Mexi-Stuffed Peppers

Serves 32

15 lbs lean ground beef
5 c. diced onions
1/2 c minced garlic
10 c frozen corn
10 c cooked rice cooled
150 oz. tomato sauce
2 1/2 c taco seasoning
6 bell peppers per entree--the recipe calls for red bell, but it doesn't matter.

Brown beef, onion, and garlic in a large stockpot over medium heat until beef is no longer pink, about 30 minutes. Drain and discard fat. Cool beef. Stir in corn, rice, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning.

To prepare:
Completely thaw one entree in fridge.
preheat oven to 350.
Wash, cut off tops, and remove the seeds from the peppers. Fill each with meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Place on a greased rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes or until filling is hot.

Serve with salad and rolls.

Sassy Sloppy Joes

Serves 32

4 1/2 c chopped onion
9T butter
18 lbs ground beef
63 oz ketchup
4 1/2 c water
2 1/4 c chopped celery
1/3 c lemon juice
1/2 c + 1 T brown sugar
1/4 c + 1 t worcestershire sauce
1/4 c + 1 t salt
3 T vinegar
1/4 t dry mustard

Cooking day instructions:
Saute onions in butter. Add ground beef; brown lightly. Drain off excess fat. Add remaining ingredients and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Cool mixture and freeze, using freezer bags.

To serve:
Heat mixture slowly in skillet or saucepan until ready to serve.

Baked Ziti

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

*1 lb. hamburger
*1 clove garlic
*1/2 lb ziti pasta
*16 oz. ricotta chz
*2 cups mozzarella chz
*1 cup Romano chz, grated
*3 cups spaghetti sauce
*1/2 cup Parmesan chz, grated
*1 tsp. parsley
*1 tsp. basil
*1/2 tsp. crushed red peppers

DIRECTIONS
1. Brown hamburger in garlic. Drain. Add to spaghetti sauce.
2. Cook ziti according to the package. Drain. Place in large bowl.
3. Mix cheeses & seasonings with the ziti.
4. Spray tins & cover bottom half of tins with sauce.
5. Put ziti mixture on top of sauce.
6. Pour remaining sauce on top of ziti.
7. Sprinkle with Mozzarella. & Romano cheeses.
8. Cover with plastic wrap, apply board, freeze.

REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS
Bake at 350 for 20-30 min until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, if desired.

Rio Ranchero Casserole

9 medium onions , diced
15 ibs ground beef
9 c mild or medium salsa
2 1/4 c taco seasoning
1 c brown sugar
4 T minced garlic
36 oz diced green chiles
4 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/4 tsp red pepper
6 3/4 c water

Kimmi's Manicotti

Serves 48

 

INGREDIENTS

4 lbs. hamburger, cooked & drained

6 jars spaghetti sauce

6 pkg manicotti shells (12oz), lightly undercooked

12 eggs, lightly beaten

12 lbs. ricotta cheese

12 c. shr. mozz. chz

5 c. shr. parm. chz

1/2 c. dried parsley

1/2 c. dried basil

2 T. salt

1 T. pepper

 

PROCEDURE

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in cheeses, parsley, salt & pepper until evenly combined. Spoon about 2 T. cheese mixture into each shell. Arrange shells in tins (6 per tin). Pour meat & sauce over shells (1/2 jar per tin). Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Apply board lid. Freeze.

 

REHEATING.

Thaw. Bake at 350 for 40 min. Sprinkle with mozz. cheese last 5 minutes.

Kimmi's Taco Soup

                              

Serves 8

1 lb  Ground beef
1   large onion, chopped
½   green pepper, chopped
1   clove garlic, minced

¼ – ½ tsp   cayenne pepper
1 can  (8oz.) kidney beans
1 can  (8oz.)   refried beans                                     
1 can (8 oz.)  pinto beans
1 cans (16 oz.)  frozen corn
1 can (8 oz)  tomato sauce
2 cups  water
1 can (4 oz)  Diced green chilis
1 can (8 oz.)  Tomatoes, diced
¼ c  Taco seasoning
1 pkg  Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing

Instructions:

In a dutch oven or large saucepan, brown ground beef with onion.  Drain off grease.   Drain and rinse pinto beans.  Add all remaining ingredients.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Place in freezer container or bag. 

Reheating Instructions:

Thaw.  Heat until hot & bubbly.  Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream. 

Amazing BBQ Meatballs!!

Combine:
1 pound hamburger
1 c. fresh bread crumbs
5 T chopped onion
1 t salt and pepper
1/2 c. milk

Mix well and shaped into meatballs. Brown on all sides in skillet.

Sauce:
Combine
1 c. ketchup
1/4 c. worchestershire sauce
2 T. vinegar
1/4 c. sugar

Pour over meatballs and freeze.

