Original Joes

This has been a family favorite for a long time. But I lost track of it for a while. I made it this week and got RAVE reviews from my kids. Always great when a recipe you make has spinach, and gets RAVE reviews.. RIGHT?

Original Joes

1 lb Ground Beef (I use turkey, always)
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
1/2 Onion, Chopped
Fresh Chopped Mushrooms (to taste)

Saute until meat is browned, and add

3/4 cup Ketchup
3-4 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
Fresh Spinach
Fresh Chopped Tomatoes
4-5 Slices of Pastrami

Italian Seasoning, to your liking... salt and pepper. Cover, and let spinach wilt.

In the end, put grated mozzarella cheese on top and let melt. Serve on buns (Hoagie Style). It is a great meal, with lots of veggies!

Mexican Stuffed Shells

I have been meaning to try these for a while now and I finally got around to it and they were a bit hit! My kids and family loved this dish. A fun twist on the usual stuffed shells. I split this dish into 2 8x8 pans and popped one in the freezer for a great freezer meal later on.

*Recipe curtosy of Taste of Home

Ingredients
24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
2 cups salsa (I used 1 cup)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

TOPPINGS:
8 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
8 tablespoons salsa
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Directions
Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain. In a large nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the salsa, tomato sauce, corn and beans. Spoon into pasta shells.
Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Top with sour cream, salsa, olives and onions. Yield: 8 servings.




Nutritional Analysis: One serving (3 stuffed shells with 1 tablespoon each sour cream and salsa and 1-1/2 teaspoons each olives and onions) equals 323 calories, 10 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 36 mg cholesterol, 787 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 23 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Mexican Stuffed Shells published in Light & Tasty June/July 2002, p29

Meatballs with Peppers and Pineapple

My hopes in you coming to this food blog, is that you don't have to worry about whether or not it is going to be a good recipe. The point is: I have tried it, and it is good.

I am sure you can tell by the looks of this picture, which the fabulous REE DRUMMOND took. So, this was a recipe, based purely on looks that I had to try. What I was excited about was the delicious blend of fruit and veggies. And who doesn't like a nice mix of those. So good for you.

If you want her step by step pictures and directions, you are going to have to go there.

Ingredients

• 1-¼ pound Ground Beef
• ½ whole Onion, Diced Very Finely
• 1 whole Egg
• ½ cups Panko Bread Crumbs (or Regular Breadcrumbs)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper, More To Taste
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• Canola Oil, For Frying
• 2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Seeded And Diced Roughly *Lindsey's note: I think some asparagus would have been screamin' fantastic with this dish! I added peas though. I had some sugar snap peas on hand.
• 1-½ cup Fresh Pineapple Chunks
• 2 cups Beef Stock Or Broth
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• ½ cups Sherry Or White Wine Vinegar
• ⅓ cups Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• Salt To Taste
• Crushed Red Pepper, To Taste
• Extra Beef Stock If Needed

Preparation Instructions

Combine ground beef, diced onion, egg, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and crushed red pepper. Mix with hands until combined. Roll meat mixture into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze on the pan for 15 minutes to firm.

Mix together beef stock, soy sauce, sherry (or vinegar), sugar, and cornstarch.

Heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Roll meatballs in flour, then fry in two batches until nice and brown, about two minutes per batch. Remove meatballs and set aside on a separate plate.

Pour off oil from pan and return pan to medium high heat. When pan is hot, throw in the chopped green peppers and cook for one minute. *Lindsey's note: The Pampered Chef pineapple wedger is an absolute must have, and I noticed that the Pioneer Woman does not have one. Yet, she needs one! Add pineapple to pan and cook for one minute, stirring gently. Pour in stock/soy sauce mixture, then add meatballs. Stir gently to combine and allow to cook and bubble for a few minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Add salt and crushed red peppers to taste. (Hint: this dish is yummy if it’s a little spicy.)

Serve over cooked brown or white rice.

Family Style Vegetable Beef Soup

This soup was simple, with few ingredients and no fuss. It is also so comforting and makes you feel all warm and cozy. Sometimes it's tough to get my kids to eat soups, but they loved all the simple and familiar ingredients in this soup. My family gobbled it up!

1 T olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil garlic and oregano, with liquid
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth
1 package (16 oz)frozen mixed vegetables(mine had green beans, carrot, corn and peas)
1 bay leaf
1 package dry Italian dressing mix
1 c uncooked macaroni

First brown your beef in the tablespoon of olive oil. Season beef with salt and pepper. After pouring off the excess fat, add all diced tomatoes, beef broth, mixed veggies, bay leaf, and Italian seasoning mix. Fill tomato cans with water and add 2-3 cans worth of water to the pot. (Depends on how hearty you want it...but it will thicken up with the addition of the pasta later on.) Give it a good stir and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and cover the pot and let the flavors blend about 20 minutes. Stir in uncooked pasta and cover again for 8-10 minutes until pasta is al dente. Ladle into serving bowls and enjoy.

