Instant Pot Taco Rice

This comfort food combines taco-seasoned meat with cooked rice and salsa in a hearty bowl of family-friendly food. This recipe is great to serve a crowd, too. Use the Instant Pot for easy clean up!

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This is not a pressure cooker recipe, but I am including it in my Instant Pot on Campus series for a couple of reasons. First, this recipe is a family favorite which my son has cooked on the stovetop many times under my tutelage. I'm posting it on my website so that he can access it without sending me texts at 10:49pm asking how to make it.

Second, using the Sauté function on the Instant Pot or Mealthy (or Brown on the Presto) makes your electric pressure cooker function like a high-sided electric skillet. When I make this dish in my 12 inch cast iron skillet I inevitably fling some of the contents all over the stovetop as I'm stirring. That results in a thorough cleaning not only of the skillet but also of the stove. Using the Instant Pot to cook this meal saves clean up!


The third reason I'm sharing this is because I think that electric pressure cookers are hidden gems for disabled cooks. Instead of having to strain to access a stovetop to brown meat--or pay to modify the stove height--cooks can position the electric pressure cooker on a convenient flat surface and work in comfort. Wear an apron and mind the splatters, though.

Beef and Turnip Pot Pie

Ground beef and sautéed turnips topped with pie crust and baked in a skillet. Hearty comfort food from the farm share.

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Can we talk about turnips? Well, it's my blog so I guess the question is rhetorical. Turnips are a cool weather crop that typically grows well for the farmers who've supplied our farm share. What grows well you tend to get in plentiful amounts.

A decade ago, before I'd ever heard of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and when local eating was the tomatoes I'd grow each summer or the fruit we'd get at a 'let's take the kids, it'll be fun' pick your own outing, I rarely ate turnips. I had no recipes that called for turnips--but if rutabagas weren't available in the store when I wanted to make pasties I'd substitute a turnip.

A single turnip, a few times a year.

Now I get a bag of turnips at least a couple times a month at the beginning and the end of the CSA season when the cool weather crops are flourishing. [Let me put it this way--if you're getting tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini you're probably not getting turnips. All other times you're getting turnips.]

Instead of fighting the turnip, I'm embracing it's uniqueness. [Somewhat like my darling Robert Barker's uniqueness.] Sometimes the turnips stand alone, like in turnip pickles and turnip fritters. Most often, though, I combine turnips with meat or other vegetables. Sometimes I have failures, like the watery scalloped turnips and salami I shared on my FB page [I'm intrigued by Cindy's suggestion to brine turnip slices to draw out the moisture before cooking]. Other times I have a success, like this Beef and Turnip Pot Pie. This is a variation on my Beef & Bok Choy Pie, flavored similarly to a pasty but using ground, not cubed, beef.

You can find all of my turnip recipes in the Turnip Recipes Collection, part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient. This is a resource for folks like me eating seasonally from the farm share, the farmer's market, or grocery store specials [not that I've ever seen turnips on special but you never know]. I've got turnip recipes pinned on Pinterest--you can follow me here. For more info on how to use this blog, click here.

Bacon Cheeseburger Tomato Jam Dip

Hot, hearty, cheesy, beefy--I've unpacked the adjectives for this dip, but the name pretty much says it all. It's a bacon cheeseburger dip using tomato jam to provide some bold summery flavor in winter.

Why is it that there's a big eating event in the dead of winter? Sure, sure, Thanksgiving is generally after a frost, but most of the Thanksgiving vegetables lend themselves to long storing or freezing. I'm talking about walking into 3 different grocery stores in 2 days [yes, I get around] and being assaulted with goal posts surrounded by mounds of fresh tomatoes and peppers and avocados. That ain't right.

Fresh tomatoes, everywhere on the mainland US that I've lived, don't taste very good in the dead of winter. It's almost criminal to tantalize shoppers with the prospect of fresh vegetables when the flavor doesn't back up the promise.  I turn to preserved tomatoes (those that I've canned, slow roasted and frozen, or jammed) for my winter time tomato flavor. I'll happily buy a jar of salsa [or crack open a jar of strawberry salsa] but make fresh tomato salsa from the store stuff to eat during the game? Not happening. Not now. I will GORGE myself on fresh tomatoes from July-ish through October-ish, but then I put up as much as possible so that I can enjoy these summer flavors in winter.

