Once a Month Cooking - Hamburger Pasta Casseroles Freezer Meals

When it comes to cooking and baking, I love experimenting with once a month cooking. This type of cooking is when you spend a day or two making and baking up several meals for your family and then freezing them for future use.

This recipe will make 3 large casseroles that will each feed 8 people. They will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. You will need three 9 x 13" rectangular foil baking pans, that I like to pick up at our local dollar store or discount department store. After freezing, thaw the casserole in your refrigerator for 6-8 hours and then reheat in the oven for 20 minutes before serving.

Meat Casseroles

Hamburger Pasta Casserole

4 lbs. lean ground beef

1 lb. thin sausage links, sliced into bite-sized pieces

2 cups onions, finely chopped

2 cups celery, finely chopped

1 1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped

16-18 ounces pasta noodles

3 cans tomato soup

4 1/4 cups shredded American Cheese

12 ounce bottle chili sauce

1/4 cup pimento, chopped

2 teaspoons table salt

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups water

4 1/2 cups bread crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted (not margarine)

In a very large frying pan, cook the lean ground beef, sausage links, onion, celery and green pepper until the ground beef is brown and no longer pink. Drain off fat. Cook your desired pasta noodles according to box directions, drain water and set aside. In a large stock pot, add your cooked pasta noodles and meat mixture. Stir in the tomato soup, cheese, chili sauce, chili powder, chopped pimento, salt, pepper and water.

Split the mixture up into 3 equal portions. Place mixture into each of your baking pans. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs on top of the casserole mixture.

Bake casseroles in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Let completely cool before wrapping and freezing.

Once a Month Cooking - Hamburger Pasta Casseroles Freezer Meals

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her family and friends. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her Shakin 'N Bakin blog at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for additional free recipes.

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Save Money by Eating Less Meat and More Vegetable Protein

Protein is an important part of a balanced diet, but most western diets include too much animal protein. The excess protein turns into fat and can cause health problems. Animal fats also contain more toxins from pesticides than vegetables do.

Animal proteins, including eggs, dairy products, meat, fish and poultry, are usually the most expensive part of our food budgets.

Meat Casseroles

Sometimes people think that in order to eat less meat, they need to become vegetarian or make vegetarian meals more often. This is one approach. But you can still choose to include small amounts of meat or other animal protein in most meals. What counts is how much you eat over the course of an average day or week.

Beans, legumes, seeds, nuts and whole grains all contain protein and can help satisfy family members who feel deprived when less meat, fish or cheese is being served. Here are some ideas for cutting back on animal protein without going over to a strictly vegan diet:
Stop thinking of meals as consisting of fish or meat, starch and vegetables. Instead think of a combination of animal or vegetable protein along with the starch and vegetables. One course meals work better than serving smaller pieces of chicken. Serve soups rich with whole grains and legumes as a first course. Then people are more likely to be satisfied with less meat in the main course. "Stretch" ground meat with vegetables, grains, and beans. Stuffed cabbage, chili, and casseroles are all dishes that can be just as tasty with less meat. Add chick peas, beans, nuts, or seeds to salads. Mash up beans before adding to casseroles or soups. Not everyone will notice them. Tiny red lentils may also get a pass from picky eaters. Chumus and techina are tasty spreads made from chickpeas and sesame seed paste. If you have a small amount of leftover meat, fill it out with beans and grains instead of cooking additional meat. I don't buy soybeans or products, except for Tamari sauce. I still have questions about its health benefits and risks.

What techniques has your family used to cut back on animal protein?

Save Money by Eating Less Meat and More Vegetable Protein

Hannah Katsman is the author of Cooking Manager. A mother of six, she helps home cooks save time and money with professional tips for using appliances, cooking for special diets, menu planning, using leftovers, easy recipes, and saving money by cooking healthy and tasty food in your own kitchen.

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Two Diabetic Friendly Comfort Food Recipes - Economical and Tasty Chicken Casseroles

If you are looking for a little "comfort food", a new recipe for your dinner table, or an economical meal, here are a couple of recipes for you! These casserole recipes will remind you of those delicious hot meals from grandma's or mom's oven.

For most of us, that is "comfort" enough. Colorful Chicken Rice Casserole is a type of Tex-Mex food which means a great blending of flavors. Chicken and Ham Casserole also makes use of rice and blends the flavors of two meats. Both will no doubt be big hits with your family.

Meat Casseroles

COLORFUL CHICKEN RICE CASSEROLE

1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup small-curd cottage cheese
1 pkg (3 oz) low-fat cream cheese, cubed
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup crushed corn chips
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

In a blender or food processor, combine the soup, sour cream, cottage cheese, and cream cheese; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the chicken, rice, cheese, chilies, olives, and garlic salt. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer mixture into prepared dish. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly, at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and just before serving, sprinkle top with corn chips, lettuce and tomatoes in that order.

Yield 6 to 8 servings.

Note: I adapted the above recipe from one I found in an old Taste of Home's Quick Cooking magazine.

