Mongolian Beef

Serves: 5-6

• 1 1/2 lbs flank steak
• 1/4 c corn starch
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 3/4 c low sodium soy sauce
• 3/4 c water
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c shredded carrots
• 3 medium green onions, chopped

Instructions

Cut the steak into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then slice across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices. (You can use skirt, hanger, or flatiron steaks as a substitute for flank. I have also used top round.)
Coat steak pieces in cornstarch.
Add remainder of ingredients to slow cooker and stir well to combine.
Place coated flank steak into the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours.
Serve over rice or noodles, if desired.

To Freeze: Combine ingredients and place in freezer bag. Add coated steak to bag, keep in seperate layer. Label and freeze.

To serve: Thaw. Cook in crockpot on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.

Keri's taco topping

One pound ground beef - browned, drained
One pack taco seasoning
Half cup shredded cheddar
Half cup heavy cream
One cup salsa

Cook meat. Drain. Return to pan.
add all other ingredients. Heat until melted together. Keep warm until served.

Use either as taco meat on tortillas or layer with chips, lettuce, avocado, sour cream, tomato and cheese for nachos.

Very easy and delish!!

"Bush-Wacker" Steak

Prep time: at least 1 hour
Servings: 4

• 1 - 2 lb. round steak, cut into cubes
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into cubes
• 1 small onion, cut into cubes
  
• 2 (16 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 can water
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 pkg. french onion soup mix powder
  
• 3 Tbsp A1 steak sauce
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bag egg noodles or cooked rice
  

Cut meat into cubes, brown in veg. oil in large skillet. Add chopped veggies. Cook until soft. Add tomatoes (with juice) to deglaize pan. Then add water, vinegar, A1, garlic, soup mix, salt and pepper. Simmer on medium-low heat at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover if it starts to get too thick. The longer it cooks the better! Serve over noodles or rice. If you want the sauce a little thicker, add a slurry of 1 T. cornstarch with 1/4 C. water, and cook until just thickened.

This super yummy tummy warmer came originally from Michelle Gearhardt when we lived in Grace House. The meat gets so tender and delish! It's great with a crusty french bread and green salad.

The Bomb Burgers

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

For burgers:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (fine)
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 3 teaspoons chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced gingerroot
• 1 egg

For glaze:

• 2 teaspoons water
• 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:
In a bowl combine beef, bread crumbs, green onions, cilantro, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger and egg. Mix well.

Make 5 burgers patties. Poke a hole thru the middle of each.

For the glaze whisk together: water, hoisin, and sesame oil.

Place burgers on a hot grill and brush the top with the glaze mixture.
Flip after 7 min or so and baste the other side. Continue cooking until desired doneness.

Mexican Layer Casserole

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic; minced
• 1 pkg. cream cheese
• chopped tomato
• chopped lettuce
• chopped black olives
• shredded cheddar cheese
• salsa

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain meat, then stir in taco seasoning. Place meat in bottom of square baking dish. Let cool for at least 8 minutes.

Spread softened cream cheese over the top of the meat. Make sure to spread it out evenly. Add shredded cheese on top next. Then layer tomatoes, lettuce, and olives. Top with salsa when serving.

Seven Layer Dip

• 1.5 lbs. ground beef; browned and cooled to room temp.
• 1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
• 3 C. shredded cheddar-Monterrey Jack cheese
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 1 C. guacamole
• 1 C. salsa
• 1 can (6 oz.) black olives; chopped
• 1/2 C. chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 C. chopped green onions

Layer all ingredients on a serving tray: Beans, half of cheese, beef, sour cream, guacamole, other half of cheese, black olives, tomatoes, then green onion.

Mini Sausage Appetizers

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. Jimmy Dean sausage
• 1 lb. Velveeta
• 1 1/2 tesp. oregano
• 1/2 tesp. garlic powder
• 2 loaves baby rye cocktail bread

Brown beef and sausage, drain. Return to pan, add cheese and spices, stir until melted through.

Spread onto slices of bread on baking sheet. Broil 5-7 minutes until bubbly.

