What We're Eating

I encourage each of my children to cook once a month. We put the recipes in a file, and I'll run a copy for each when they leave home. The twins don't cook yet, but if one of the others decides not to cook, they don't get to try what the others make the next month. That might sound harsh, but if you don't work you don't eat--but you really do eat, it's just a sandwich instead. Jessica often cooks more to help out.

This recipe came out really bland and tasting pretty much like canned baked beans. I added bbq sauce to the recipe in hopes of livening it up. Very easy to make and filling although bland. The original recipe calls for lima beans where I put great northern or black beans. I was going to try it with the lima beans but couldn't find any! Not sure how that would change the taste.

Hamburger and Bean Dish
1 lb ground beef
1 med onion chopped
5 slices bacon
15 oz can butter beans drained
15 oz can kidney beans drained
15 oz can great northern or black beans drained
28 oz can baked beans
1/3-1/2 c packed brown sugar
¼ c ketchup
¼-1/2 c bbq sauce
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

Heat oven 350F. Cook beef and onion in 10" skillet over medium heat until brown. Drain. Place beef in ungreased 3 qt casserole.

Cook bacon over low heat. Drain and crumble.

Stir beans, brown sugar, ketchup, bbq sauce and Worcestershire sauce into beef in casserole. Top with bacon. Cover and bake 40 minutes.

Beef Bake with Garlic Dumplings
1 lb ground beef
1 ½ c mixed vegetables
1 can cream of chicken soup
¼ tsp pepper
½ c milk

Dumplings:
1 c original Bisquick mix
1 pouch Betty Crocker roasted garlic mashed potatoes (from 7.2 oz box)
1 c milk

Heat oven to 400F. Spray 11x7 (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Brown beef and onion over medium heat in skillet. Stir in mixed vegetables, soup, pepper and ½ milk. Heat to boiling. Pour in dish.
In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and dry mashed potatoes. In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1 cup milk on high 2 minutes. Stir hot milk into Bisquick mixture with fork until soft dough forms. Let stand 2 minutes. Drop dough by teaspoonful onto beef mixture. (makes 12)
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until dumplings are cooked and lightly browned.

The recipe calls for whole tomatoes but I wrote in diced for next time. Stewed might work better too.

Easy Italian Soup
1 lb ground beef
1 med onion chopped
1 box Hamburger helper lasagna
5 c hot water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1-2 c frozen or canned corn
2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1 sm zucchini chopped
additional Parmesan cheese if desired

In 4-quart pot, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
Stir in hot water, contents of sauce mix pouch from Hamburger Helper box, tomatoes, corn and cheese. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in contents of uncooked pasta pouch (from Hamburger Helper box) and zucchini. Cover; cook 10 minutes longer. Sprinkle each serving with additional grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Makes 4-6 servings