Here's another way I use my preserves.

If you're watching the game in shorts and a t-shirt, this recipe may not apply to you. While I like my room temperature snacks, our TV is in the basement along with the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve and I need something to keep me warm while watching.

Sure, sure, having 2 to 3 dogs piled on my lap [occasionally tap dancing on my hard cider-filled bladder] does provide an extra 120 pound layer of insulation. However, it also prevents me from getting up to pee get refills of this savory dip. I suppose that's a form of portion control. You can see a quick pic of us on my FB page.

I made this dip last year* after being inspired by the Bacon Double Cheese Burger Dip at Closet Cooking. I thought that using some tomato jam (from Marisa's recipe at Food In Jars) would provide a bit of bold spicy sweetness to play off of the bacon, so I got busy with some of the cow that lives in my freezer.  This recipe works both as a dip for a sturdy tortilla chip and a filling for a slider bun (those pictures did not turn out as well though).

For other recipes using ground beef, please see my Ground Beef Recipe Round Up, 106 recipes from a whole host of food bloggers covering a variety of eating styles and categories [though there are no desserts using ground beef in this round up. that's icky to me]. Need a hot vegetarian dip? Try my Baked Artichoke and Arugula Dip instead.

Pretzel Roll Sliders

Green Tomato Bacon Jam flavors these sliders, tucked into soft pretzel buns and topped with guacamole and sharp cheddar. Your team will demolish a plate of these burgers.

Did you know one of the founding teams of the NFL was in Dayton Ohio?

One of the cool aspects of being a military family is the opportunity to explore new towns every few years. It seems that when you know you're only living in a region for a short time, you tend to dive right in and explore the new home.

Before moving to Dayton, I knew about the Wright brothers*, but I didn't know about Ermal Fraze (inventor of the pull tab that we all use to open cans--like a can of Ermal's Belgian style cream ale). I didn't know that mass production of the cash register started here. Nor did I know that the Dayton Triangles were one of the founding teams that started what is now known as the the NFL.

What does this have to do with these sliders? Well, honoring the spirit of Dayton inventors who left such a rich legacy, I developed a recipe for Green Tomato Bacon Jam. I've used this easy freezer jam in summertime burgers and, because I think it is a terrific use for green tomatoes, I'm calling your attention to the recipe via these sliders. Even if you don't get green tomatoes in your community supported agriculture (CSA) farm share, chances are good you'll know someone twiddling their thumbs over a pile of green tomatoes when the days shorten and frost threatens.

In addition to developing recipes to preserve the seasonal abundance, I want to share how I use these preserves all year long. [I don't know if I'll ever use Apple Fig Chutney as anything other than a condiment for Indian food like my Squash and Beef Masala, though.] So consider this another tickle in your brain to grab some green tomatoes in September and get jamming.

Other recipes (not one of them fried) that use green tomatoes can be found on my Green Tomato Recipe Collection, part of my Visual Recipe Index. For 106 more ideas on what to do with a pound of ground beef, see my Ground Beef Recipe Round Up.

Acorn Squash, Beef, and Bulgur Casserole

A hearty casserole of ground beef and acorn squash, mixed with bulgur wheat and seasoned with Greek spices. A terrific base for a Bowl.

Happy Halloween! I've been reflecting on how Halloween has changed for me over the years. Single and pre-kids if I was home I'd have a bag or two of candy to hand out to the kids who stopped by. When I had young kids I was all about getting nutritious finger foods into them while they were bouncing around ready to head out for loot. We'd have a pre-trick-or-treating neighborhood party with a secondary goal of preventing too much candy ingestion. As if, my older self says. Now I've got teenagers. One will be trick or treating in a medieval dress from the thrift shop with a floor length cloak she sewed herself. The other will be playing in the marching band at the last game of the season, wearing a costume he made that makes no sense to his folks [Night Vale Community Radio Intern?]. I sense I'm on the cusp of yet another change, as always happens in Life.

