Let’s beef it up

photo by Didts
Move over, meatloaf. For a change, you can make these budget-friendly ground-beef meals. Some people stretch their ground beef by adding rice, breadcrumbs, ground turkey, textured vegetable protein (TVP), oats or beans. You can mix in grated vegetables such as potatoes, carrots or zucchini, too. Enjoy!

Hamburger Calzones

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 onion
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten

Heat oven to 375 F. In a large skillet, brown ground beef and onion. Drain grease. Add ketchup and mustard. In a medium bowl, combine Bisquick and boiling water to form a dough. Divide the dough into five sections, roll into a ball shape, and then place back into the bowl. Sprinkle work surface with Bisquick, and roll each dough ball into the Bisquick to coat. Press each ball so it’s a 6-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Spoon beef mixture onto one side of the dough, and leave a 1/2-inch border around meat. Sprinkle cheese on meat, and fold dough over meat. Press edges with fork to seal closed. Place calzone onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush calzones with egg. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. — Tisha, Canada
Optional: Use refrigerated pizza dough or your own favorite pizza dough recipe. Add your favorite fillers. I like Philly steak, cheese, onions, green peppers. Yum.

photo by asacco9642

Taco Twist Casserole

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 packages taco seasoning
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 cups salsa
16 ounces corkscrew macaroni, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup sour cream

Cook beef and pepper until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning, tomato sauce and salsa, and simmer on low for 5 minutes. In the large pot you cooked pasta in, mix pasta and sauce together, add 1 cup of cheese and all the sour cream. Spray 13-by-9-by-2-inch or larger pan, and pour mixture in. Top with remaining cheese, and bake 350 F for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Optional: Add one 8-ounce can tomato sauce to top of the casserole before you put cheese on if it looks a bit dry. Serve with extra sour cream if desired. — Darlene B., New York

Slow-Cooker Ground Beef and Potatoes

1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 to 6 medium potatoes
1 (10-3/4 ounces) can condensed cream-of-mushroom soup
1/4 cup water
vegetables of choice, optional

In a skillet, brown ground beef and onion. When meat is lightly browned, add in garlic. Stir in pepper and thyme. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Peel and slice potatoes. In a bowl, mix mushroom soup and water. Put half the potatoes into buttered slow cooker. Add half the cream soup. Add browned-beef mixture, and top with remaining potatoes. Spread remaining soup over top of contents. Cover. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Stir at halfway point to evenly distribute soup and to prevent dryness.
Optional: If using vegetables, layer them on top of the potatoes. — adapted from a recipe submitted by Michelle S., Massachusetts

Posted by Sara Noel on March 26 2009. Filed under Frugal Cooking.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook