Last week I grabbed two pounds of ground beef out of our freezer and went to work. I had planned on burgers, but found out that’s what we were having Thursday with the family for dinner so I had to change my menu. That’s the beauty about ground beef. There is so much you can make with it that takes minimal effort and honestly, not many ingredients. I thought about it all day, pondering what to make with those two pounds of ground beef.
I had just made meatloaf the week before. I had been craving it and made a big old loaf. I love meatloaf sandwiches for leftovers.
Meatloaf
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Ritz crackers crushed fine
• 1 cup of ketchup (add more if not moist enough)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tsp salt & pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Mix together. Slap that puppy into a loaf. Squirt ketchup over the top. Place in an oil sprayed dish covered with foil and bake at 350 for an hour and a half.
I then thought about tacos. Tacos are never a bad option! It was Tuesday, so Taco Tuesday would have been a perfect option. I had had them a few weeks prior, but was holding onto the idea of having them again.
Tacos
• 1 + lbs .of ground beef
• Taco seasoning
• Your favorite shells, cheese & veggies to stuff it with!
Cook meat over stove top in a pan. Add seasoning to your liking and let that baby simmer as long as you can to get amazing flavor.
We hadn’t had meatballs in forever. Oh man, that sounded good! Typically, when I make meatballs, I make four to five pounds so I can freeze a bunch of them for separate meals like spaghetti and meatballs, meatball hoagies, or stuffed shells with meatballs. Two pounds wouldn’t have taken long to whip up.
Meatballs
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt & pepper
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
Mix all ingredients together and roll balls out with your hands. Lightly fry the outside of meatballs in a few tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium heat. You just want the outside to brown, it takes only 2-3 minutes. Place those balls in a cooking dish smothered in a delicious tomato sauce. Bake covered at 350 for an hour to an hour and a half, stirring occasionally.
Still undecided, I drove to Weis after work. I either needed a pack of rolls for my one idea, or a boxed meal to help dinner come together. I hadn’t decided. I was walking into the store and my phone rang. “Mom, when are you coming home?” It was Ty. I told him I was just walking into the store and would be right home. “Hey Ty, I’ll let you pick dinner out tonight. It’s between two things. The first thing is the Velveeta Skillet dinner I make sometimes…
Velveeta Skillet Dinner
Drive to the store and get yourself a box of “The Ultimate Cheeseburger Mac”.
I use 2 lbs. of meat for one box. Follow directions on the box, and serve with a salad.
Yea, yea, it’s a boxed dinner, and honestly the only box dinner I buy, but I promise you it’s so good! How can you go wrong with beef, pasta and Velveeta cheese!?
Such an easy meal the whole family will love.
“The second option is my hamburg BBQ, Ty. Which one would you like?”
“That’s easy mom. You know I want your BBQ! It’s my favorite!”
Hamburg BBQ
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup good quality ketchup
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 Tbs. mustard
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• Salt & Pepper to taste
Brown hamburger with onion. Drain, then add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for at least another 30 minutes on a simmer until it gets nice and thick.
Ty picked the perfect dinner. It hit the spot. I hadn’t made BBQ in a while. I bought some 647 rolls and made us all a salad. Grapes and Sunchips also were a part of our meal that night.
Ground beef gives us so many options for an easy delicious meal for our families on busy nights. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated! Here are five recipes to help you with your week. Get your beef on!