Because I answered a question on G+,  I received a free box of FreakyFruits from Melissa's Produce. I have not seen such nice packing since we lived in Japan. So far I've made Buddha's Hand Feta Yogurt Dip, Rambutan Hairy Eyeballs, Mustard Greens Kheema with finger limes, and (not shown) Passion Fruit & Banana Muffins. I'm not under an obligation to share what I've been doing with the fruits, but hey--I started a blog to share what I do with produce.

I've been seeing a lot of bowls lately. My friends share photos of them on FB and Karen from Soup Addict tantalizes me with her amazing bowl creations. Let me be clear--this is a casserole, not a bowl. However, this casserole lends itself to getting your bowl off to a great start. It combines a grain with a  vegetable and a protein (the ever-present ground beef from the cow in the freezer--link to my 106 recipes using ground beef). I like to eat it piled with more vegetables (suggestions below) and a healthy scoop of Acorn Squash Tahini Dip with Greek Seasoning stirred in. After all, like my spouse has taught our son to say, "it's all going to the same place".

I realize that this is the 3rd recipe featuring acorn squash that I've shared in the past 2 weeks. I could have held an Acorn Squash Week.  Instead, I'll just mention that photos and links to all of my recipes for using acorn squash can be found on my Acorn Squash Recipe Collection.

Bacon, Beef and Beet Chili

A hearty chili of beef, beets, and tomatoes--flavored with bacon.

Chili is good for hockey season. When I have an afternoon available I'll make a pot of chili on a back burner while processing vegetables or making another dinner. The chili goes into the fridge for later in the week, then on the appointed day hangs out in the crock pot on Warm.  All day.  I just need someone {my sled hockey player} to grate the cheese and set out the fixings, and it's time to eat.

See the bowl in these photos? I got it at Hot Soups for a Cool Cause, a fundraiser for the Dayton International Peace Museum. My folks and I attend the twice-yearly events since their visits happened to coincide. With my donation I not only got an assortment of delicious soups and excellent conversation--I got to keep the bowl! I was amazed to learn that the potter lives a few blocks away--small world. I did not have this chili at the fundraiser (though I had a tasty borscht last month at the Cool Soups for a Hot Cause event). Instead, I pulled it out of my ear--doing a bit of a riff on my Acorn Squash, Beet and Sweet Potato Chili.

Our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers are great at growing beets.  The family is just not that into beets, despite 8 years of exposure to this delicious vegetable. No matter. If we get beets in the farm share, we get beets in our bellies. We eat what is in the fridge. Or else!

This time, bacon was my vehicle to facilitate the beets' acceptance. A little bacon goes a long way, flavor-wise, so I am glad to incorporate some into this chili. I'm gratified that the kids like chili--it's easy to cook, reheats well, and can assimilate a bunch of vegetables.

I've updated my Visual Recipe Index--for more recipes featuring beets, check out my Beet Recipes Collection!

Beef and Venison Sloppy Joes with Yellow Squash and Peppers

aka Butch and Bambi Bought the Farm-Fresh Vegetables

Ground beef and ground venison sloppy joes, combined with yellow squash and purple peppers from the farm share, with a kick from Korean hot red pepper paste.

I've bumped the recipe that was scheduled to appear today at the request of my spouse. He told his coworkers I'd have the recipe from last week's sloppy joes luncheon up on the blog, and who am I to refuse him? [Don't answer that one.] It was ugly food, though, and I'm always happy to bump ugly food to a later date in hopes I can remake it and get better photos.

The clever subtitle is also courtesy of my spouse [wish he also edited the photos--it's hard]. Since half of the meat in this recipe came from a cow named Butch and the other half from a deer skillfully obtained by his colleague . . . . the spouse's colleague not the cow's . . . it seemed an appropriate title. Adding some of the fresh vegetables from our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share is just bonus. Flavorful bonus.

