and can't get enough. They are so easy to make!

Ingredients:

10 oz can buttermilk biscuits (the flaky biscuits or extra large biscuits don't work as well)
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1/3 cup ketchup
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Separate the dough into twelve biscuits. Flatten the biscuits into 5 inch circles. Press into the bottom and sides of greased muffin cups. Meanwhile, brown the beef in a skillet. Drain the beef and pour into mixing bowl. To the bowl, add ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and chili powder. Mix well. Divide among the biscuits. Top each "muffin" with cheese. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Makes 3-4 servings

These muffins go great with most vegetables, including corn, carrots, or a nice ranch salad. No bread required.

Stuffed Peppers

This is a classic recipe that my mom has been making for years. DH really likes it and usually helps himself to two peppers.

Ingredients:

3 bell peppers

3/4 lb extra-lean ground beef

1/8 cup diced onion

1/2 cup cooked long grain brown rice

1 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove

8 - 12 oz tomato sauce

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese (feel free to use fat free)

Directions:

Cook rice according to package directions. Cook beef and onion in pan until browned. Remove the top of each pepper. Remove the seeds and rinse. Boil the peppers in water for about 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. In beef pan, stir in rice, salt, garlic, tomato sauce. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stuff the peppers with the beef and rice mixture. Stand upright in baking dish. Pour any extra mixture around the sides of the peppers. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes.

3 servings. I made this with corn or the cob and buttermilk biscuits.

Zesty Beef and Pasta

DH really liked this one. He usually doesn't eat vegetables, so any chance for me to sneak vegetables into his diet is a success.

Ingredients:

1 lb extra-lean ground beef

1 green pepper, sliced up

1 cup chopped onion

14 oz can stewed tomatoes

12 oz can corn, drained

2 cups egg noodles

4 oz can green chilies, drained

1 package taco seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup grated cheese, Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Cook beef, onion, and peppers in skillet until beef is cooked and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, and add tomatoes, juice and all. Stir to mix well. Add all remaining ingredients, except noodles. Cook and stir about 5 minutes. Pour noodles in sprayed casserole dish. Top with meat and vegetable mixture from pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Stir once. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.

This makes about 6 servings. 1 serving = 315 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 30 carbs

Spinach Meatloaf

I have never made this for DH, because he doesn't like spinach. I used to make it for my friends all the time, and they loved it.

Ingredients:

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 of a small onion, diced
5 oz package of frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed, and dried
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (about 1 slice)
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 lb ground beef

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. Pre-spray a metal pan with cooking oil. In a skillet, cook the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook about 5 minutes, until the onion is tender. Remove half the onion from the pan, and set aside. To the skillet, add spinach, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1/8 cup Romano cheese, 1/8 cup heavy cream, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. To the other 1/2 of the onions, mix together with the raw meat, the egg, the remaining breadcrumbs, the remaining Romano cheese, the remaining cream, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Mix well. Put 1/2 of the meat into the greased pan, then the spinach mixture, then another layer of meat. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Makes about 4 servings.