Two Nights of Beef

I like buying my hamburger in larger amounts because we eat quite a bit of it. I usually buy 2+ pounds in one package and brown it all in one night. Here are some of the things I can do with that 2+ pounds of meat over the next few nights to make things easier...

Night 1: Pahhhsketti (or Spaghetti, if you prefer) :-)

1/2 of the browned meat (1-1.5 pounds)

1/2 chopped onion

1 green bell pepper

1 handful of chopped mushrooms

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 package of spaghetti noodles

Cook those noodles, sautee them veggies, toss them in with the sauce and meat. Voila! You've got a main dish quick and easy. Toss a salad and make some garlic bread to go with. Yummm!

Night 2: Mexican Soft Tacos

the last half of hamburger meat

1 cup shredded cheese

1 cup diced green chili (for those who like it)

1 package of quick mexican rice

1 can of refried beans

Tortillas

I like to butter my tortillas and slap them in the oven for a couple of minutes. They sometimes get a little crispy if they sit in there too long. That's not a bad thing though. Cook quick rice according to package. Heat the hamburger up in the microwave for a few minutes. On top of the tortillas, layer your desired amount of hamburger, green chili, and cheese. Serve the rice and beans on the side (or in the tacos if preferred). This is also nice to have with queso dip and tortilla chips as an appetizer. If you're feeling a bit more motivated, this also makes a scrumptious casserole. I layer meat, salsa, tortillas, cheese, rice, etc. and then bake it for about 45 minutes on 375. You can also add some corn to those layers and sprinkle some black olives and cheese on the top to make it purty and even more scrumptious. After the casserole is done, slap some sour cream on top of each serving.

My one-year-old doesn't like to eat anything but cottage cheese these days, it seems. But he LOVED these soft tacos and made quick work of those beans! My 3-year old couldn't get enough of this dinner and even ate some of mine. Good thing she's so cute! :-)

~Stepherz~