Thaw and cook at 350 for 30 minutes. These could also be put in a crock pot and left to simmer.

Spaghetti Pie

Serves 8

1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb.  Hamburger

6 oz.  Cooked spaghetti
2 T.   margarine
1/3 cup  Parmesan cheese
2  well beaten eggs 
1 cup  cottage cheese
½ cup  mozzarella cheese 

Brown hamburger.  Drain.  Combine with the spaghetti sauce (or purchase meat sauce).  Stir margarine into cooked, drained pasta.  Stir in Parmesan and eggs.  Form into “crust” in buttered CAF tin.  Spread cottage cheese over the bottom of the “crust”.  Fill pan with meat sauce.  Cover with plastic wrap and the tin lid with the silver side down.

 

Reheating Instructions:  

Thaw in refrigerator 24-48 hours. Bake uncovered @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, bake 5 minutes longer. 

SouthWest Beef Stew

8 servings

2 pounds lean ground beef
1½ cups chopped onions
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (16 oz) frozen corn, thawed
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup picante sauce
¾ cup water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook beef and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, beans, picante sauce, water, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until corn is tender. Garnish with cheese.

Reheating Instructions: Defrost in refrigerator for 24 – 48 hours. Heat on the stove over medium heat until it is warmed through. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with cornbread.

Beefy Cheesy Enchiladas

Ingredients:
3 pounds ground beef
2 Tablespoons garlic, pressed or minced
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
48 ounces mild salsa or picante sauce (for use with beef mix)
1-1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened and cut into chunks
6 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
6 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 red or green peppers, finely chopped
36 (6-inch) tortillas
48 ounces mild salsa or picante sauce (for topping)
4-1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions: In a stock pan over medium heat, brown ground beef. Drain and return to pan. Over medium heat add garlic, cumin, chili power, and salsa; stir to combine. When mixture is heated, add cream cheese chunks, stirring until melted. Stir in Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and peppers. Remove from heat and set aside. Assemble enchiladas by placing 1/2 cup beef-and-cheese mixture onto each tortilla and rolling. Place 6 enchiladas in each container.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down to cling to food. Package salsa in snack bags, 1 cup per meal. Package cheese in snack bags, 3/4 cup per meal. Place a package of salsa and cheese in each container and cover. Freeze.

Reheating instructions: Defrost in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove lid, salsa, cheese and plastic wrap. Spread salsa over enchiladas and cover loosely with foil to prevent drying. Bake until bubbly around edges and hot in the center, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese during the last 5 minutes of baking. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 36 servings

Nutrition information per one enchilada: 432 calories, 23 grams protein, 29 grams fat, 19 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 95 milligrams cholesterol, 771 milligrams sodium

For a chicken version, substitute shredded cooked chicken for the ground beef.

Recipe Source: Cooking Among Friends, Meal Planning and Preparation Delightfully Simplified by Mary Tennant and Becki Visser (Cooking Among Friends)Reprinted with permission.

Beef Noodle Supreme

Makes: 12 servings

2 pounds ground meat
4 tablespoons margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
4 8 oz. Cans tomato sauce
2 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
2 cups sour cream
12 green onions, including green part, chopped
2 8 oz pkg. Noodles
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

In a skillet, brown meat in margarine. Add garlic, salt, sugar and tomato sauce; simmer about 10 minutes. Soften and blend thoroughly cream cheese and sour cream. Add onions and set aside. Boil noodles until tender; drain. In baking dishes, layer noodles, cream cheese mixture, and meat sauce. Repeat layers. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes.

To freeze - skip the baking step and freeze unbaked. Unthaw and then bake

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Meatballs:

makes: 12 entrees, 20 meatballs each

12 lbs. lean ground beef
6 cups dried bread crumbs
1 1/3 c milk
8 eggs
1/2 c. minced garlic
2 T salt
4 tsp black pepper
shredded cheese**

Sauce:

4 cups brown sugar
1 c. cornstarch
2- 106oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained, juice reserved
1 c. soy sauce
5 c. red wine vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 5oo. Combine beef, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, onion, garlic, salt, & pepper in a large bowl. Shape into 1 to 1 1/2 in meatballs, placing finished pieces close together on lightly greased broiler pans or rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, or until instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball reads 160 degrees. Cool meatballs.

While meatballs are baking and cooling, mix the brown sugar and cornstarch in a large stockpot. Add pineapple juice, soy sauce, and vinegar; stir. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 20 min. Cool sauce.

Divide cooled meatballs, sauce, and pineapples evenly among tins. FREEZE IT UP BABY!!!

**JUST SO YOU KNOW--The recipe doesn't call for shredded cheese in the meatballs but I am going to do so anyway. I use shredded cheese in my meat loaf and it gives it good flavor and texture.

Suggested sides: rice would be good with this dish. Any pasta, salad, rolls or garlic bread.