The basis for my recipe today is Pioneer Woman's Sloppy Joe Recipe. As in my Very Veggie Sloppy Joes for a Crowd I jumped right off in a "use ALL the vegetables" direction. Since I added ground venison, however, I didn't want to get too wild with the seasonings--ketchup and mustard is pretty tame I think. However, instead of all the chili powder and hot sauce I used some gochujang (Korean hot red pepper paste). Once opened, it keeps for a while in the fridge--I've included a photo of it so you know what to look for in the Asian section of the grocery store or an Asian market or here [Amazon Affiliate link].

I tend to throw leftovers at the family for weekend lunches because I usually fix a big breakfast, and my brain is percolating something good for dinner. Such a pain when they want to be fed again in the middle of the day, you know? Before taking the Joes to work for the luncheon, though, my spouse saved out just enough for the 4 of us. I was delighted to realize we could have one of my childhood comfort foods: sloppy joes on a bun with a slice of cheese and mustard, potato chips, apple slices, and milk. Perfection for a Saturday afternoon lunch.

If you're lucky enough to get some venison, please try this recipe. I'll even share my gochujang, since I don't foresee sticking it into waffles or anything . . . though a pizza is in the creative ideas stage, and it's been delicious in grilled recipes and with bok choy.

Want other recipes for ground beef? Here's a round up of 106 of them. Want other recipes using yellow squash? Look here.  Need other ideas for bell peppers--any color? Try this collection.

Shepherd's Pie with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and Green Beans

Ground beef, slow-roasted tomatoes, and green beans tucked underneath a mashed potato crust.

Do you have any roasted tomatoes in your freezer? Ever since I first read Alanna's tutorial on Slow Roasted tomatoes, I've managed to put up at least a few bags each year. This year it's been cool enough that I've been roasting and canning in equal amounts.

I add roasted tomatoes primarily to spaghetti sauce, but every once in a while I play, like with this Enchilada sauce. This recipe uses leftover mashed potatoes and slow-roasted tomatoes to make an improved--and soup can free [not that there's anything wrong with a can of soup] version of a family favorite casserole.

I usually make my beloved Shepherd's Pie with a can of tomato soup. Since I've canned so many tomatoes and learned how to make Creamy Tomato Soup with Home-canned Tomatoes I don't have any tomato soup cans left in the pantry. I've still got cream of chicken soup for my Turkey Divan, though, and I don't foresee altering that recipe any time soon. My family loves it just the way it is.  Except I've got a kale version coming . . . but hey, that was my spouse's idea.

When you've got excess fresh green beans it's simple to freeze them. Trim to bite size, snap off the ends and strings [yes, there are many stringless varieties but I like sitting around nagging snapping beans with my family. I think it builds character relationships]. Blanch the beans [quickly dip into boiling water for a minute until they are bright green, then scoop out and dunk in cold water]. Spin them dry, lay out on a parchment or wax paper-lined tray, and freeze for several hours. I usually do this when I'm cooking pasta--do the beans first--and freeze overnight. I never dunk my beans in an ice water bath.  If I ever live in a place with an automatic ice maker, perhaps I'll try it.  Once the beans are frozen, transfer to bags or jars for long term storage.

Tamale Pie with Hatch Chiles

This one pan gluten free meal combines beef and vegetables with cheese under a cornbread crust.

Full Disclosure: I've never eaten real authentic tamale pie before, though I have eaten real tamales* and assisted in the Big Production that goes into making them. I confess I first got the recipe for tamale pie off the bag of a bag of cornbread mix. It called for cans of chili, shredded cheese, and packages of cornbread mix. I fixed it while my spouse and I were still in the first throes of living as man and wife [we'd been married for a while, but it took us a long time to actually live in the same country] and it was fast, easy, and tasty.

This recipe is not quite as fast as emptying a few cans into a skillet, but it's close.

After I got more adventurous in cooking, I started making tamale pie using my own meat mixture, and then later using my own cornbread.  Ever since we joined a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share, I'm constantly looking for ways to add additional vegetables into familiar dishes.  You can never have too many vegetables (unless your farm share pick up is the day after tomorrow and you've still got two crispers full of beets and kale veggies).

Last summer, before Butch came into my freezer, I managed to combine chiles from New Mexico, beef from Michigan, and corn from Delaware along with patty pan squash and red onions from Ohio into a tamale pie.  We'd returned from a beach vacation in time to walk down the street to the local grocery store and grab a couple of quarts of freshly roasted Hatch chiles.  I couldn't wait to get started on salsa verde (my usual use for Hatch chiles) so I chopped up chiles and used them in both the filling and the topping for this dish. The kids and I enjoyed the tamale pie so much I put it into the rotation, not that I have much of a rotation what with trying new things all the time, but still. It was a keeper. This is a tasty way to add some summer veggies + ground beef into a one pot meal.

Lately you may have noticed that I've been using lots of Hatch chiles from New Mexico, which 'tis true are not local to me here in Ohio.  Aside from the fact that these chiles taste good--and I don't have to do the roasting--New Mexico has a soft spot in my heart. I've been to New Mexico on vacation, twice, and got married there each time. I married the same guy [we forgot to take photos the first time, or invite our folks, so a re-do was appropriate].  It's not a bad state to get married in--you just needed $25 cash and a photo ID, the minimum age was 13 years old, and my marriage was recognized by the rest of the country. What's not to like? And, as a bonus, they grow tasty chiles there--though as far as I know I've never eaten a Hatch chile in New Mexico. Perhaps if we get hitched again . . . though my spouse would not appreciate a 3rd anniversary to remember.

For more recipes using Hatch chiles, please see my Hatch Chile Recipe Collection, part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient. For even more ideas using all kinds of peppers, from mild bell to spicy chiles, check out my friend Kristy's site JalapeñoMania. On my FB page I'm sharing recipes from other bloggers, and I'm pinning good stuff all over my Pinterest boards. Wanna know how to use this blog? Click here.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili with Hatch Chiles, Corn, and Beef

Sweet and spicy chili that simmers in the slow cooker for an easy supper. This chili has beef, sweet potatoes, 3 kinds of beans, corn, peppers and Hatch chiles for amazing flavor

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When my friend Mary brought her Sweet Potato and Black Bean chili to the thrift shop for lunch, I spooned up that bowl of spicy comfort and was smitten.  Mary's chili, adapted from The Clueless Vegetarian (Amazon affiliate link) was spicy yet went down smoothly, and like all great chilies each person can customize their bowl with a variety of toppings.

I don't know about you, but I tend to become smitten with foods and cook them over and over.  Being a seasonal eater works well with this tendency, because I'm always moving onto what's up next, seasonally, and don't really have time to get into food ruts. At least it works well when fresh vegetables are appearing each week in our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share box!  During the winter months I tend to rely on the produce that can store longer, like the sweet potatoes and butternut squash in the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve, as well as vegetables I've canned or frozen.

I was so smitten with this chili that I made it several times. Each time I loved it even more.  My kids gobbled it up.  Shoot, it was even the first leftover my spouse scrounged out of the fridge when he returned from his most recent deployment.  The combination of colorful beans and sweet potatoes from this chili inspired my Harvest Sweet Potato Salsa.

Serving chili is a great meal for a variety of eaters--you can top it with a whole host of extras if you like.  Some of our favorite toppings:

• red and green salsas
• pickled peppers
• black olives
• shredded cheese
• sour cream
• tortilla chips

My friend Rebbie hosted a chili party which included an oven full of baked potatoes.  My kids created their own loaded baked potatoes from Rebbie's topping selections and missed out on her award-winning chili, but we all went home full and happy.

Potato, Beet, and Leek Soup (And How To Make Vegetable Stock)

A thick vegan or vegetarian or omnivorous soup of potatoes, beets and leeks

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My spouse is a vegetarian, at least while he's away on his all-expense paid work trip to an exotic foreign locale.  If you think it's ironic, considering I just shared a post on 106 Recipe Ideas Using Ground Beef because I have 110 pounds of ground beef in the freezer, you're in good company.

Since the rest of the household is omnivorous, I've been experimenting with ways to create meals we can all enjoy.

I've heard homeschoolers will use the Bus Stop Method of teaching--introducing a subject, then dropping off students to work at different levels while continuing to teach that subject.  I consider recipes like this, and my Vegan/Vegetarian/Omnivorous Valentine's Pizza and my Acorn Squash, Beet, and Sweet Potato Chili, to be similar to the Bus Stop Teaching.  Call it Bus Stop Cooking (though bear in mind I am cooking in my kitchen, not at a bus stop, and I have access to running water, an oven, stove, and all that).

