California Zucchini Bake

1 lb. Ground beef (or Turkey burger)
3 each Zucchini, sliced thin
¼ cup Green Onions, sliced
¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 teaspoon Chili Powder
4 ounce Green Chilies, diced
3 cups Rice, cooked
1 cup Sour Cream
2 cups Cheese (I omit the cheese, but sprinkle a bit on top of half the casserole for my family)
about ½ - 1 teaspoon Salt
about ¼ teaspoon Pepper

Sauté the beef, zucchini, green onions, salt, garlic powder and chili powder in a lightly greased skillet until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender crisp, stirring frequently.  Add green chilies, rice, sour cream and 1 cup of cheese.  Turn into a greased shallow 2-quart casserole.  Arrange tomato slices on top and season with salt and pepper.  Top with remaining cheese.  Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese browns.

French Dip

½ lb. sliced deli roast beef
Sliced Swiss cheese
1 packet prepared Schillings AuJus sauce
Hogi rolls

 Prepare AuJus sauce as directed on the packet.  Put meat in sauce to warm up.  Butter the top of the bun.  Put the meat and cheese on the bottom bun.  Place buns in the oven to brown and melt cheese.  Put together and enjoy.  You can dip the sandwiches in the remaining sauce.

Barbecued Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2 ½ lbs. pork roast
1 bottle (14 ounce) of your favorite barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 medium onion, chopped
8 hamburger buns or hard rolls

Place the pork roast in a crock-pot and cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours or until done.  Remove the pork roast from the crock-pot.  Shred the meat with two forks and pour out any liquid from the crock-pot.  Return the pork to the stoneware and add the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and onion.  Cook on low for 1 hour or on high for 2 hours.  Serve the pork on hamburger buns or hard rolls.

Corned Beef & Cabbage...St. Patrick's Day

Corned Beef Roast
5 peppercorns
8-10 small red potatoes
Carrots...I like a lot of vegetables
1 large Head Cabbage
Broth

Trim fat from roast.  Place in stock pot and cover with beef broth & chicken broth and water (until covered completely).  Add seasoning packet and peppercorns.  Cook 50 minutes for each pound of roast.  Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.  Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

Chili or Navajo Taco Filling

1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
32 oz stewed tomatoes (I use 1 quart of my canned tomatoes)

2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup water (about)
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons corn starch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to create a slurry

Optional garnishes:

Corn chips
Grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Warm flour tortillas
Lime wedges
Or whatever other taco or chili toppings you like 

Brown and crumble beef in pan over medium heat.  Remove meat and discard all but 1 tablespoon of grease.  Saute onion and garlic until softened in the reserved grease.  Add chili powder, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant.  Return beef to pan and add salt, cocoa powder and Tabasco.  Add tomatoes, beans and water to cover.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove lid and simmer uncovered  for 20 more minutes, stir occasionally.  Stir in peanut butter.  Simmer 10 more minutes.  Thicken as desired with corn starch slurry, stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens.

African Chow Mein

1 – 1 ½ lbs. ground beef/turkey
1 cup chopped onion
¾ cup uncooked quick rice
2 cups celery, chopped
1 can chicken noodle soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup (see alternative below)
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup water

Cream of Mushroom Alternative:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms, keep the juice in

For cream mixture:  Melt butter.  Add flour and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.  Slowly add milk while stirring.  Add mushrooms.  Allow to thicken over medium heat.

Brown beef and onion.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish and bake 45-50 minutes at 350º.

Easy Meatloaf

1 package Stove Top stuffing
½ cup Salsa
1 ½ lb. Ground beef
1 egg

⅓ cup water

 Combine dry stuffing, egg, salsa, and water in the mixer.  Mix for about 30 seconds.  Add ground mean.  Mix for another 30 seconds.  Put in loaf pan.  Cook for 1 hour on 350°.

Meatloaf

Source: my sister-in-law.  She made this for me when I was pregnant and sick with my second daughter.  It was like manna from heaven.  (Makes a great freezer meal)

1 – 1 ½ lbs ground beef or turkey
½ cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon mustard
½ cup milk
1 small onion
1 egg
¾ teaspoon salt
Dash pepper

Topping:
¾ cup Ketchup
2 TBSP brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350º.  Combine all ingredients and place in a 9X13 baking dish (it's going to be long and flat...not like a traditional meatloaf).  Spread topping evenly over the top of the meatloaf.  Cover with foil and bake 1 – 1 ½ hours.

Beef Fajitas

Source

1/2 C Canola oil
1/3 C soy sauce
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
Combination of peppers – red, yellow, orange, green and onion, sliced.
Olive oil
Salt

Using a medium bowl,combine the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, and ground black pepper. Place meat in a large zip loc baggie and pour marinade over the steak. Turning meat to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.

Preheat grill for medium-high heat.  Place steaks on the grill, and discard the marinade. Grill meat for 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Slice meat thinly going across the grain.  While meat is grilling, saute onions and peppers in olive oil and salt until tender.

 Serve with meat on a tortilla. Add sour cream, guacamole and or salsa.

**The is the fajita recipe I've been looking for all my life.  Love it!

Not-So-Sloppy Joes

Source: I got this recipe from a friend years ago, and she got it somewhere online but I couldn't find the link.  If I find it I'll add it!

1 TBSP olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 hamburger buns, toasted
½ cup grated Cheddar
½ cup sour cream

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 12 minutes. Spoon onto the buns, sprinkle with the Cheddar, and top each sandwich with a dollop of the sour cream.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

After giving birth to my second daughter a friend brought a meal over for us...and this was it!  I loved them so much.  I think these are so much more flavorful than regular boring sloppy joes.  Our children really love these too.  Its one of those fail safe meals we can put on the table and have them gobble up.  It is also an easy, quick meal.  I use my little food processor to chop up the onion, garlic and red pepper.