Creamy Baked Ziti

Prep time: 30 min. (or less)
Bake time: 20 min.
Servings: 6

4 cups ziti pasta, uncooked - something similar like penne is fine too

1/2 pound ground beef

1 jar (26 oz.) Ragu sauce

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

6 oz. (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, cubed

3/4 cup Sour Cream

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt. Remove from pan; drain. Brown the ground beef, drain. Meanwhile, add marinara sauce, tomatoes and cream cheese to same pan; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Return pasta and ground beef to pan with sauce; mix well.

LAYER half the pasta/meat/sauce mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella and remaining pasta/meat/sauce mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. (just like making a lasagna)

BAKE covered for 20 min. or until heated through. Remove lid and bake for 5 more min. until cheese is melty and delicious!

This one was adapted from Kraftrecipes.com. It's yummy with garlic bread and steamed broccoli on the side.

Real "Pot" Roast

• 1.5 pounds of beef chuck roast or arm roast
• 2 T. oil
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
  
• 6 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
  
• 1 celery stalk (optional), cut into large chunks
  
• 1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
  
• salt
• pepper
• garlic
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 1 pkg. onion soup mix
• A pot (I use a 6.5 quart Le Cruset cast iron enamel dutch oven but you can use anything of similar size. I just love the cast iron because it brazes so nicely.)
  

Preheat your pot on the stove over medium-high, add oil, and brown the meat on both sides until you get a nice color. Then turn the heat to medium-low.

Then add the seasonings and onion soup mix. Cover the roast to half-way up the side of the meat with water. Put the lid on and let it simmer. Check the water level every 1/2 hour or so to make sure there's still enough. Add more as needed. Cooking time will depend on the size of the roast. A meat thermometer will read 180 when it's well done. But over-cooking won't hurt it... it will just get more tender the longer it cooks.

When the meat is about 10 - 20 minutes from being done you can add the veggies around the sides and on top of the meat. I like to make sure they are all about the same size so they cook evenly.

After the meat and veggies are done, take them all out of the pot and use the juice to make a YUMMY gravy to top everything off.

This is how my grandma makes it and I always love how hers turn out. So she taught me how and now I may never go back to crockpot roast again. Yummy!

Baked Spaghetti

Servings: 8-10
Prep time: 25 min.
Bake time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jar (26 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 16 oz. container cottage cheese
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the beef and onion over medium heat; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
Create layers in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish: half of the spaghetti mixture, then half of the cottage cheese, then meat sauce, then mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with mozzarella cheese on top.

Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Taco Soup

Prep time: about 1 hour (or longer)
Servings: 8+

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• medium onion, chopped
• 1 can corn (or equivalent frozen corn), drained
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 1 (16 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 package dry ranch dressing mix
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• sour cream
• shredded cheese
• **1/2 bell pepper, diced (optional)

Brown the ground beef in a stock pot, adding chopped onion and garlic half way through. Drain fat off, and put back in pot. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, and seasoning. Add a little water if needed. Simmer until thickened and heated through at least 30 minutes. The longer it simmers the yummier it is.

**If you want bell pepper in it, add that when you add the onion and garlic.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheese on top.

I like to make this in the crock pot if I'm going to be working that day. It's nice to come home to a house smelling like supper. Of course if you make it in the crock pot, you have to cook the meat/onion and drain them before adding to the mixture. This is very hearty and perfect for Fall weather. It's also yummy with a side of cornbread or Fritos.

"Hobos"

Servings: 2
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: about 20 minutes on the grill, 40 on a campfire

This can be made in any quantity you'd like, we just make two at a time because that's all we use.

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 2 potatoes
• 3-4 carrots
• 1 small onion
• seasoned salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• 2 large pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil (or two disposable pie pans covered in foil)

Divide meat and prepare 2 patties. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Place in the center of each piece of foil.

Slice onion into thick rings, and potatoes and carrots into circles about 1/8 inch thick, divide into two servings, place on top of meat, season with salt and pepper.

Fold foil closed, sealing well on the top.

Cook over grill on medium high heat, or over campfire coals that have been raked out away from flames. Cooking time will differ; you know they are done when veggies are tender. Keep the peeking to a minimum as steam escapes when you open the packets.

