Where's the Beef?

It's time for another Double-Post Thursday. Here are six beefy recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!

MAKE-AHEAD ITALIAN MEATBALLS

This comes from FamilyTime.com, and begins, “Keep these easy-to-make meatballs on hand for last-minute dinner creations. Tossed with pasta or baked into a casserole, the possibilities are endless!” Serves: makes 30 appetizer meatballs; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/3 cup Progresso® dry bread crumbs, (any flavor)

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup cold water

1 jar (12 ounces) tomato pasta sauce, (any variety)

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Directions

Heat oven to 400ºF.

Mix ground beef, onion, bread crumbs, milk, egg, salt and pepper. Shape mixture into thirty 1-inch balls. Place in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.

Bake uncovered about 15 minutes or until no longer pink in center and juice is clear. (To serve immediately, continue as directed in step 5--except decrease simmer time to 15 minutes.)

Place meatballs on ungreased cookie sheet. Freeze uncovered about 20 minutes or until firm. Place partially frozen meatballs in heavy plastic bag or freezer container. Seal, label and freeze no longer than 3 months.

About 25 minutes before serving, mix chili sauce, water, pasta sauce and mustard in 2-quart saucepan. Add meatballs. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until meatballs are hot.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

This comes from PureWow, and begins, “Listen, if you can brave the cafeteria line at Ikea for a taste of those famous meatballs, then you can absolutely make this recipe in your own kitchen. Our version sticks pretty closely to the classic in terms of flavors--but it's how we cook the meatballs that makes all the difference. Serve them as an appetizer (an excuse to bust out those cocktail toothpicks) or over mashed potatoes for a warming dinner.” Makes 6 entree servings; start to finish: 1 hour

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground beef

1 egg

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups beef broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease it lightly with nonstick spray.

Make the meatballs: In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, mix the cooled onion mixture with the beef, egg, salt, pepper, allspice and nutmeg to combine. Add the bread crumbs and mix to combine.

Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and then transfer the meatballs to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes.

Make the sauce: In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Gradually whisk in the beef broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

When the meatballs are fully cooked, transfer them to the sauce and toss to coat. Serve warm (preferably over mashed potatoes), garnished with parsley.

MEAT LOAF

This comes from Ina Garten fro, The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 1 hr 45 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 1 hr 25 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/meat-loaf-recipe.html?oc=linkback.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil

3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)

1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)

2 extra-large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meat loaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot.

STUFFED PEPPERS WITH GROUND BEEF AND RICE

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com’s Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “These traditional stuffed peppers are filled with ground beef and rice. It's classic comfort food, and it is one of our favorite recipes. This is a tried-and-true old-fashioned favorite. Stuffed bell peppers make a delicious meal with a tossed salad, or served with mashed or baked potatoes.

“Bake these stuffed peppers for a satisfying everyday family meal.”

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 85 minutes; Total Time: 110 minutes; Yield: 6 Servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 green peppers, or use a combination of green and red bell peppers or other colors

1 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (at least 85%)

1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice

Shredded mild Cheddar cheese, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, optional

Preparation

Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and rinse them under cold water; remove seeds and cut away the membranes, which might be bitter. Chop the edible part of tops and set aside. Place peppers in a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot and the butter is foamy. Sauté the chopped bell pepper (from the tops), chopped onion, and chopped celery for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add the (undrained) canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, crushed garlic, oregano, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Gently stir to blend; add ground beef, cooked rice, and 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture. Mix well.

Heat the oven to 350° F.

Stuff the peppers loosely with the meat mixture and place in a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan. Pour the remaining tomato mixture over the stuffed peppers.

Bake the peppers for about 45 minutes, or until the meat mixture is thoroughly cooked. To check the internal temperature, use an instant-read thermometer. The temperature should be at least 160° F for ground beef, pork or lamb, or 165° F for ground turkey or chicken.

Tips and Variations

Top stuffed peppers with a little shredded Cheddar cheese just before they are done and then return them to the oven and bake just until the cheese has melted.

Use green bell peppers or red bell peppers, or any combination of colors.

Ground turkey or ground chicken can be substituted for the ground beef in the recipe.

The peppers may also be halved horizontally so you have two halves to fill. You won't have the extra chopped pepper from the tops, but you can chop an extra bell pepper.

HAWAIIAN BURGERS

Servings: 4

Source: The Diabetic Newsletter

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/25.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

4 slices fresh pineapple, or canned, unsweetened, water packed variety

1 clove garlic, minced

2 scallions, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

4 slices- 1 ounce each french bread

Directions

Mix the beef, garlic, scallions, ginger, and soy sauce together and form in 4 patties of equal size about 3/4" thick.

Grill or broil 4" from souce of heat, for 7 minutes for medium-rare turning once. Grill longer for well done burgers.

While burgers are grilling, brush 4 slices of fresh or canned water-packed unsweetened pineapple with 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.

Grill until pineapple is heated through and seared with grill marks, about 6 minutes (2 minutes for canned pineapple).

Serve each patty open-face on a 1 oz toasted slice of French bread, topped with grilled slice, and garnished with 1 tablespoon minced green bell pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 282; Protein: 20 g; Fat: 13 g; Sodium: 401 mg; Carbohydrates: 23 g

CHIPOTLE CRANBERRY MEATBALLS

This comes from Publix, and can be viewed online at http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/chipotle-cranberry-meatballs.

Servings: 24

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb fresh ready-to-cook gourmet meatballs (any flavor)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 (8-oz) package Deli cranberry-orange relish*

2 tablespoons chipotle pepper sauce

1/2 cup presliced green onions

Directions

Prepare meatballs following package instructions for skillet (using the oil). Meanwhile, combine relish, pepper sauce, and onions.

Drain any extra fat from meatballs, if needed. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cranberry mixture; cook 1–2 minutes, stirring often, or until thoroughly heated. Serve.

*This is a seasonal item; you can also use canned whole-berry cranberry sauce.