 The base of this recipe is a vegetable stock, slowly cooked in the slow cooker (is that redundant?) all day (and in fact I kicked this batch over to Keep Warm and let it go overnight since I didn't feel like dealing with it in the evening).  I like mushrooms in my vegetable stock, so when I realize that I'm not going to finish a package I'll toss them in with the rest of the cast of vegetables into a Vegetarian Soup Pack in the freezer.

The inspiration for this soup came from Alanna's Greens 'n All Beet Soup.  I love the flavor of that soup, but my kids aren't crazy about chunks of vegetables, and lately with my obsession with sautéed beet greens there just wasn't any left for soup.  So I figured I'd adapt Alanna's recipe with the veggies I had.  Once I simmered and pureed the soup, I had a rick, thick, vegan bowl of yumminess (shown above).  That's Bus Stop #1.  Adding a dollop (love that word) of sour cream makes a nice vegetarian bowl (shown below left).  Bus Stop #2.  Adding a pound of browned and drained ground beef to the pot means that we've arrived at the final destination--a soup for omnivores [aka another way to get my kids to eat beets.  With beef.]

I don't know if my spouse will continue as a vegetarian when he returns.  He says he'll eat "happy meat", so I've sourced a "locally-raised on locally-grown and -ground GMO free feed" turkey for Thanksgiving.  I do know that I will continue this Bus Stop Cooking method, because it tastes good!

106 Recipe Ideas Using Ground Beef

When 110 pounds of ground beef arrives in your freezer, you experience a variety of emotions.  When it appears just days after you'd donated 55 pounds of ground beef to the Foodbank to make room for the new beef . . . well, let's just say that the need for new ground beef recipe ideas becomes imperative.

Why do I have so much ground beef in my freezer?  Simply put, I like to know about where my food is coming from, and in addition to eating from our CSA farm share, I like to get meat and eggs locally as well.  If you'd like to purchase beef local to where you live, check out the upper left corner for the Local Harvest options in your area.  If you live in the Seattle, WA area check out Farmstr where you can connect directly with food producers.  I've got a NOTE below, more about the beef in my freezer, but I don't wish to offend anyone's tender sensibilities so I first I will share the following wonderful recipe ideas shared by a variety of food bloggers who answered my plea for ground beef recipes.

I broke this list into 9 groups, but you'll find there are some posts that could fit in multiple groups.  Kim from Cravings of a Lunatic's Lasagna Soup is one of them, as it fits in both the Lasagna category and the Soup/Chili/Slow Cooker category.  Wendy of Around My Family Table's Slow Cooker Taco Meat is another one, fitting into both the Taco/Nacho category and the Slow Cooker/Chili/Soup category.  Chanie of Busy In Brooklyn's Spaghetti Squash Bolognese . . . I could go on!  Just like my Visual Recipe Index, where I break up categories by vegetables above or under the ground, know that my mind is an interesting place and the categories seemed good at the time, or made better-sized collages.

Ground Beef in Lasagna

Links below are shown in this collage Left to Right, Top to Bottom

Lasagna Soup from Cravings of a Lunatic
Easy Spicy Lasagna from Cravings of a Lunatic
Easy One Skillet Lasagna from I Heart Eating
Spicy Tortilla Lasagna from The Kitchen Is My Playground
Easy Italian Lasagna by Modern Christian Homemaker
Quadruple Roasted Vegetable Mock Florentine Mock Lasagna by me!

