Chili Cook Off Winner

2lb. Hamburger
1/2 med onion, chopped
Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Chili Powder
4 can Chili Beans
1-2 cans Dark Red Kidney Beans, drain and rinse
2 c. Blender Salsa (see recipe on this site)
1 can Roast Beef Chunks, keep liquid & slightly shred chunks
1 sm can diced tomatoes or Rotel (tomatoes and green chili)

Brown Hamburger add spices, drain grease, then saute onion until tender. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer till heated through.

Great with Corn bread or at a Baked Potato Bar. Freeze leftovers, you can then use in Quesadillas for a quick dinner.

I've made this in a couple of different ward cook off's and have Won both 1st and 2nd place. ;)

Tater Tot Casserole

2lb Hamburger
1/2c. chopped onion
Salt,Pepper, Garlic
Cream of Mushroom Soup, 2small or 1 Lg Family size
Slash of Milk (just so its not to thick but not soupy either)
1 envelope Onion Soup mix
2 cans Green Beans, drained
Tater Tots (or in a pinch Instant Mashed Potatoes)
Grated Cheese

Brown hamburger, drain excess grease, add onion and spices, cook until onion is clear and tender. Mix in soup, onion soup mix and green beans. Spoon into a large baking dish. Arrange tater tots (or mashed potatoes) evenly on top of hamburger mixture. Bake at 350 for about 45mins to an hour until tater tots are cooked, then sprinkle with grated cheese and return to oven to melt, then serve. If using mashed potatoes I just heat in oven until all ingredients are warmed through and bubbly (maybe 20mins)then add cheese.

This is a typical casserole but my kids LOVE it!

Sunday Meatloaf

2.5 lb Hamburger
1 loaf of white bread, wet and squeeze out excess water.
3 eggs
1 envelope Onion soup mix
a handful of Oats
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Worcestershire Sauce, douse generously
2/3c. Milk
Topping:
Ketchup or BBQ Sauce

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and smoosh together. Do not over mix, I like to leave the bread so that chunks are still visible. form loaf meat mixture in a 9x13 pan or fill one to sides a little smaller, mine measures 7x10. Pat the meat so top is smoothed. Spread a layer of either Ketchup or BBQ over the top. I Bake this in the oven at 275 for three hours while we are at church and when we get home it is perfect.

With this I usually bake a pan of cheesy au gratin potatoes (for the same amount of time at the same temp)and then when we get home all I have to do is warm up a vegetable and maybe slice up some french bread.

Greek Dolmades, Stuffed Grape Leaves

5 lb. Hamburger
2 ½ c. chopped Onion
3 c. raw rice
1 ½ Tb. Salt
1 ¼ tsp Pepper
2 ½ tsp Garlic
2 ½ tsp. crushed Mint
¼ c. Parsley
2 Tb. Allspice
2 Tb. Paprika
2 lg jars Grape Leaves
Broth:
7 c. Water
4 lg Beef bouillon cubes
1 ½ c. Olive Oil
1 ½ c. Lemon Juice
16 oz Tomato Juice

Mix raw hamburger with all ingredients. De-stem leaves and roll mixture into the leaves like tiny burritos, tucking in sides. Layer Dolmades in a lg pot. Boil water and bouillon to dissolve, add rest of ingredients for broth stir. Pour over dolmades. Place a dish on top of dolmades and weigh it down so all the dolmades are under the broth. Let simmer about 1 ½ hours, until liquid is all soaked up and hamburger is cooked.

This recipe is from Aunt Linda and is one of my favorites!! In fact I request them every time we visit her. Aunt Linda has introduced me to many new foods over the years and I a credit her for my not being afraid of trying new recipes. Dolmades is one of those that took some getting used to. I can remember turning up my nose at these when I was a teenager, but now I actually crave them. They are similar to making tamales, it's quite the process but well worth it!!! Give them a try. I especially love the really wet and juicy ones at the bottom of the pot.

Spaghetti

2 lb. Hamburger
1.5lb. Italian Sausage, casing removed
1/2 sm onion, fine chop
1 lg. bottle Prego Traditional Sauce (Costco size)
2 envelopes Thick and Zesty Spaghetti Seasoning
Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Italian seasoning
2 boxes Angel Hair Pasta

Brown Hamburger and Sausage, season. Drain excess grease. Saute onion until clear then add spaghetti seasoning and Prego. Let simmer to heat thru. Boil noodles and serve.

The sausage gives it great flavor and something a little different.
The left over sauce is great for homemade Pizza Pockets, which are basically grilled cheese and spaghetti sauce sandwiches made in the sandwich maker. 2TB spaghetti sauce a slice of cheese and 2 slices of buttered bread, so easy! I think my kids like these just as much or even more than just spaghetti. Try it some time.

Sloppy Joe's

2lb. Hamburger
1/3 c chopped onion
Sprinkle with Salt, pepper, garlic, chili powder
1 can chicken gumbo soup
1c. ketchup
Squirt mustard
1/2c. brown sugar

Brown meat and drain grease, sauté with onion and seasonings add remaining ingredients and let simmer 10 mins.

This recipe is from Aunt Linda and are the ONLY Sloppy Joe's our family will eat!!!