Beefaroni

by Ellie Weightman

2 cups dry macaroni

8 oz ground beef

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

2 cans tomato soup

1/2 green pepper (chopped)

1/2 red pepper (chopped) - optional

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 clove garlic (minced) - optional

salt and pepper to taste

ALTERNATIVE:  Use 1 can (10.5 oz) tomato soup and 10.5 oz spaghetti sauce.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaronis according to package directions.  Drain

While the macaroni's are cooking, in a medium pot, slowly brown the beef with the onions, garlic, green and red peppers. Drain grease.

To the beef, add the soup.  Heat until just simmering.  Remove from heat, add cheese and stir til cheese dissolves. Add salt and pepper to your liking.

Pour the macaroni into a 2 quart casserole dish.  Add the sauce and stir.

Bake for 30 minutes - no lid.  Serve.

Earl's Chili

1 lb ground meat

¼ cup onion, chopped

¼ cup green pepper, chopped

8 oz tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

1 lb can diced tomato (seasoned if desired)

1 lb can red kidney beans (drained)

1 tsp salt or garlic salt

   1 - 2 tsp chili powder

PREP: Chop green peppers and onions.  Put can tomatoes in blender if you don’t like them chunked.

Brown meat, onion and green pepper. Drain.  Add kidney beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, chili powder and bay leaf.  Cover and simmer 1 hour.

Serve alone, over mashed potatoes, with shredded cheddar cheese or crumble tostito chips into the chili.

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers by Jeanne Barger

This is Beau's absolute favorite meal.  He loves when I make these.  I got this recipe from allrecipes.com, but changed a little bit.  Sooo delicious.

4 green bell peppers (I actually used 2 green, 2 red)
salt to taste
1 lb ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted w garlic)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup water
Cumin to taste
Chili Powder to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
1 cup shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack, but you can use cheddar)...Shred some extra cheese for topping.
1 can condensed tomato soup
water as needed

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds.  Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain.  Spring salt inside each pepper and set aside.

2.  In a large skillet, saute beef and onions until beef is browned.  Drain excess fat and season with salt and pepper.  Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water, Worcestershire Sauce, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder.  Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender.  Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.

3.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Pour tomato soup into bowl and combine with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency.

4.  Stuff the peppers making layers of beef, then soup, then beef, then soup.  Once pepper is filled, top with cheese.

5.  Bake covered for 25 to 35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Enjoy!

Perfect Eye-of-Round Roast

by Ellie Weightman - Adapted from Paula Deen's recipe in "Kitchen Classics" Cookbook

A cast iron skillet is needed for this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 beef eye-of-round roast (2 ½ to 3 lbs)
1 tblsp sunflower or vegetable oil
1/4 tsp Liquid Smoke
1 tsp Seasoned Salt (optional)
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground or fresh ginger

Directions:
Make sure of the size of your roast, look at the label on the piece of meat or use a kitchen scale if you have one on hand. It matters for the cook time.

Preheat oven to 500º. Mix oil and liquid smoke in small bowl.  Rub the roast with oil/smoke mix. Mix all the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Completely coat all sides of the roast with the seasonings. Place roast in a 12 to 15 inch cast iron skillet. Put roast in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 350º. Roast the beef for 20 minutes per pound (this is where you need to know the weight of your roast). Use a meat thermometer and cook to 125º for medium-rare or 135-140º for medium. Cool for 15 minutes before carving. Cut into thin slices across the grain of the meat.

Good leftover too!

Meatballs

Ellie Weightman - Adapted from recipe on America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage (remove from casings and break up)
2 1/2 lb ground meat
1 x-large onion, minced
4 slices of white bread – broken into pieces
3 tblsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp tomato paste (tube type)
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup parmesan
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1/4 cup dry parsley
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Saute onions in olive oil. Add garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and tomato paste and saute for 30 seconds.

In bowl, place bread pieces and milk and mash together with a fork  Add onion saute mix and blend again with fork. Add parmesan, parsley, eggs and salt. Mash again using fork or use clean or gloved hands.   Add meats and blend with clean or gloved hands.  Form meatballs to your desired size (makes approximately 45 medium size).  Pictured below.

Place on foil on baking sheet.

Bake in 475 degree oven for 20 minutes for the medium meatballs - allow more time for larger meatballs. 


Remove from oven and place in sauce and simmer on very low for 30 minutes.
My sauce recipe can be viewed here:  http://therecipegals.blogspot.com/2010/09/ellies-work-night-tomato-sauce.html 

Can be frozen in sauce or by itself.  To freeze by itself, lay the meatballs on a cookie sheet and place in freezer for 1-3 hours, once frozen they can be thrown in a freezer zip lock bag. 

DO NOT FREEZE IN BAG BEFORE FREEZING SEPARATELY ON A COOKIE SHEET OR THE MEATBALLS WILL STICK TOGETHER.

Medium size - before baking

After baking