How to Prepare Ground Meat

I buy ground beef or turkey when on sale. I usually make my meatballs and hamburger patties, then cook the rest. I cook about 5 pounds at a time with a little garlic and onions. I bag it up in meal-size packages and freeze to use for pizza, spaghettie sauce, stroganoff, burritos, tacos, sloppy joes, etc.

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Speed Balls

Mix up: 1 pound hamburger, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1 emvlope onion soup mix, and some water if necessary. Shape into small balls and brown them in butter. Then cool on cookie sheet and freeze.

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Zippy Meatballs

Combine 1 pound hamburger, 2 eggs, 9 drops Tobasco, 1 cup cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons minced onions, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, and a dash of salt and pepper. Shape into meatballs and place on baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Freeze separately.

For the sauce, mix 3/4 cup catsup, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cupvinegar, /12 cup brown sugar, 4 teaspoons Wistershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 6 drops of Tobasco. Freeze separately.

To serve: Thaw meatballs and sauce. Pour sauce over meatballs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Note: I have never used the Tobasco in this recipe and the kids love it! I serve it over rice.

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Homemade Hamburger Helper

Mix 2 cups dry milk, 1 cup corn starch, 1/4 cup bouillon powder, 2 tablespoons onion flakes, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried tyme, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons dried parsley, and 1 tablespoon garlic powder. Store in airtight container. Use as a base for:

Beef Stroganoff
Brown 1 pound ground meat. Drain. Add 2 cups water, 1/2 cup helper mix and 2 cups uncooked egg noodles and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered 15-20 minutes. Top with 1/2 cup sour cream.

Skillet Lasagna
Brown 1 pound ground meat. Drain. Add 1/2 cup helper mix, one chopped onion, 2 cups water, 16 ounces tomato sauce, 3 cups dry noodles, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until thickened. Top with 2 cups mozzarella cheese.

Taco Helper
Brown 1 pound ground meat, drain. Add 2 cups water, 1/2 cup helper mix, 1 taco seasing packet, 2 cups uncooked egg noodles. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered 15-20 minutes. Top with 1/2 cup sour cream.

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Pinwheels

NOTE: This recipe uses leftover beef (or other meat), 1 recipe biscuit dough, and left over spaghetti sauce or gravy.

Roll out biscuit dough rather thin (about 3/8" thick) and into as square shape as you can. Cover the dough with the meat and part of the sauce or gravy, leaving 1/2" on each side uncovered. Roll up dough into a cylinder and then slice into 1/4" slices, to make pinwheels. Put these on a cookie sheet or any flat pan and bake at 450 degrees about 12 minutes, until dough is cooked. Serve some of the sauce or gravy over each pinwheel.

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Crock Pot Lasagna

In an ice cream bucket or container the same size or smaller than your crock pot, layer:
Spaghetti Sauce (with or without ground meat)
Uncooked Lasagna Noodles
Ricotta or Cottage Cheese
Mozzerella Cheese
Repeat, being careful not to layer too high (check against your crock pot)

To Serve: Run bucket under cold water and pop frozen lasagna in crock pot. Cook on high 1 hour and on low for the rest of the day.