Cheeseburger Pie

While I was putting this Cheeseburger Pie together I was very skeptical of how it would turn out. It looks like it's just a pie crust filled with hamburger and it seemed as though it would be heavy and blah. Well, I was completely wrong! The egg oozes down from the cheese topping, settling on the bottom, creating an unexpected richness. The oregano is a surprise flavor that works nicely with the hamburger, onions and green peppers. In general, it's a great dish and one my husband declared should be added to the recipe box.
I actually prepared most of this dish during nap time. I did wait to assemble it until just before baking because I wasn't sure if the crust would get too soggy if I let it sit for a few hours. Even if you were to do all the prep work right before baking it doesn't take long to put Cheeseburger Pie together.

Cheeseburger Pie
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Source: St. Paul's Cookbook, Fairmont, MN
Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pie crust (I like to use this one)
Filling
1 lb hamburger
1/4 c chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Cheese Topping
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp mustard
2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:
   1.  Bake pie crust at 425 for 8 minutes.
   2.  While pie crust is baking, brown hamburger, onions and green pepper; drain grease as necessary. Add bread crumbs and seasonings; pour into baked pie crust.
   3.  In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk; stir in cheese and seasonings. Pour over meat.
   4.  Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.

Mom's Chili

My mom's chili has been a family favorite (especially with my brother) for years. She often makes it when we go home and she had it waiting for my husband and I when we came home from the hospital after our daughter was born so Mom's chili definitely has lots of good memories associated with it.
It's really quite easy to put this Chili together. It benefits from a long simmer time so, if need be, you can make it early in the day and let it simmer all day. Growing up, we always had Club crackers with our chili so that's how I eat mine. My husband has adopted the Club cracker technique but also adds olives to his. To each his own!

Mom's Chili
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Yields: ~10 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger (not pictured)
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cans tomatoes
4 can kidney beans (drained, reserve juice)
3 T chili powder
2 T flour (not pictured)

Directions:

   1.  Fry hamburger until no longer pink; drain fat.

   2.  In a large pot combine meat, chopped onions, tomatoes (with juice), and kidney bean juice.

   3.  In a small bowl mix chili powder and flour with water until it makes a watery paste. Add to pot.

   4.  Simmer for at least 1 hour. Thirty minutes before serving add beans.

   * This recipe freezes well.

This is linked to URS and Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

Mom's Sloppy Joes

Growing up we always called these BBQs but somewhere along the line I've evidently converted because I now call them Sloppy Joes (as it seems most people do). Whatever you call them though this is a delicious sandwich. It's so simple to make with just a few ingredients but the combination is wonderful. I love how moist the sandwich is while still having a little bit of crunch from the celery.

Mom's Sloppy Joes
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Yields: 4-6 sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup ketchup
1 T mustard
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
3 T tomato paste

 
Directions:
   1.  In a large skillet brown hamburger, onion and celery until hamburger is no longer pink.
   2.  Add remaining ingredients; stir to combine.
   3.  Simmer 15 minutes. (If the mixture isn't wet enough add a small amount of water at a time until it reaches the right consistency.)
   4.  Serve on hamburger buns or bread.

Source: My mom

Tater Tot Hotdish

I grew up in Minnesota so in my opinion it's a hot dish, not a casserole! Either way this dish hits the spot; as my husband says "It's basic, but good".
All the ingredients are things commonly on hand so it's an easy meal to put together when you have no other idea. It has vegetables, meat, and a starch so just add a side of fruit and you have a pretty well rounded meal.

Tater Tot Hot Dish
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Yields: 6 servings 

Ingredients
1 lb hamburger
1/2 onion, diced
1 bag frozen green beans or 2 cans green beans, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I like to use this homemade version)

1 bag tater tots

Directions
   1.  Fry hamburger and onions until hamburger is no longer pink.
   2.  In a 9x13 pan, combine green beans and soup. Stir in hamburger and onions. Top with tater tots.
   3.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until tater tots are done.

 This is linked to Good Cheap Eats.

Cream Cheese Pasta

This recipe is a favorite of the entire family. It has pasta, cheeses, sour cream and sauce--what's not to love?
This is an easy meal to put together. The hamburger can be cooked well ahead of time or the entire dish can be assembled and then refrigerated or frozen until ready to use. Meals like that can be lifesavers sometimes!

Cream Cheese Pasta
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Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
1 lb pasta, cooked (I typically use rotini.)

Directions:
   1.  Brown hamburger until no longer pink.
   2.  Using a mixer with a wire whisk, mix cream cheese, sour cream and Italian seasoning. Add pasta sauce and stir by hand. Add hamburger and 1 cup shredded cheese; stir until combined. Add pasta; mix.
   3.  Pour mixture in a glass 9x13 pan; sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top.
   4.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until warmed through.

Source: For the Mommas

Apple Bacon Burgers

My husband took the initiative on this meal. We decided to incorporate bacon, apples and cheese into the hamburger. He figured out the proportions as he mixed it and formed the patties. The burgers turned out great! The smokiness of the bacon combined with the slight crispness of the apples played off each other well. We topped our burgers with cheese and bbq sauce.

Apple Bacon Burgers
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Yields: 4 burgers

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger
3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
1 small apple, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheese
buns
sliced cheese
bbq sauce

Directions:
   1.  In a medium bowl mix hamburger, bacon, apple and shredded cheese just until combined.
   2.  Form into four patties, with a slight indent in the middle of each.
   3.  Grill on preheated grill, 3-4 minutes per side or until no longer pink.
   4.  Place on bun and top with sliced cheese and bbq sauce.

Adapted from: Better Homes and Gardens

This is linked to Tasty Tuesday, Good Cheap Eats and URS.

Cheesy Salsa Meatloaf

This is definitely a winner! My husband and I were talking about this recipe before we had tasted it and he was commenting how so often meatloaves are dry and require a sauce on top to balance it out. Well, that is not the case here. This is such a wonderfully moist meatloaf that there is no need for a sauce.
My theory is two things are working together to create this delightful taste: the salsa and cheese mixed in and the fact that they're muffin size and therefore don't need to bake as long. Whatever it is, it works!
The one downfall to this recipe is the pan was a little disgusting to wash even though I had greased it well. Even so, this will make a frequent appearance in our house.

Cheesy Salsa Meatloaf
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Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:
   1.  Preheat oven to 375.
   2.  Mix ground beef, onions, egg, bread crumbs, salsa and 1 cup cheese.
   3.  Grease 12 muffin cups. Divide meat mixture evenly between muffin cups pressing to compact.
   4.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Top with remaining cheese.

Source: Kraft Foods