OK – sorry about last week. I will try to stay on track this week, but no promises!
Meat – my gracious. So expensive these days. Right now, pork seems to be the most economical as far as price. I do know quite a few folks that do not eat pork (religious or health reasons), so the next one in line would be chicken. Beef is quite expensive, but lamb and goat are much more.
Here are some really quick ways to make meat stretch a little further:
- Cut it up smaller. One of the recipes below uses 1/2 lb ground beef to make 8 servings of soup. And the soup looks and tastes ‘meaty’. Does your sausage gravy really need a pound of sausage, or can you get by with 1/2 lb? You can if you cut it up.
- Leave the fat in if you can. The fat is where the flavor is.
- Use meat more like a condiment. Add lots of extra grains or veggies.
- Use veggies that mimic the texture of meat like cabbage, or the taste of meat like mushrooms.
The recipes, as promised.
Taco Soup
2 lbs. Ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg ranch dressing mix (optional, or add a tablespoon or so of ranch dressing)
16 oz can of kidney beans, drained
16 oz can of pinto beans, drained.
You can also use 2 cans of whatever beans you have- chili beans, pintos, black beans…
16 oz can of hominy (or corn), drained
4 oz can chopped green chilies, drained
3 – 16 oz cans of stewed tomatoes
48 oz water
Brown the ground beef with the onion. Add remaining ingredients and heat to boiling. Turn down heat and let simmer about 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, pico, guac – whatever you put on your tacos! Makes 12 servings.
Bacon Cheeseburger Rice
1 lb. ground beef
1 ¾ cups water (if using regular, non-minute rice, 3 ⅓ cups)
⅔ cup barbeque sauce
1 tblsp. Mustard
2 tsp dried minced onion (or a tblsp. Of minced onion)
½ tsp pepper
2 cups uncooked rice (either regular or minute)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
⅓ cup chopped dill pickles
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
Brown ground beef. Add water, BBQ sauce, mustard, onion, pepper and rice. If using minute rice, bring to a boil, then stir in rice, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. If using regular rice, add rice, then bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is done. Stir in cheese, bacon, and pickles. Makes 4-6 servings.
Cheeseburger Soup
½ lb. ground beef
¾ cup chopped onion
¾ cup shredded carrots
¾ cup diced celery
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
4 tblsp butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups peeled diced potatoes
¼ cup flour
8 oz cheese, cubed or shredded
1 ½ cups milk
Salt and pepper
¼ cup sour cream (optional)
Brown beef; set aside. In a saucepan, melt 2 tblsp butter and saute onion, carrots, and celery until tender. Add basil, parsley, broth, and potatoes – cook for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add beef.
In a small skillet, melt 2 tblsp butter. Add flour and cook until bubbly. Add to soup and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat; add milk, cheese, salt and pepper. Heat thru until cheese melts. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream. 8 servings.
Pulled Beef (or Pork) Sandwiches
4 lbs cooked roast beef (or pork), shredded
9 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups ketchup
15 oz can beef broth (or substitute 2 bouillon cubes and 2 cups of water)
¾ cup Worchestershire sauce
2 tblsp lemon juice
1 tblsp mustard
Salt to taste
24 hamburger buns.
Place all ingredients except buns in large roaster. Cover and simmer one hour. Stir well. Simmer one hour, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Serve on buns.