Weeknight Chili

Pin It It's finally starting to look and feel like fall!  I'm so excited to light my fall scented candles and wear long pants and sweaters again.  Fall also means it's time for chili!  I love making a big pot of chili on rainy weekend days.  It's just so comforting and there are always leftovers for lunch during the week.  I call this recipe weeknight chili though because it is so simple and fast that it makes a great weeknight dinner during the cool months.

Weeknight Chili
1 lb ground beef
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 can chili beans
1 can chili tomatoes
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 packet chili seasoning
2 tsp white sugar

1. In a large soup pot brown ground beef with the onions and garlic.  Drain grease and return meat to the pot.
2. Add beans, tomatoes, water, seasoning and sugar.  Stir well.
3. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for at least 30 minutes. 
4. Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream and green onions.
**I think this gets better the longer you can let it simmer.  It's great after 30 mintues, but fabulous after an hour**

Mexican Rice

Pin It This is one of my go-to, one pot wonder weeknight meals.  It takes under 30 minutes to make and it makes enough to feed a crowd so you have guaranteed lunch leftovers for a few days.  It also uses ingredients that I usually have on hand so I can whip it up quick.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do :)

Mexican Rice
1 lb ground beef
1 box Spanish rice mix
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese
sour cream
taco sauce
green onions

1. In a large skillet brown ground beef.  Drain and set aside.
2. In the same skillet cook rice according to box directions, using the can of tomatoes with chiles.
3. When rice is done add corn, beans and beef.  Stir to mix.  Flatten the top of the mixture and sprinkle with cheese.  Cover to let the cheese melt.
4. Serve with sour cream, taco sauce and green onions.

Perfect Burgers

Pin It Well winter is finally here, blowing winds, frigid temps, icy sidewalks.  My husband and I decided that we needed a little taste of summer to lift our moods.  Albert just got a deep fryer for his birthday ( I hate it), and he wanted to make some fries to test it out so we decided that a summer bbq was in order.  I made these using my grill pan on my stovetop and they turned out awesome, just as good as when grilled outdoors.  This is my go-to burger recipe.  It is fast, flavorful and simple. 

Perfect Burgers
*makes 4 burgers
1 lb ground beef
1 packet onion soup mix
1 tsp seasoned salt

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
2. Divide into 4 equal portions and form into patties.
3. Grill or cook on stovetop until desired doneness.  We like ours medium well and it takes about 4 minutes per side over high heat.
4. Top with desired toppings

Mexican Chiptole Chorizo Soup

Pin It I love making a big pot of soup on the weekends and then eating it for lunch during the week.  I also have a weakness for tomato based soups...chili, tortilla soup, taco stew...I love them all.  I would compare this to a spicy, beef version of a tortilla soup.  This was inspired by  Rachael Ray "stoup" recipe.  Great served with crushed tortilla chips or beer bread.

Mexican Chipotle Chorizo Soup
1/2 lb chorizo, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 chipotle in adobo, minced (more or less to taste)
1 can of beer
2 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beens, rinsed and drained
1 can white hominy, drained
1 can corn, drained

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat.  Drizzle olive oil in the pot and add chorizo and beef.  Brown meat, crumbling as it cooks.
2. Drain meat and set aside.
3. Add onions, garlic, chili powder and chipotle to pot.  Cook until onions are browned.
4.  Add beer to pot and loosen any brown bits from the bottom.
5. Add broth, cooked meat, tomatoes, beans, hominy and corn.  Allow to come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes.
6. Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded cheese.

**notes:
Chorizo can be bought in most grocery stores.  I find mine in the meat section by the butcher's Italian sausage and brats.  Not by hotdogs or packaged brats.
Chipotles in adobo can be found in the Mexican aisle in a small can.  They are VERY spicy.  You only need a small amount to taste their heat.

Mini Glazed Meatloaf

Pin It Since Albert is a meat and potatoes kind of guy h happens to love meatloaf.  I don't like how greasy it gets when you bake it in a loaf pan, not to mention the excessively long cooking time.  So I decided to make individual sized portions that would be quicker to cook and less greasy.  You can make them with or without the glaze for an easy weeknight meal.  Tastes great with garlic red potatoes.

