Quick Spaghetti Sauce using Ground Beef Mix

     Another quick recipe using the Ground Beef Mix. And, again this one can be varied to suit your tastes.

Quick Spaghetti Sauce      Yield:  Makes 4 servings

1 pint bag (2 cups) Ground Beef Mix, thawed

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

6 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/3 cups tomato juice or water

1 heaping tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste) or minced garlic, optional

1.     Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and heat over medium to medium-high heat until it starts to come to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally

2.     Serve with spaghetti cooked according to package directions. (General guideline is to allow 2 to 4 ounces of pasta per person.)

Variations: Add sautéed onions and mushrooms to the sauce. 

For more information on pasta, click on . . . About Pasta.

Soup on a Chilly Day! Hamburger-Vegetable Soup

      A hearty, meaty soup perfect for a chilly winter day (or chilly spring day!!!), and so easy to make. Just turn on the crock-pot and let it cook for a few hours, or prepare it on the stovetop.

     This is a quick but basic soup – feel free to add to the ingredient and seasoning list . . . to suit your own tastes. For instance, on this chilly day in May, I chopped a handful of fresh herbs from our garden and used them in place of the Italian seasoning (thyme, oregano & parsley). I also added diced onions.

Hamburger-Vegetable Soup       Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 pint bag (2 cups) Ground Beef Mix, thawed

1 cup each of diced potatoes and  sliced carrots

2 (14.5 to 16 oz.) cans of tomatoes

1 cup of sliced celery

1/4 cup of rice or barley

3 cups of water or beef broth

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1 bay leaf

Salt & pepper to taste (we prefer Kosher salt and coarse ground pepper)

1.     In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour or until vegetables are tender.

Crock pot Alternative:  Add ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Kids in the Kitchen - Speedy English Muffin Pizza

Kids in the Kitchen – A quick-fix meal that kids can easily assemble. If you keep Ground Beef Mix on hand, it makes this recipe especially fast and easy. Find additional recipes for kids under the For Kids tab at the top of this page.

Speedy English Muffin Pizza         Yield: 12 individual pizzas

1 (6 oz.) pkg. English muffins

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 cup (about 1/2 pkg.) Ground Beef Mix, thawed

1 1/2 to 2 cups of shredded cheese (such as Mozzarella, Cheddar, Parmesan)

1.     Split English muffins in half (a fork works well for this task). 

2.     Toast English muffin halves and place on a baking sheet with cut side up.

3.     Combine tomato sauce and Italian seasoning; spread approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons of sauce on each muffin.  Add Ground Beef Mix.  Top with approximately 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Spoon meat mixture generously over English muffins.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, and top with grated cheese. 

4.     Bake in preheated 350° oven until cheese is melted, lightly browned, and bubbly (about 10 to 12 minutes).

Microwave alternative:  Place prepared muffins on a microwave safe plate and heat in microwave.


Variations: Use pepperoni or cooked chicken in place of the Ground Beef Mix, or leave off all meat for a vegetarian-style pizza.

Our Version of Beef Burgers

     We grew up eating Sloppy Joes but our favorite was a Beef Burger - a divine loose meat sandwich sold in Stafford, Ks. at Sutton’s Drive-In. They were so tasty that Barry and I often reminisce about them and wonder how they were made. The other day, Barry suggested adding ketchup and mustard to some Ground Beef Mix we had on hand. One bite each and we both were reminded of those elusive Beef Burgers!

     Disclaimer to those from Stafford who might have tasted those delightful burgers – it’s been a long time so if you try this and don’t make the connection, consider the memory loss factor!!!

     We have been eating these on toasted thin bagels. A slice of cheese prevents the beef mixture from oozing out the bottom but there is a little overflow on top . . . but then this is a “sloppy” burger!

Beef Burgers  Yield: 6 servings

1 pint bag (2 cups) Ground Beef Mix, thawed and flavored with a little Taco seasoning (1 to 2 teaspoons+)

About ¼ cup ketchup

About 2 to 3 tablespoons yellow prepared mustard

6 hamburger buns

Cheese slices, optional

1.  Add all ingredients, except buns, to a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium to medium-high heat.  Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes. 

