Cowboy Lasagna

This is my new favorite tater tot casserole. I know this picture doesn't make it look like the most edible thing ever, but looks aren't everything. This was really good. It blows all of my other tater tot casserole recipes out of the water. And all of my kids liked it!

 

Cowboy Lasagna
Source: Peppermint Mocha Mamma

1 lb of ground beef
Minced onions - 4 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce - generous sprinkling
Parsley - roughly 3 tbsp, divided
One can of tomato soup - 10 3/4 ozs
One can of corn - 15.25 ozs
Dried ground mustard - 3 tbsp
One package of tater tots - 32 ozs
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mozzarella cheese - roughly 4 cups

Brown ground beef with spices - drain.  Add can of soup and can of corn, simmer for about 10 minutes. In a greased 9x13 baking dish, arrange tator tots in single layer.  Cover with 2 cups of cheese.  Pour ground beef mixture over top and cover with remaining cheese and 1 tbsp of parsley.
Place in a 350F oven for 30 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Cheeseburger Soup

My friend made this soup the other day and it was so good. I didn't get her exact recipe but I found this one on the internet and it was really good. The picture isn't so awesome, but it really does taste good!

Cheeseburger Soup
Source: The Recipe Critic

1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
11/2 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
6 cups chicken broth
8 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 cups of cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1.  Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan.  Drain and set aside.
2. In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery.  Saute until tender.
3.  Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4.  In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour.  Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.  Add to the soup and bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low.
5. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper.  Cook and stir until cheese melts.  Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.  
Yield 8 servings

Taco Pizza

I was a little worried about how this was going to taste because we are not huge refried beans people, but it was really, really good. I really liked the crescent roll crust. We thought adding a little lettuce on top after cooking it would make it taste even better.

Taco Pizza

1 lb. ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
2 cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced black olives
4 green onions, chopped

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning to the ground beef according to the package directions. Add refried beans and heat until mixed. Unroll crescent rolls into rectangles. Place in ungreased 11 1/2 inch x 16 1/2 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Press dough over the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust.  Bake at 375 oven for 11 to 13 minutes or just until golden brown. Layer bean and cooked beef mixture, sprinkle with cheese followed by tomatoes, black olives and green onion.  Return to oven for 3-6 more minutes until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.  Makes 12 servings.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This recipe is so easy to make, especially if you buy your meatballs. (which I usually do) It is really yummy too. I first learned about this recipe from a friend, but it is not new. I think it has been around forever.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 12oz. jar chili sauce
1 16oz. jaur grape jelly
2 lbs. frozen meatballs or 2-3 pkgs. cocktail sausages

Combine jelly and chili sauce in a crock pot and stir until smooth. Heat the mixture if needed to combine. Add meatballs or cocktail sausages and set temperature to low. Cook 2-5 hours on low. Serve over rice.

Beefy Sour Cream Noodle Bake

I am always looking for beef recipes because we have a free supply of it and so I found this on pinterest and wanted to try it. It is kind of a cross between lasagna and spaghetti. It was pretty good and easy.

Beefy Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Source: The Recipe Critic

1 1/4 lb ground beef

1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz egg noodles
3/4 c sour cream
1 1/4 c small curd cottage cheese
2 c sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Brown ground beef. Season beef with salt, pepper, and some onion powder. Drain any excess fat. Add tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 min. Meanwhile, cook noodles al dente, drain, and set aside. In a medium bowl combine sour cream, cottage cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir the noodles into the sour cream mixture. To assemble grease a 9x13 casserole dish, layer half the noodles on the bottom then half the meat sauce, then half the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until cheese melts.

Million Dollar Spaghetti

Spaghetti has always been a meal that I have liked. It is just an easy go-to meal when I have nothing else planned. My kids even like it pretty well, so that right there is a keeper. This spaghetti recipe is spaghetti in a casserole form. I thought it was really good and pretty easy. My kids weren't entirely sold on it because "it has white stuff in it", but they did pretty good eating it.


Million Dollar Spaghetti
Source: Being Grown Up

1 lb. ground beef
1 can spaghetti sauce
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. sour cream
1 c. cottage cheese
1 stick of butter ( I didn't use this much, I used more like 1/2)
8 oz. noodles
shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350. Boil the noodles. While they are boiling mix up the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese. Make sure it is mixed very well. Brown your ground beef and drain. Then pour spaghetti sauce over it. Take a few slices of butter and place in bottom of a casserole dish. Then, layer half the noodles in the bottom of the dish. Pour the creamy mixture on top of the noodles and spread all over. Then add the rest of the noodles and put a few slices of butter on top. Pour the ground beef with sauce over top and spread. Place dish in over for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take dish out and put cheese on top and put back in oven for 15 minutes.

Paul Bunyan Burgers

A couple of years ago, my wife got me a grill cook book for Fathers day or something. We went through it and picked a couple of recipes.  I think this was the first one we tried.  We have it once or twice a year.  They are pretty good, but take a while longer than regular burgers.

Paul Bunyan Burgers
6 bacon strips
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup diced onions
1 egg
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 to 1.5 pounds hamburger
2-3 slices cheese

In a skillet, cook bacon til crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels.  When cooled, chop in pieces.  In drippings, saute onion and mushroom.  Drain grease and return bacon to skillet.
In another bowl, mix the egg, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings.  Add the hamburger and mix well.  Divide into 4 or 6 parts, depending on the size of burger you want.  Place cheese, then bacon mixture on top of one patty, then top with another patty and seal the edges.  Grill over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees.  Serve on buns.

*From Taste of Home, Grill It.

Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts

Here is another beef recipe. I am working on using up all the beef in my freezer. I especially like the flatbread in this one, and it is so easy and yummy!!

Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts
Source: Life as a Lofthouse

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. water
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1/2 c. ketchup
1 T. mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (11 oz) can refrigerated pizza dough
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
chopped tomatoes
chopped lettuce

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Add water, vinegar, onion soup mix, ketchup, mustard, and garlic. Stir to combine and simmer over low heat.

Meanwhile, heat another large skillet over medium-heat. Divide the pizza dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each piece out.

Place one piece of dough onto the warm skillet. Cook on each side for 40-60 seconds or until puffed and golden. Place each flatbread onto a cookie sheet in a 200 degree warm oven to keep warm until all flatbreads are made.

Take one flatbread and fill with a little of the cheeseburger mixture and shredded cheese. Top with tomatoes and lettuce. Serves 4.

Queso Taco Pasta Bake

I like to try new recipes because I get tired of my same ol. I like to find new beef recipes because we have a lot of beef that I need to use up. I found this one at Picky Palate, one of my favorite food blogs I look at. We thought it was pretty good. Rex thought it would be good with some tortilla chips or fritos.

The queso cheese sauce

The Hamburger

The finished product

Queso Taco Pasta Bake

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup prepared mild salsa
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoons minced garlic
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
One 10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes, mild
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3/4 pound small pasta of your choice
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

 Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to melt. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper for about 30 seconds until bubbly. Slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Increase heat to high while whisking until thickened. Takes 3-5 minutes. Stir in cheese and salsa, turn off heat and set aside.

Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add ground beef, salt and pepper, cooking until browned. Drain fat if necessary. Add tomatoes, cumin and lime juice, stir to combine.

 Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and run under cold water.

Transfer beef, noodles and queso to a large pot or dutch oven over medium low heat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper to your liking. Transfer to prepared baking dish and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve warm.