Mini Glazed Meatloaf
1 lb ground beef
1 packet onion soup mix
1/4 cup ketchup
1 egg
2/3 cup crushed Ritz crackers (about 10-15 crackers)

Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and put a wire rack on top of the foil.  Spray the wire rack with cooking spray.
2. Hand mix all of the ingredients for the meatloaf until well combined. 
3. Divide the meat into 4 portions and shape into mini loaf shapes.  Place on the rack, spaced out.
4. Mix the ingredients for the glaze until smooth.  Brush on top of the meatloafs.  (You might have extra to use as a dipping sauce)
5.Bake 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Pin It A great meal for a cold weeknight.  Warm, tomatoey, meaty goodness nestled inside crisp green pepper shells and toppd with cheese.  Very easy to assemble, minimal cleanup, great leftovers.  What more could you want?  These could easily be assembled the night before and baked when you get home from work.

Stuffed Green Peppers
4 medium green bell peppers
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Cut off tops of peppers and remove seeds.  Submerge peppers in boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. ***do not skip the boiling or it will take forever to bake these***(I learned my lesson)
3. Meanwhile, brown ground beef and onions.  Drain well and return to skillet.
4. Add tomato sauce, rice and spices.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Remove peppers from water and drain well.  Place peppers in an oven safe dish.  Fill peppers with meat filling.  Top with shredded parmesan.
**if you have extra filling, pile it between all of the peppers.  It is still dellicious and great for people who want a little bit more, but not a whole pepper.**
6. Bake 20-25 minutes until peppers are tender and cheese is lightly browned.

So Easy Shepherd's Pie

Pin It Since Albert is a meat and potatoes kind of guy he loves shepherd's pie.  This is one of those meals that can be made a day in advance and heated when you are ready.  Comfort food at it's finest :)


So Easy Shepherd's Pie
1 lb ground beef
1 packet onion soup mix
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 1/2 cups of water
1 can corn, drained
4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and chunked
1/4 c milk
1 T butter
3 T sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, boil potatoes until tender.
2. Meanwhile brown and drain ground beef in a large skillet.
3. Put beef back in skillet.  Add oinion soup mix, gravy mix and 1 1/2 cups of water.  Stir until mixture comes to a boil.  Take off heat.
4. Drain potatoes and put back in pot.  Add milk, butter and sour cream.  Mash until smooth.  Add more milk and sour cream to get to desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 7x11 baking dish with cooking spray.
6. Put beef mixture in bottom of pan.  Cover with corn.
7. Smooth potatoes on top of corn.
8. Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbling.

Meat Lovers Lasagna

Pin It My huband loves meat.  The more meat the better.  I on the other hand prefer a variety of flavors and textures in my foods.  Veggie lasagna is my fave.  This recipe was my first attempt at no boil noodles and I am now converted.  They are so simple and save you tons of time.  I thought they might be gummy or hard, but they tasted just like regular boiled noodles.  This can also be made the night before and just heated before dinner the next day.  Leftovers store really well. 

Meat Lovers Lasagna
**makes a 2 qt, 7 x 11 baking dish**
1 pkg no boil lasagna noodles (I used Barilla)
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground italian sausage, hot or mild
1 cup ricotta cheese, rediced fat is fine
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, drained
1 large can tomato sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Brown ad crumble beef and sausage in a large skillet.  Drain and return meat to skillet.
3. Add tomatoes and sauce.  Heat through.
4. Spread 1/2 c meat sauce on bottom of 7 x 11 baking dish.
5. Add a layer of lasagna noodles, spread 1/3 ricotta cheese on noodles, pour meat sauce to cover cheese, sprinkle with mozzerella.  Repeat until you have 3 layers.  End with mozzerella on top.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbling.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Pin It I love soup on cold, rainy days.  I find it so comforting and I love the delicious smell that takes over your house.  It's a great way to spend a lazy day inside.  If you like stuffed peppers you will love this easy soup.  I actually like the soup better because you don't have to fight with the pepper skin when you are eating it and all of the flavors are blended together perfectly.  Makes great leftovers for lunch for several days (if it lasts that long at your house).

Stuffed Pepper Soup
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
3 bell peppers, diced (any color, I used red, yellow and green this time)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can beef broth
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 c brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large soup pot, brown ground beef.  Drain and set aside.
2. Add onions and peppers to the pot and let them brown/cook for about 10 minutes, until tender.  Stirring occassionally.
3. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar and beef broth.  Bring to a boil.
4. Add cooked rice and ground beef.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Can simmer all day if you want.
5. Serve with warm rolls to soak up the juices and enjoy :)