Lighter Beef Tacos

I found this recipe on Marthastewart.com. I was looking for a taco recipe because I didn't have a packet and I needed to know what seasonings to use. I have never bought another seasoning packet again. Mainly because they are packed with MSG. Which we all know is horrible for you. So, use this recipe from now on!

1 large onion
2 bell peppers
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Course ground salt and pepper
3/4 lb. ground beef

Saute onions and bell peppers and cook until crisp-tender. 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste chili powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Add beef. Cook breaking up meat with a MIX AND CHOP! Until no longer pink. About 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and let simmer, mixing all the ingredients and allowing a sauce to form. Serve warm over tacos, burritos, or taco salad!

Yummy Lime Flank Steak

Try this yummy Martha Stewart Recipe next time you are cooking a flank steak or London Broil.

Ingredients

Serves 4
1/3 cup (about 4 limes) freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 scallions (about 1/3 cup), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
Vegetable oil, for grates
Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Directions
1.In a resealable plastic bag, combine lime juice, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and red-pepper flakes. Add steak, and seal bag (place in a dish to catch any leaks); marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, up to 1 hour.
2.Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. Remove steak from marinade, letting excess drip off (discard marinade); season with salt and black pepper. Place on grill; cover. Cook, turning once, until meat reaches desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing thinly.

Hills Fav Meatballs

I am making meatballs tonight and I thought I would post my favorite go-to meatball recipe. If you read the list on ingredients, you can tell these are going to be good!

1 lb ground beef
3/4 c seasoned CROUTONS crushed...crush them first, then measure out 3/4 c
( I use a yummy garlic or cheese crouton)
1 egg
2 cloves garlic
3 T Worcestershire
1 T yellow mustard
1 t red pepper flakes
1 t extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and mush until well combined. Then roll into tablespoon size balls. These have a kick so if you want to take the heat down I would omit the pepper flakes.

These can be cooked in a skillet with 1 T butter and 1 T oil for 20 minutes turning often, or cooked in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or boiled about 5 minutes per side. We eat these with marinara, BBQ sauce, or gravy...they are good any way you decide.

Mom's Sloppy Joe's

Easy...Classic

1 lb ground beef
1 can chicken gumbo condensed soup
1 T mustard
1 T brouwn sugar
1/4-1/2 c ketchup

Brown meat. Stir in other ingredients. Serve on rolls.

Original Joe's

This was a family standard growing up. So standard, I don't even have a recipe for it. BUT, I will re-create one here because it is really good and fun for a change!

1 lb ground beef
1/2 green pepper chopped
1/2 onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
2 handfuls of salad spinach
sliced mushrooms (if desired)
deli pastrami chopped (4 or 5 slices)
3/4 cup ketchup
Italian Spices
2 Tbls. Worcestershire Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Hoagie Buns

Fry up hamburger with onion and green pepper. Add remainder of ingredients and after all of the items are cooked add cheese on top. Turn off the burner and cover long enough to melt cheese. Serve over Hoagie Buns! DELISH!

Beef Stew

I bought some stew meat at Costco a while back. It has been sitting in my freezer for a while now, but until this week, it was just too hot to think about STEW. I wanted to make Beef Bourguignonne, but, didn't have any cooking wine on hand. I decided to mix and match two stew recipes and combined with some No Kneed Rolls, it was a MARVELOUS Sunday Dinner! The beef was perfectly moist and soft and the veggies were sooo tasty! Enjoy!


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2 Lbs. Stew Meat
2 Tbls Corn Starch (I used Corn Starch because Jaxon is gluten free- It called for Flour)
Stir Salt and Pepper to Taste into the corn starch.

Cut stew meat into bite sized pieces and coat with corn starch mixture.

Brown with oil in 5 Quart Dutch Oven, or Oven Safe Dish with lid.

Leave browned meat in the bottom of the pan and add 4 cups of water.
Add cut potatoes )red or white or peeled brown) and peeled carrots (I added 4 potatoes and 6 carrots) to top of meat .

Add:

2-3 Tbls. of Tomato Paste
3 Bay Leaves
Worcestershire Sauce (I didn't measure, I love the stuff though it was probably 2-3 Tbls.)
Balsamic Vinegar (Didn't measure this either, probably 1-2 Tbls.)

Cover and bake at 350 for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Or until meat is soft. Enjoy!


PS- My husband was worried about this being too "soupy" when he was dishing up, but, mashed a few of his potatoes in the broth and VOILA! THICK STEW!

Beef Stroganoff

Cut 1 lb of beef sirloin into 1/4 inch strips. Combine 1 Tbsp flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Coat meat with flour mixture. Heat skillet, then add 2 Tbsp butter. When melted, add sirloin strips and brown on both sides. Add one 3oz can of sliced mushrooms (drained). [Fresh sauteed mushrooms are even better!] Add 1/2 c chopped onion and 1 clove minced garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes until onion is tender.