This is one of my all-time favorite campfire recipes. We made it all the time on my Grandma's fire pit when I was growing up. The high heat of a campfire gives the meat a lovely caramelization on the bottom, and makes the potatoes yummy and soft. You can add other veggies too: like zucchini, squash, celery, or bell peppers. This is just the classic version. We call them "hobos" because supposedly people who jumped trains would make these on their campfires during the depression.

Grilled Beef Oh-So-Tender-loin

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 50 - 60 minutes
Serves: a lot of people ;-)

Marinade: (mix well)

• 1 C. veg oil
• 3/4 C. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp dry mustard
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 C. dry red wine
• 3 Tbsp parsley flakes
• 1/3 C. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 Tbsp pepper

Use whole beef tenderloin. Trim any skin off the meat; marinade all day (at least 8 hours). Save sauce for basting during cooking.
Preheat grill on HIGH until its very hot.
Grill 7 minutes on high with lid down. Turn heat to medium. Turn loin 1/4 turn and grill for 7 minutes per side, basting meat each time. Continue to turn and baste for 50 - 60 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from heat, let stand 10 minutes covered in foil before slicing.

This is our family's traditional Christmas Day meal. We love it and look forward to it all year!

My Favorite Chili

Prep time: 20 minutes
Simmer time: as long as you want :)
Servings: 8 - 10

• 1 - 2 pounds ground chuck
• 1 small white onion; diced
• 2 16 oz. cans diced tomatoes (use the juice too)
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 16 oz. can crushed tomato
• 2 16 oz. cans chili flavored beans (pinto beans with chili sauce on them)
• 1 16 oz. can black beans
• 1 16 oz. can kidney beans
• 1 16 oz. can red beans
• 1 pkg. chili seasoning (use 2 pkg if you like it really spicy)
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp sugar

Brown the beef in a large soup pot with diced onion, drain well, then place back in pot. Add garlic, if using fresh, let it cook for just a minute before adding other ingredients. Add chili seasoning, tomatoes, and beans. Use juice from tomatoes and chili flavored beans; swishing cans out with a little water and adding to pot as well. Rinse the other beans before adding. Bring to boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently so it won't stick to the bottom. Add sugar. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring often, until desired thickness is reached.

You could simmer it for several hours, but who wants to wait that long!?

Serve with cornbread, grilled cheese sandwiches, Fritos, sour cream, or shredded cheese. Or any combination thereof. Whatever suits your fancy.

This is a soul-warming recipe perfect for days, such as today, with a chill in the air and drizzle falling from the grey sky. I am proud to announce that I make a mean pot of this chili! I'm practically famous for it... in certain circles, of course. ;)

Beef Stroganoff

Prep time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8

You could easily cut this recipe in half for a small family. It's pretty quick and easy to make and so satisfying. (Mushrooms can also be added, but I don't like them, so I leave them out.)

• 2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• few dashes of garlic powder
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) beef broth
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 3 cloves minced or crushed garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• Cooked rice or egg noodles

Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to flour. Dredge meat in flour. In a skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat; saute onions until tender. Remove from pan; set aside. Melt remaining butter and brown meat on all sides. Add broth, basil, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce and onions. Cook until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Just before serving, stir in sour cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve immediately over rice or noodles.

The smell of this dish cooking takes me back to my childhood when I would come home from school on a chilly day and my mom would be making this for our family. It's a comfort food for me. One of my favorites.

All Day Crockpot Beef

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8 hours in crockpot
Servings: 6

• 2 lbs. beef roast
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic; minced
• 2 pkg onion soup mix
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp A1 steaksauce
• 3 carrots; diced
• 2 celery stalks; diced
• 1 green bell pepper; chopped
• 1 yellow onion; sliced
• 1/2 C. water
• 1/2 C. tomato juice (or V8)

Cut beef roast into serving-sized portions. Brown beef in veg. oil in skillet.
Slice onion and separate into rings. Dice carrots and celery. Slice pepper into rings or wedges.
Place veggies in bottom of crockpot. Sprinkle beef with black pepper, garlic, and onion soup mix. Place beef on top of veggies.
Mix steak sauce, worchestershire, water and tomato juice together. Pour over meat.
Turn crockpot to high for 30 minutes. Then low for 7-8 hours.