Ground Beef Stuffed into Things

Links below are shown in this collage Left to Right, Top to Bottom, plus a couple of mine that didn't fit

Meat & Rice Stuffed Baby Eggplants from Busy in Brooklyn
Baked Spaghetti and Spaghetti Squash with Optional Ground Beef from Kitchen Treaty
Chipotle Stuffed Zucchini Boats from Nutmeg Nanny
Spaghetti Squash Bolognese from Busy in Brooklyn
Pepper Potts' Stuffed Peppers from Mom on Time Out
Paleo Stuffed Eggplant (With Ground Beef) from Everyday Maven
Millet and Dukkah Stuffed Squash from This American Bite
Stuffed Peppers with Beef and Bulgur Wheat from The Lemon Bowl
Tomato and Capsicum Beef Mince Farcie with Polenta from Masala Herb
Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls from The Lemon Bowl
The Best Beef Samosas from Rock Recipes
Stuffed Breakfast Biscuits from Around My Family Table
Basic Farm Fresh Feasts-a-boli from me!
Beef, Mushroom, and Fresh Tomato FFF-a-boli from me!

Ground Beef in Sauce

Links below are shown in this collage Left to Right, Top to Bottom, plus one of mine that didn't fit

Bolognese Sauce from Cravings of a Lunatic

Easy Korean Beef over Rice from Juanita's Cocina

Pasilla Bolognese Spaghetti from girlichef

Beef and Broccoli Alfredo from Blueberries and Blessings

Our Best Simple Bolognese Sauce from Rock Recipes

Korean Beef and Broccoli from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce from Crumb Blog

Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes from Blueberries and Blessings

Veggie Pumped Picadillo from me!

Very Veggie Sloppy Joes for a Crowd from me!

Ground Beef in Pie

Links below are shown in this collage Left to Right, Top to Bottom

Tamale Pie from The Kitchen Is My Playground

Shepherd's Pie from Karen's Kitchen Stories

Frito Pie from girlichef

Shepherd's Pie from Persnickety Plates

Chili Corn Chip Pie from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Sweet Potato Shepard's Pie from This American Bite

Pasties from me!

Thanksgiving Leftover Shepherd's Pie from me!

Beef and Bok Choy Pie from me!

Ground Beef in Mexican Dishes

Links below are shown in this collage Left to Right, Top to Bottom, plus one of mine that didn't fit

Smothered Burritos by Nutmeg Nanny

Molly's Beef Enchiladas by Persnickety Plates

Grilled Game Day Nachos by Supper for a Steal

Tostada Dip by Modern Christian Homemaker

Frito Olé by Home Cooking Memories

Baked Flautas by Home Cooking Memories

Taco Salad in a Bag by Like Mother Like Daughter

Dutch Oven Beef Enchilada Casserole by Like Mother Like Daughter

Beef and Vegetable Enchiladas by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Low Fat Taco Salad by Rock Recipes

Gorditas with Picadillo by Juanita's Cocina

Beef Taco Lettuce Wraps by Everyday Maven

Cheesy Ground Beef Taquitos by Miss in the Kitchen

Taco Salad with Salsa Ranch Dressing by Miss in the Kitchen

Garlic Beef Enchiladas by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Taco Farro by me!

Stretching Meat:  Tacos by me!

Ground Beef in Meatballs and Meatloaf

Links below are shown in this collage Left to Right, Top to Bottom, plus one of mine that didn't fit

Amnah's Moroccan Meatball Tagine by Maroc Mama

Kosher Swedish Meatballs by This American Bite

Paul's Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by Cupcakes and Kale Chips

Egg and Ground Meat Tagine (Kefta Mkawra) by Maroc Mama

Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs by Supper for a Steal

Austrian Beef Bread Dumplings Sainehonsa Bratknodel by Masala Herb

Greek Meatballs (Soutzoukakia) by Supper for a Steal

Polpettone alla Toscano or Easy Italian Meatballs by The Culinary Life

Soutzoukakia (Cumin Meatballs in Tomato) by girlichef

Paleo Pesto Meatballs by Everyday Maven

Mini Parmesan Meatloaf by Modern Christian Homemaker

Holiday Traditions Swedish Meatballs by me! (ok, technically my folks')

Stretching Meat:  Meatloaf by me!

Ground Beef in the Slow Cooker, in Soups, and in Chili

Links below are shown in this collage Left to Right, Top to Bottom, plus a few of mine that didn't fit

Zesty Hamburger Soup by Cravings of a Lunatic

Healthier Homemade Sloppy Joes by I Heart Eating

Slow Cooker Taco Meat by Around My Family Table

Slow Cooker Meatloaf by The Kitchen Is My Playground

Slow Cooker Chili by diethood

Chili Con Carne by This American Bite

Bill's Chili by Cupcakes and Kale Chips

Frito Chili Pie--Crock Pot or Stove by I Heart Eating

Slow Cooker Squash and Beef Masala by me!