Remove meat and mushrooms from pan. Add 2 Tbsp butter to drippings. When melted, blend in 3 Tbsp flour. Add 1 Tbsp tomato paste (or catsup). Stir in 1-10 oz can of condensed beef broth. Cook and stir over medium high heat until thickened and bubbly.

Return browned meat and mushrooms to skillet. Stir in 1 c sour cream and 2 Tbsp dry white wine. Cook slowly until heated through. Do not boil. Serve over noodles or rice.

Serves 4-6

Taco Salad--Burton Style

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 can fat free refried beans
1/2 bag nacho cheese doritos


Optional Toppings:
shredded lettuce
tomato
green onion
cheese
sour cream
avacado
olives
Ranch Dressing

Brown meat. Add taco seasoning and 1/4 c water. Add 1/2 can refried beans and combine. When meat mixture is warmed through place desired amount of crushed doritos on bottom of plate, top with meat mixture, and other toppings. Then top with ranch dressing. This may sound wierd to some of you, but I promise it is tasty!

Minnesota Cabbage Rolls

These REALLY bring memories of Mom's cooking back. This was an old staple of dinner. Loved it.

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. ground pork
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup cooked rice
1 small onion, minced
2 (8 oz.) cans Hunt's tomato Sauce
12 Large Cabbage Leaves
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice or vinegar

Combine meat, salt, pepper, rice, onion and 1 can of tomato sauce. Cover cabbage leaves with boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain. Place portions of meat mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf. Roll up, folding ends over. Place seam side down in skillet. Mix remaining tomato sauce with brown sugar and lemon juice (or vinegar). Pour over rolls. Simmer, covered 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Baste often. 6 servings.

Orange Beef Stir Fry

This is another of those meals that I make pretty regularly. It's easy and fast.

1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, (from 1 orange)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
1 pound top or bottom round steak, cut into strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 bunch (1 pound) broccoli, florets broken into small pieces (reserve stalks for another use)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, (ribs and seeds removed), cut into strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide



Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or liquid-measuring cup, combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar; set aside. In a medium bowl, toss beef with cornstarch; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large skillet, combine broccoli with 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high; cook, partially covered, until broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Discard any water in skillet; wipe with paper towel.
In same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high. When pan is very hot, add half the beef; cook until browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to plate with broccoli. Repeat with remaining oil and remaining beef, but leave beef in skillet.
Return reserved beef and broccoli to skillet; add orange-juice mixture and bell pepper. Continue cooking over high heat until sauce thickens, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve over rice.

Paula Deen's Barbeque Meatloaf

This is by far my favorite meatloaf! It is full of flavor and really is the ultimate in comfort food. I have also made this with ground turkey and it turned out fabulous!

Barbeque Meat Loaf Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
See this recipe on air Saturday Apr. 26 at 10:30 AM ET/PT.

Show: Paula's Home Cooking
Episode: Grubfest


1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 onion, diced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water, to thin sauce if necessary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together the beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Form this mixture into a loaf and place it in a shallow pan. Stir together the remaining tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire and the water (if too thick). Pour this sauce over the meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with the pan juices.

Cook's Note: Try serving as a sandwich with mayonnaise.

Mom's Stuffed Peppers

6 green bell pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 1/2 c cooked rice
1 can tomato sauce
1 T worchestershire
1/4 t gralic powder
1/4 t onion powder
s&p to taste
1 t italian seasoning

wash and cut tops off bell pepper and remove seeds and ribs
cook ground beef
cook rice
combine tomato sauce, worchestershire, garlic and onion powder, s&p, and italian seasoning. Save 1/2 of mixture to spoon over top. Mix remaining tomato mixture in with meat and rice, combine.
Spoon rice and meat mixture into peppers until each is heaping full. Place peppers in a 9x13 baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Cover pan with foil.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour

Rolled Flank Steak

After making it I think I would double the marinade recipe to give the meat a bit more flavor. I will just give you the original recipe and you can decide what you would like.


Flank steak

1 T. olive oil
1 T. Balsamic vinegar
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup green onions
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, drained and cut into thin strips
coarse salt and ground pepper



Preheat oven to 450 degrees with rack in the center. In a large
shallow bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, and garlic. Add steak; turn to coat. Marinate for 20 minutes. Spread cheese, onions, peppers onsteak. Season with salt and pepper. Roll up tightly; tie with kitchen twine and season again with salt and pepper. Place, seam side down on a rimmed baking sheet; roast until juices run clear, 35 to 40 minutes for med-rare. Let rest for 10 minutes; remove twine and slice.

Beef Recipes

Asian Beef Kabobs
My Favorite Meat Loaf
Paula Deen's BBQ Meatloaf
Guy Fieri's Tangerine Beef
Orange Beef Stir Fry
PF Changs' Mongolian Beef
Mom's Stuffed Bell Peppers
Rolled Flank Steak
Minnesota Cabbage Rolls
Lori's Beef Stroganoff