CHICKEN AND HAM CASSEROLE

1 pkg (6 oz) long grain and wild rice mix
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1 can (10 3/4 oz) low-sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (12 oz) evaporated skim milk
1 cup shredded Colby or Cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook rice mix according to package directions. Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with chicken and ham. In a bowl, combine the soup, milk, cheese, and pepper; pour over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves 6

Enjoy!

Two Diabetic Friendly Comfort Food Recipes - Economical and Tasty Chicken Casseroles

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

For her vintage recipes, visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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Making Goulash

Think of Goulash as a kind of casserole dish where pieces of choice braised steak/beef stew slowly in a casserole dish for a few hours. Still in Hungary, where the dish is originally from, there is that distinctive dish called Goulash but in other countries, it can be considered a type of casserole dish and this is perhaps a good way to view the dish called Goulash. Originally, it may have been more a stew or a heavy type of soup but the basic concept behind Goulash can be used to make a distinctive casserole-like dish.

Goulash is a Hungarian dish but you can use the basic concept of a Goulash and make it into a version that suits you. In the original Hungarian version, the meat is cut into chunks but you can make your cuts more cube-like. The kind of meat is important for a goulash and it is wise to choose a good braised beef, a nice beef/steak suitable for casseroles. Ingredients like sliced onions, red peppers and garlic are added to make the Goulash. There is also the Pimenton or Paprika. There are also the herbs like bay leaf and thyme. And then it is suggested that flour or cornstarch is used to thicken this casserole-like dish. There is a suggestion that tomatoes can be used and a tomato texture would certainly be interesting. Still the use of tomatoes do not seem to have been used in the original Hungarian version. Tomatoes were not or are not used in the original Hungarian dish so it is your own version you would be making.

Meat Casseroles

Heat the oil until it is almost sizzling. Then put the braised beef in. This is a recommended way of cooking the braised beef which will then be later put in the casserole to cook slowly. With the beef in the hot oil, take out when it is a nice brownish texture. Cook the chopped onions for 5-6 minutes. Then you can put the beef pieces back and start adding the ingredients. Add the flour and pimenton. (It is advised sometimes to use a tbsp of moderately smoked pimenton and then a tbsp of hot pimenton. Yes, it can be noted how pimenton can be hot smoked and then moderately smoked. You are adding pimenton to the dish as if to get a suitable blend of pimenton. You are aiming to get the right hotness for the dish, the right texture and feel and you are using a hot smoked pimenton as well as moderately smoked pimenton. )

Stir the mixture and add the bay leaves and the chopped tomatoes. Then cover the casserole tightly and cook in the oven for 2 ½ hours. You stir in the chopped red peppers approximately a half hour before the end ( having removed the seeds and pith).

The peppers add to the pungency of the dish, and the pimenton has already of course been added. For two slow hours, the pimention is blending with the braised beef, as well as the flour, onions and garlic. Note the mix of garlic and pimenton. This is an interesting mix for a stewy dish like goulash and then there were the chopped tomatoes...and the flour, as mentioned, was added to give the dish a rich soupy texture.

At the end, cream can be used over the goulash or maybe you can add your own touch like some chopped tomatoes or pimenton.

Making Goulash

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Filipino Recipes - Shrimp Meat Tortilla (Omelet) Recipe - Pinoy Food

The good thing about tortillas is the fact that you can use almost anything to whip into a wonderful recipe. For this post, I combine pork and shrimps (two of my favorites) into a yummy Shrimp Meat Tortilla good for young and old folks alike. I say so, because from my Grandma down to my little 2-year old boy, this all-around recipe can be served any day. I prefer to serve this during breakfast to break the monotony of cooking plain eggs. With meat and shrimps in the mix, you can tease the taste buds of the people you love. An ordinary breakfast can be turned into something full of smiles and praises whenever I place this dish on the table.

There are still many versions of tortilla that you can prepare out of mixed meats but I always find this recipe as the best meat combination. You can trust me on this!

Meat Casseroles

Ingredients:

1 cup ground pork ½ cup shrimps shelled(cut finely) 1 clove garlic (minced) ½ cup onions (chopped) 2 eggs ½ cup sliced tomatoes 4 tbsp shortening Salt and pepper (to taste)

Cooking Procedure:

Sauté garlic, onion and tomatoes in shortening. Add ground meat then shrimps and continue cooking until well cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the cooked mixture from the pan and set aside. Grease the pan with enough shortening and line with a banana leaf. Beat the eggs and add the cooked mixture. Pour the mixture over banana leaf and let cook. Line a plate with another banana leaf and turn the tortilla upside down. Put it back in the pan to brown the other side. Serve hot.

Filipino Recipes - Shrimp Meat Tortilla (Omelet) Recipe - Pinoy Food

Jasmine is a native Filipino with a passion for cooking and gardening. Her love of Pinoy food has lead her to create a website to share her favorite Filipino recipes with the world.
Come and explore and enjoy a true taste of the Philippines with these authentic Pinoy recipes and stories of the Philippine culture.

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