ONCE a MONTH COOKING.. a Hamburger Session

Once a Month Cooking ... Hamburger Session brought to you by www.apronmadness.com

All these recipes can be doubled or tripled & freeze in 1 meal size.

Meatloaf
2 lb gr. beef
1 c. crushed soda crackers
1 egg
1 envelope onion or beefy onion soup mix
1/2 c milk
1 med. size carrot

Blend carrot and milk to pulp. Mix together with all ingredients.
Make loaf & bake at 350 for an hour or so... till cooked thru
To Freeze.. package in zip bags. Label and freeze.
To Serve.. Thaw in fridge.... bake 350 * or slice & Nuke till heated

Basic Meatballs
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup fine, dry bread or cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except oil; mix well. Shape into 1 1/2 to 2 inch balls. In large skillet, brown meatballs in hot oil; drain. Add desired sauce to meatballs, cook as directed in recipe.
Tip: To brown in oven, arrange in un-greased shallow baking pan; bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until browned.

Cocktail Meatballs: Shape into 1 inch balls; continue as directed above. Makes 24 meatballs.

To Freeze.. Flash Freeze on a pan and then bag together. To Serve.. Just add to any sauce or recipe as needed. OR heat in gravy & serve over mashed potatoes.

*** if you use saltine crackers you don't need to use salt.. 1 sleeve of saltines is one cup of crumbs..

Pasties (meat & veggy pies)

Use premade pie dough (pillsbury type tubes)
Now this is all to taste so I don't have any exact measurements.
In a bowl mix 1 or 2 lbs raw hamburger...
Salt & pepper
About 1/2 -1 onion chopped
Appx 1 cup chopped carrots
appzx 1 cup small cubed potatoes
mix all together.

Roll out pie dough in about 8 inch circles. On half the circle put on about 1 cup mix ... use water on edge, fold over & seal with a fork. poke a couple little holes in dough. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 350 degrees for about 50-60 minutes. Cool & flash freeze on a cookie sheet. Then put in zip bags. To Serve ... bake about 20 min... till heated thru.

Pre-Cooked Basic Ground Beef
Next make the recipes that call for cooked ground beef. Cook ground beef with garlic and onions. You can use the dehydrated onions and use the crushed garlic from a huge jar.

When the ground beef is cooked (about 5 lb. at a time) Start making the packages that call for cooked ground beef. First rinse the fat off in a big colander, then bag meat 2 cups at a time.

Ideas to use the Pre-Cooked Basic Ground beef... use this on pizza for pizza night, in spaghetti sauce, or for hamburger gravy , tacos and more. Very versatile to have in the freezer.

Noodle stroganoff

2c. cooked ground beef seasoned with onion and garlic
1 large can (8 oz) canned mushrooms
1 can beef broth
3 Tblsp Lemon Juice
3 Tblsp red wine
To Freeze.. bag together, label, date and freeze..
To Serve.. defrost.. add 3 cups noodles. Cook till noodles are tender.. then stir in 1c. sour cream warm slightly and serve...