Goopy Burgers

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1/3 c. chopped green pepper
1 1/2 tspn. vinegar
1 can tomato soup
1 tspn. salt
1 tspn. dry mustard
1/2 tspn. thyme

Brown, drain, mix, simmer 20 minutes uncovered.

These are basically homemade sloppy joes. Matt's Granny made them for him as a kid. One of his favorites. I serve on fresh HEB kaiser rolls with tots on the side.

Skrit Steak with Blue Cheese Butter

1 1/2 to 2 lbs skirt steak (tenderized flank steak)
evoo (extra virgin olive oil) for drizzling
steak seasoning blend
4 Tbspn butter, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 Tbspn chopped chives

Heat a grill pan over high heat. (Matt used a regular non-stick skillet pan) Drizzle meat with evoo and steak or grill seasoning blend. Grill meat 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove meat and let it rest 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.

Mix butter with cheese crumbles and chives.

Slice meat very thin on a heavy angle. Place the meat on a plate and top with small scoops of blue cheese butter. Butter gets all oozie-melty. So yummy.

Courtesy of Rachael Ray - 30 minute meals.

We made up a box of wild rice and sauteed some spinach for sides. Made for a quick and yummy dinner.

Bush's Best 3 bean chili

Got this from a Bush beans cookbook, it's yummy. Makes about 4-6 servings. I overflowed my crock-pot when I made the recipe as written, so this edited to be half of the original quantities.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 1/2 t chili powder (or more, lots more if you are me)
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small bell pepper, chopped and seeded
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1/2 can diced tomatoes
1/2 small can tomato paste
dash salt
1/2 t garlic salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t ground cumin
dash cinnamon

Brown ground beef, pour off fat. Add to crock pot, add all other ingredients. (Note: I usually only add about 75% of the bean liquid, or it is too runny.) Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours or high 2-3 hours. Garnish with sharp cheddar and eat with lots of Fritos!

Slow-cooker minestrone

Got this from a Better Homes and Gardens a while back. Serves 8, I often half it.

1 lb. cubed beef stew meat
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, garlic
2 14 oz cans beef broth
1 15 oz can cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 c thinly sliced carrots
salt and pepper to taste
1 c dry bow-tie pasta
1 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

In crock pot combine everything EXCEPT pasta and squash. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours or high 4-4.5 hours. Add pasta and squash, raise heat to high if necessary, cover and cook additional 30-45 minutes until pasta is tender. Top with parmesan cheese if desired.

Paul's Mom's Beef Bourgignon

1.5 lb top sirloin or round, cut to 1" cubes (or stew meat, whatever is on sale)
1/4 c flour
12-14 oz beef broth
4 slices cooked bacon crumbled
1/2 t butter (optional)
1/2 t thyme
2 cloves garlic pressed
1 c diced onion (or sliced in long strips if you prefer)
12 oz decent red wine (cooking wine is too salty, I use whatever cheap wine is on sale)
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
parsley to taste
salt and pepper
olive oil
cooked rice or noodles

Oil pan and preheat on med-high. Put meat and flour in ziploc bag and shake to coat. Saute cubed meat until brown. Take out and pour off the oil. Return meat to pan, add rest of ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, simmer on med-low 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Serve over rice or egg noodles. Thicken sauce with cornstarch to desired consistency.

We like to serve this with egg noodles and salad and hot crusty bread and the rest of the red wine. Makes great leftovers.

Sweet-n-sour Meatballs

This is a family favorite because the boys will eat the meatballs. It's been passed down from Grandma to Mom to me. WARNING, contains soy ingredients!

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ cup dry bread crumbs
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 green pepper, cut into pieces
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks (in juice, not syrup)
  
• carrots, grated or thinly sliced
• rice (we use Short Grain but feel free to use whatever kind you want) - enough to make 3 cups cooked
  

1. Prepare enough rice to make 3 cups, cooked.
2. Combine beef, bread, onion, eggs, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Massage. Shape into meatballs about 1½ inch in diameter.
3. Brown and cook meatballs.
4. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. To juice, add enough water to make 1½ cups.
5. Mix cornstarch and brown sugar.
6. In a large saucepan, add pineapple liquid, brown sugar/cornstarch mixture, and vinegar. Cook sauce over medium heat until smooth and glossy.
7. Add meatballs, pineapple chunks, green pepper, and carrots. Heat for five minutes. Serve over rice.