2.   Pile mixture into hamburger buns when ready to serve. (We like to add a slice of cheese to ours.)

Other recipes that use the Ground Beef Mix: Taco Stovetop Skillet.

On to Ground Beef . . . Taco Stovetop Skillet

    Inspired by a Campbell’s® soup recipe in a magazine, I adapted it to use with Ground Beef Mix (click on the MIX tab at the top of the Home page, to access recipe for Ground Beef Mix). It is a quick meal in a skillet; a family-friendly dish.

Taco Stovetop Skillet     Yield: 4 servings

2 cups Ground Beef Mix, thawed

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed tomato soup  

1/2 cup salsa

1 tablespoon (or less) Taco seasoning  -- link to our homemade Taco seasoning recipe

6 flour tortillas (6”) cut into 1” pieces

1/2 cup shredded cheese – Cheddar or Mexican blend

1.     Heat the Ground Beef Mix in a skillet or saucepan.

2.     Stir the soup, salsa, taco seasoning and tortillas

      into the beef and heat to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low.  

3.     Cook for 5 minutes or until the beef mixture is hot and bubbling. Top with the cheese.

Variations:

Creamy Mexican Fiesta: Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream with the soup.

Ranchero Style: Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas and shredded Mexican cheese

       blend.

Just 3 Ingredients! – Sloppy BBQ Chicken Sandwich

     This recipe came from “Make-A-Mix Cookery” by Karine Elaison, Nevada Aharward, & Madeline Westover. Once you have the chicken prepared, this is a very fast and easy meal component. Serve with a salad or veggie sticks for a healthy lunch or supper. Click on  the MIX tab at the top of the Home page, to access recipes for the make-ahead Chicken Mix called for in this recipe.

Sloppy BBQ Chicken Joe  Yield: 8 burgers

2 cups Chicken Mix, thawed or cooked chicken

1 cup barbecue sauce (we like Curley’s – a zesty BBQ sauce made in Hutchinson, Ks. or we often prepare a homemade version of Gate's BBQ sauce)  

8 hamburger buns

1.     Combine Chicken Mix and barbecue sauce in a medium saucepan. 

2.     Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes, until heated through. 

3.     Serve over hamburger buns.   

Other recipes that utilize the Chicken Mix include: Chicken Spaghetti, Easy Chicken & Rice Bake, Huntington Chicken.

Batch Cooking - Huntington Chicken . . .using make ahead Chicken Mix

     Another in a series of batch cooking recipes. Click on  the MIX tab at the top of the Home page, to access recipes for the make-ahead Chicken Mix called for in this recipe. This recipe is similar to the popular dish the USD 435 cooks used to serve in the AHS cafeteria; it has been adapted to use the prepared Chicken Mix.

Huntington Chicken      Yield: 6 to 8 servings

4 tablespoon butter or margarine

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour 

2 cups chicken broth (homemade, canned or use bouillon cubes or granules to make broth)

Salt to taste, as needed (canned broth & bouillon or granules already have added salt)

2 cups Chicken Mix, thawed

1 cup (before cooking) macaroni  -- cook in salted water according to pkg. directions

1/4 pound American or Cheddar cheese, shredded  (about 1 1/4 cups)

1 (2 oz.)  jar diced pimentos, drained - optional

2 cups bread crumbs (process bread slices in the food processor to make bread crumbs)

1 tablespoons butter or margarine

1.  Melt butter in saucepan over low heat; stir in flour until smooth and then cook 3 to 5 minutes to develop flavor. Then, gradually add chicken broth and whisk to thicken as mixture is cooked over low heat. Add salt to taste as needed.

2.  In a large bowl, combine and mix: Chicken Mix, macaroni, cheese & thickened broth + pimentos, if desired. Put in a greased or spray 9” x 9” prepared pan.

3.  In a skillet, brown bread crumbs in melted butter; spread on top of chicken mixture. 

4.  Bake in preheated 325° oven for about 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Other recipes that utilize Chicken Mix include: Chicken Spaghetti, Easy Chicken & Rice Bake, Sloppy BBQ Chicken Joe.