Acorn Squash, Beet, and Sweet Potato Chili by me!

Slow Cooker Green Tomato Garlic Chili by me!

Ground Beef in Casseroles

Links below are shown in this collage Left to Right, Top to Bottom

Beef and Wild Rice Bake from Miss in the Kitchen

Hamburger Stroganoff by Julie's Eats & Treats

Hamburger Wild Rice Casserole by Julie's Eats & Treats

French Fry Hot Dish by Julie's Eats & Treats

Sloppy Joe Under a Bun Casserole by Julie's Eats & Treats

Cheeseburger Macaroni by Around My Family Table

Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni by Texanerin

Easy Slow Cooker Hamburger & Corn Gulash by Farmer's Wife Rambles

Beef and Potato Skillet Supper by Cupcakes and Kale Chips

Ground Beef in Burgers

Links below are shown in this collage Left to Right, Top to Bottom, plus one of mine that didn't fit

Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Mushrooms by Miss in the Kitchen

Sloppy Burger Grilled Cheese by Snappy Gourmet

Herbed Half & Half Burgers by Everyday Maven

Truffle Salt Burgers by Everyday Maven

Bacon and Cheese-stuffed Chili Burgers by Juanita's Cocina

Teriyaki Burger by Juanita's Cocina

Skillet Blue Cheese Burgers by Vintage Kitchen Notes

Cooking 101 Homemade Hamburgers by Around My Family Table

Green Chile Cheese Burgers by Modern Christian Homemaker

Korean BBQ-Style Asian Burger by The Culinary Life

Worcestershire Blue Cheese Volcano Burgers by Cupcakes and Kale Chips

Brie and Caramelized Onion Stuffed Burgers by All Day I Dream About Food

Sweet Pepper Burgers by Busy in Brooklyn

Moroccan Hamburgers with Harissa Mayonnaise by Maroc Mama

Jangsanjeok Korean Simmered Teriyaki Style Beef Patties by Foodie With Family

Chili Beef Sliders by What's Cookin' Chicago

Stretching Meat:  Burgers by me!

NOTE:  The steer in my freezer that will feed my family for the next year had a name.  It is not my intention to offend any tender sensibilities by sharing more about him.  It is my intention to know more about the food I feed my family.  If you don't want to learn more about the steer, please skip over the next paragraph.  I indented and italicized it too, to make it easier if you wish to avoid.  Join us after the photo for some final thoughts.

The steer below was born on a dairy farm in western Ohio.  There's not much use for boy calves on dairy farms--yes, technically he was a bull calf--so he was given to my neighbor's friend's wife because she used to work on the dairy farm.  My neighbor's friend and his family allow their steers (that's a neutered male, BTW) to free range on 13 acres of grass and shelter under the barn.  The kids named this steer Butch, and regularly fed him and his buddies dandelions.  My neighbor's friend built an earthen ramp to minimize the stress of loading the animals into his trailer for the short trip to the butcher shop.  The butcher shop is known for not stressing the animals and only processes 2 animals a day.  Butch was dry aged for a couple of weeks before cutting and packaging.  We got a quarter of Butch (don't ask which quarter, as I've got both his tongue and his tail).  As I don't cook large amounts of meat at one time, I prefer getting smaller one pound packages of ground beef in lieu of roasts.  Why did I have so much ground beef left over from the previous animal?  Apparently I'm pretty good at stretching meat.  

I've thoroughly enjoyed working on this recipe round up.  So much so that I'm planning another one for what to do with the Band Fruit Fundraiser citrus that will fill up my crisper in a few months!  Any ideas for future recipe round ups, (25 uses for kohlrabi?  17 ways to love beets?) please leave 'em in the comments.  Thanks!

This post is shared on the Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Week In Review, Tasty Tuesdays  Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up and What's Cookin' Wednesday, From The Farm Blog Hop,