Ground Beef

Meatball Mix
(Make-A-Mix Cookbook, pg 44)

4 lb. lean ground beef
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup dry bread crumbs
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients (I like to use my Kitchenaid mixer to keep by hands clean). Blend well. Shape mixture into 1 to 1½ inch balls (I use the medium scoop from Pampered Chef). Place balls on ungreased baking sheet (or mini muffin pans) and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until browned.Remove immediately and drain on paper towels. When cooled, put about 20 meatballs each into four 1-quart freezer containers, leaving ½ inch space at top. Seal and label with date and contents. Freeze. (Reheat in microwave.) Use within 3 months. Makes about 80 meatballs.

Easy Pleasing Meatloaf
www.kraftfoods.com
2 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce, divided

Non-Freezer Directions:PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients except 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce.SHAPE meat mixture into oval loaf in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.BAKE 1 hour or until cooked through (160ºF).

Freezer Directions (by Avalie):MIX all ingredients together in Ziploc Freezer Bag, squeeze out air and close bag.FREEZE.When ready to eat, THAW meatloaf in refrigerator and BAKE 1 hour or until cooked through (160ºF).OR BAKE frozen meatloaf, covered, for 2 hours or until cooked through (this method can produce a drier meatloaf).

Seasoned Ground Beef
(my recipe)
3-4 lbs ground beef
4 cloves minced garlic
1 medium onion, minced
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

Brown ground beef, drain fat. Add garlic and onion to pan, return to heat. Simmer until garlic and onion are soft and transparent (2-3 minutes). Add Italian Seasoning and stir until mixed. Remove from heat. Divide into labeled quart-sized freezer bags (I like to freeze in 1-lb portions, since many recipes call for this amount). Let cool. Remove air from bag and freeze. When ready to use, reheat in microwave or thaw in refrigerator. Or use it in your slow cooker recipe frozen, and add an hour to your cook time.Add this to any casserole, soup, or any other recipe that calls for ground beef. If your family doesn’t like garlic or onions, simply omit them.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
(Fix It and Forget It Cookbook, adapted for freezer by Avalie)
3 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
1 onion, finely chopped (dehydrated is fine--just add extra water)
1 green pepper, chopped (dehydrated is fine--just add extra water)
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
¾ cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder

Combine all ingredients (except rolls) in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or High 3-4 hours. Divide into meal-sized portions for your family and put each family-sized portion in quart-sized freezer bag. Let cool. Remove air from bag and seal. Freeze. When ready to eat, remove bag and reheat in microwave. Serve in rolls or on baked potatoes.

Hamburger Patties
(my recipe)
4 lbs ground beef
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1-2 eggs
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl with your hands (or put half at a time into a ziploc freezer bag and squish it around) until well mixed. Shape into patties, place each pattie in Ziploc freezer bag, separating each layer with waxed paper (to keep them from sticking together). Remove air from bag and seal. Freeze laying flat, so patties keep proper shape. When ready to grill hamburgers, do not thaw. Simply place frozen patties on grill, and cook until cooked through. If pan-frying hamburgers, thaw first.

Taco Meat
(my recipe)
4-5 lbs ground beef
Taco Seasoning
Water

Brown ground beef, drain fat, add taco seasoning and water. Follow directions on taco seasoning package for proportions and simmer times (each brand is a little different). Package 1-3 cups (depending on how much your family eats in one meal) of cooked taco meat into labeled quart-sized Ziploc freezer bags. Let cool. Remove air from bag, seal, and freeze. When ready to serve, simply remove from bag, and microwave until heated through. Makes great burritos, tacos, and taco salads.

Meaty Lasagna
(Simply Casseroles Cookbook, adapted for freezer by Avalie)
1 lb cooked, seasoned ground beef
1 28-oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 6-oz can tomato paste
½ tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 16-oz container Ricotta cheese or Cottage Cheese
2 cups (8-oz package) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, divided
1 16-oz package lasagna noodles, uncooked
Disposable 13x9 foil lasagna pan, multiple loaf pans, or foil for “phantom container method” (see tips on Intro to Freezer Meals Posting for details)

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and Italian Seasoning. Mix until well blended. In another bowl, combine Ricotta/Cottage Cheese, half of mozzarella, and half of Parmesan. Mix until well blended. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles lengthwise on bottom of baking dish; break a noodle in half and set it at end of dish to fill entire length. Spread 1/3 of ricotta mixture over noodles. Using a large ladle, spoon ¼ of meat sauce over cheese. Repeat layers two more times, alternating pattern of noodles. Top the last cheese/sauce layer with noodles (there may be a few noodles left over) and remaining meat sauce. Place remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in a freezer bag. Wrap top of lasagna in foil, label, tape bag of cheese to pan, and place in freezer. When ready to bake, thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Bake lasagna, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Sprinkle on remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and continue to bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Beef and Gravy
(my recipe)

In small or medium saucepan, heat:
1 lb Seasoned Ground Beef --see recipe above (or one can of ground beef)
(add 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic and 1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning if using unseasoned beef)

In small bowl, combine:
1 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet
2 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Water

Mix together until well blended
Slowly pour mixture into saucepan with Seasoned Ground Beef
Simmer, stirring constantly until sauce thickens into gravy.
Remove from heat.
Serve over rice, noodles, baked potatoes, or anything else that sounds good to you!

Crock Pot Potato Casserole
(Cheri Robinson, adapted for freezer and Crock Pot by Avalie)
Put into Crock Pot:
1 lb Seasoned Ground Beef --see recipe above (or one can of ground beef from cannery)
1 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoning Salt (or Red Robin Seasoning Salt...our new favorite!)
5 Potatoes, cubed
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Milk (use soup can to measure milk)
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup frozen peas

Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours, or high 4-5 hours. Casserole is done when potatoes are fork-soft. If frozen peas fall apart, try adding them during last hour of cooking.OR Mix all together (omit ½ can milk) in large casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Taco Soup with Black Beans
(Fix It and Forget It Cookbook)
1 lb Seasoned Ground Beef (see recipe above)
28-oz can crushed tomatoes
15 ¼ - oz can corn, undrained
15-oz can black beans, undrained
15-oz can red kidney beans, undrained (or pinto work great, too)
1 envelope dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 envelope dry taco seasoning
1 small onion, chopped

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours. Pour into clean jars or freezer containers. Cover, leaving at least 1 inch headspace. Freeze. When ready to serve, heat in microwave or on stovetop. Serve with cheese, chips, and sour cream.