Beth's Ground Beef Plan #1

This plan is a simple ground beef plan using twenty pounds of 92% ground beef that I buy at the base commissary for $1.14/pound. This is a basic plan that I tend to use at each of my OAMC sessions.

If you don't want to use a full twenty pounds of meat, you can add 5# of reconstituted Textured Vegetable Protien (TVP) to 15# of ground beef...some people even go to a 50/50 mix of the two.

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Menu

Cooked Items:
Ground Beef Mix
Taco Meat
Spaghetti Sauce with Meat
Lazy Lasagna
Hash Brown Casserole
Freezer Stash Meatballs

Uncooked Items:
Bacon, Swiss and Mushroom Meatloaf

Shopping List

20# 92% Lean Ground Beef
4 Green Peppers
4 Medium Onions
1 2# bag frozen hash browns
*or* equivalent amount homemade uncooked hash browns, rinsed well and blanched for 1-2 minutes
6 bottles of your favorite store bought Spaghetti Sauce *or* equivalent amount of homemade spaghetti sauce
6 envelopes of taco seasoning *or* homemade equivalent
4 boxes lasagna noodles (not the NO-COOK variety)
1 2# bag of frozen mixed vegetables
2# cheddar cheese
2# mozzerella cheese
1 can bread crumbs
3 cans cream of mushroom soup *or* homemade equivalent
2 cups sour cream
1# bacon
3/4# Swiss Cheese
1/2# fresh mushrooms
2 env. Dried Onion Soup Mix *or* homemade equivalent
3 Garlic Cloves
6 Eggs
Corn Flake Crumbs
1 pint Evaporated milk or half and half


Preparation

1) Use food processor to chop mushrooms, onions and green peppers.
2) Use food processor to shred all three cheeses.
3) Dice and cook bacon until golden brown and crisp, but not burnt.
4) If you want to cook the lasagna noodles half way, do so now.

Assembly

A. Ground Beef Mix
1) Saute onions and green peppers in 2 Tbsp. oil.
2) Add and brown 10# of ground beef (may have to do this in two pans).
3) When cooked thoroughly, set aside half of the mixture to cool while preparing spaghetti sauce. Take half of the remaining meat mix to use in the Spaghetti Sauce.
4) Label and date freezer containers/bags.
5) When the mixture is cool place meat into freezer containers or bags in 2 cup measurements.
6) Place in fridge to cool completely then freeze.

B. Spaghetti Sauce
1) Add all the bottles of spaghetti sauce into the half of the meat mixture.
2) Mix thoroughly.
3) Allow to cool slightly while assembling Lazy Lasagna.
4) Label and date freezer containers or bags and place 2-4cups of sauce in each while ensuring room for expansion during freezing. Use half of the spaghetti sauce this way and the other half for lasagna.

C. Lazy Lasagna
1) If not freezing in the cooking container, line the pan to be used with heavy duty foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
2) Take a large spoonful of spaghetti sauce and spread it on the bottom of the pan.
3) Place a single layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce.
4) Add a generous amount of sauce on top (be sure all the noodles are covered completely.)
5) Add a layer of shredded mozzerella cheese and cheddar cheese. If you wish to add ricota, feta or cottage cheese to so now.
6) Repeat layering process again this time leaving out ricotta, feta or cottage cheese.
7) Add grated Parmesean cheese if desired.
8) Cover and freeze. Once completely frozen, place in labeled ziplock bag and remove all visible air, seal and return to freezer.

D. Taco Meat
1) Take half of remaining meat mix and add taco seasoning mix (I like mine strong, so this may need to be adjusted for your family).
2) Add water according to directions.
3) Simmer at least 15 minutes or until reduced by half.
4) Allow to cool.
5) Label and date containers.
6) Measure 2 cups of mixture into each container, place in fridge to cool completely then freeze.

E. Hash Brown Casserole
1) Add frozen veggies and dry soup mix to remaining meat mix and stir together.
2) If not freezing in baking pans, line pan to be used with foil, lightly spray with cooking spray.
3) Divide meat/veggie mix into three pans.
4) Top with hash browns.
5) Cover and label.
6) Mix cream of mushroom soup and sour cream together. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
7) Divide soup/cream mixture into three one pint or quart sized ziplock bags.
8) Label, date and place cooking directions on three gallon sized Ziplock bags (or large enough to fit casserole).
9) Place covered casserole and one bag of sauce into each bag, remove all visible air and freeze.
10) To prepare: Thaw in fridge 12-24 hours, pour soup/sour cream mixture over the top (you may need to stir it up since it seperates a little) and bake at 350ºF for 30-60 minutes (depends on how thawed it is) or until
top is golden and bubbly.

F. Freezer Stash Meatballs
1) Divide remaining meat in approximately half.
2) Follow the recipe below:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Freezer Stash Meatballs

Recipe By : Posted on Friendly Freezer Mailing List by Kelly
(soaper1965@aol.com)
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Ground Beef Meatballs

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 lbs. lean ground beef
1 1/2 c soft bread crumbs
3 eggs
6 Tbsp minced onion
3 cloves garlic -- crushed
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together.
Shape into 1 1/2 inch meatballs.(A miniature ice cream scoop makes fast
work of shaping). Arrange in two 10x15 jelly roll pans. Bake in preheated oven until
meat is browned, with no trace of pink and juices run clear, 10 to 13 minutes. Drain; let cool to room temperature, divide into thirds and freeze each portion in vapor moisture roof containers.
Kelly's Notes: I plan on trying a cookie scoop to form these and flash freeze and bag in a freezer ziploc.

Makes 48 meatballs; 8 servings

G. Bacon, Swiss and Mushroom Meatloaf
1) Follow the recipe below:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Meatloaf

Recipe By : Lynn Nelson - BusyCooks website
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :1:50 prep/cook
Categories : Ground Beef Meatloaf

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
12 ounces bacon -- diced
4 medium white mushrooms -- chopped
1 small onion -- finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup evaporated milk or half & half
6 ounces shredded swiss cheese
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp but not burned.
Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and
cool. Remove all but a tablespoon of the bacon fat from the
skillet and saute the mushrooms and onions until tender.
Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mix the beef, egg, and milk. Add the
mushroom/onion mixture, all but a few spoonfuls of the
swiss cheese and all but one tablespoons of the bacon
bits. Add the corn flake crumbs and mix well until blended.
Shape into a loaf and place in a large loaf pan.

Bake at 350 for about an hour, or until cooked through.
Drain fat from the pan and sprinkle the reserved cheese
and bacon on top. Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until
cheese is bubbly.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Yield: 4 to 6
servings.

Lynn's Note: Right now, this is my absolute favorite meatloaf. The
combination of ingredients bakes into something truly wonderful.

Beth's Note: I like to form the loaves into mini loaves using a Texas size muffin
pan. I freeze either cooked or uncooked depending on how lazy I'm feeling. :-)