Cowboy Dinner

INGREDIENTS

Beef Mixture:
• 2 pounds lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 1/2 cups salsa (jarred or homemade)
• 1 can (15 ounce) black, pinto or white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cornbread Topping:
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 1 ½ cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 ¼ cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan and set aside.
2. In a large 12-inch skillet, brown the ground beef and onion, adding the salt and pepper, over medium-high heat until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the pan. Stir in the corn, salsa, and beans. Pour the beef mixture into the prepared 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.
3. For the cornbread, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, beaten eggs and milk. Whisk together until just moistened and no dry spots remain.
4. Sprinkle the cheese over the beef mixture and pour the cornbread batter over the cheese and beef mixture. Gently spread the cornbread to the edges of the pan, evening it out over the top of the casserole.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges are bubbly and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/cowboy-dinner/

Pineapple Meatballs

(This is really quick and easy when you use frozen meatballs - we like the ones from Costco.  I've made it in a skillet too).

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs:
• 2 lbs lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce:
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 ¾ cups pineapple juice (reserved from pineapple tidbits - use water to make up the difference if you don't have enough reserved juice)
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (14 oz) can pineapple tidbits

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Make the meatballs by combining all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into about 1” meatballs.
2. Brown Meatballs in a non-stick frying pan and drain on paper towels (or if you want to save time brown in the oven on a cookie sheet while you’re making the sauce).
3. Make the sauce by combining cornstarch and brown sugar in a sauce pan. Then add 1 ¾ cup pineapple juice and blend until the mixture is smooth. Add vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and stir. Simmer uncovered on medium low until thickened (about 8 minutes - mine only took about 4 minutes to thicken).
4. In a casserole dish pour sauce over meatballs and add pineapple tidbits. Lightly mix meatballs until they are coated with the sauce. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until fully cooked.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/pineapple-meatballs/

Ultimate Beef Stroganoff {Slow Cooker}

(Danielle put this over Orzo pasta - which we really liked!)

Ingredients

• 2-3 pounds stew meat (or a 3-pound chuck roast, cubed)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ cups beef broth or stock
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1/3 cup flour
• 6-7 tablespoons apple juice or water
• 4-8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup light or regular sour cream

Directions

1. Place the stew meat, salt, pepper and onion in the slow cooker. Stir to distribute the seasonings and onion. In a small bowl, combine the garlic salt, Worcestershrie sauce, beef broth and ketchup. Pour over the meat.
2. Cook for 7-9 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, combine the flour and apple juice in a small bowl, whisking vigorously to combine well. The roux should be thick but still pourable so add a tablespoon of apple juice or water at a time to thin, if needed. Pour the flour mixture into the slow cooker, whisking quickly to mix in the roux with the stew meat and juices and to avoid lumps. Add the mushrooms and stir.
4. Cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir in ½ cup sour cream right before serving. Serve over pasta, rice or baked potatoes.

 http://www.melskitchencafe.com/the-ultimate-beef-stroganoff/

Crockpot Lasagna Soup

1 lb ground beef (or vegetarian crumble)
3 cups of beef broth (or vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
1 cup of water
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TB dried parsley
1 TB dried basil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1, 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1, 6oz can of tomato paste
1 cup V8 (or any vegetable drink)
2 cups uncooked shell pasta
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Optional topping- shredded cheese

1. First mix together the can of tomatoes, and tomato paste in crockpot.

2. Next add broth, beef, garlic, parsley, basil, onion, V8 and salt/pepper.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.

4. When 30 minutes are left of cook time, add in the 1 cup of water and noodles. Stir to combine. Put lid back on and continue cooking for 30 minutes.

http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2012/11/slow-cooker-crockpot-lasagna-soup.html

Korean Beef

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar (I like it sweet so I usually do closer to 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (see note) [I used ground ginger - maybe 1/4 teaspoon?]
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (to desired spiciness)
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced (don't skip this!)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.

Note: here's a trick I learned from Rachael Ray about fresh ginger. I love using fresh ginger in recipes but I never seem to have it on hand since it goes rotten in the refrigerator before I can use it. So, the next time you're at the store grab a large piece of ginger. Peel the entire thing and cut it into 1/2 inch pieces. Put it into a storage bag and keep it in the refrigerator. When you need a few teaspoons or so, all you have to do it pull out one of the small pieces and grate the alloted amount with your Microplane or a zester. It grates really well frozen! Ta da! 

said elizabeth 
http://elizabethbryant.blogspot.com/2010/05/korean-beef.html

Crock Pot Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

29 oz can tomato sauce

8 oz pkg. lasagna noodles, uncooked

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

Directions

1. Spray the inside of the crock-pot with cooking spray

2. Brown the ground beef

3. Stir the tomato sauce in with the ground beef

4. Spread 1/4 of the meat sauce on the bottom of the crock-pot

5. Arrange 1/3 of the uncooked noodles over the sauce (I usually break them up so they fit better)

6. Combine the cheeses in a bowl. Spoon 1/3 of the cheeses over the noodles.

7. Repeat these layers twice

8. Top with remaining sauce

9. Cover and cook on low for 4hrs (I've started the crock-pot on high in the morning before I leave for work and then put it on warm when I leave and it's perfect when I get home)

10. Let the lasagna stand in the crock-pot with the lid off for at least 10 minutes

* Variations *

1. Add chopped onion and garlic to the ground beef in step 2

2. Use Italian sausage in place of ground beef or with ground beef

3. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese to the cheese mixture. Replace cottage cheese with Ricotta.

4. Add 1/2 cup additional shredded mozzarella cheese to the top of lasagna 5 minutes before serving

Philly Cheesesteaks

2 c. beef broth

1 pack onion soup mix

1 lb. black angus roast beef (thin sliced from deli works great)

1 green pepper, sliced

1 large onion, sliced

4-8 oz. cream cheese

Sliced Provolone Cheese (2 slices per sandwich)

6 hoagies

Bring beef broth and onion soup mix to a boil. Add the roast beef, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. In meantime, sauté onion and pepper in skillet. When beef is done simmering, drain the juices (you can keep the juice for an 'au jus'dip).  Then add roast beef to the skillet of onion and about 4 oz. cream cheese. 

Spread remaining cream cheese onto hoagie buns. When the cream cheese in the skillet is all melted, generously put a portion of the beef onto the hoagie. Top with provolone and place the sandwiches open faced on a large baking sheet. Broil on high for a minute till cheese becomes bubbly and bread is toasty. Serve immediately.

Rebekah's Beef and Broccoli

Marinade-

2 lbs sirloin steak, sliced diagonally

2 T soy sauce

1 T oyster sauce

2 t sugar

2 t apple juice

1 t sesame oil

1 T vegetable oil

2 T cornstarch

Add and stir fry-

1 bunch broccoli

1 onion

1 clove garlic

1 slice ginger

2 T beef stock (or more)