Where's the Beef?

Years ago, one of the big questions (at least commercially) was, "Where's the beef?" Even if you're not into fast-food burgers, you might remember the commercials, especially if you're of a certain age.

Besides a certain burger chain, today's post does deal with beef. Check out the Ground Beef Casserole with Potatoes and Cheese, the Old-Fashioned Meatloaf, and the rest of today's beefy goodness. Enjoy!

GOULASH

This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Lidey wrote, "Hungarian goulash, a stew of paprika-spiced braised meat and vegetables, likely arrived in the United States with a wave of immigrants in the late 1800s. The dish began a game of telephone, slowly evolving into something new entirely. While American-style goulash may not bear much resemblance to its Hungarian namesake, the hearty one-pot dish has endured as an easy and comforting family weeknight dinner. Made with ground beef, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and macaroni, it falls somewhere between a beef chili and a meaty pasta. A sprinkle of Cheddar, stirred in just before serving, thickens the sauce and adds richness. Serve the goulash on its own or with a green vegetable and cornbread on the side."

Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To view this online, go to .

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 green or red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

Black pepper

1 pound ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed

1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1-1/4 cups uncooked macaroni

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Preparation

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the ground beef and cook, stirring often and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the broth, crushed and diced tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is cooked and the liquid in the pan has thickened considerably, 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve in bowls, topped with fresh parsley. (The goulash will continue to thicken as it sits. If desired, add a splash of beef broth when reheating.)

REAL LASAGNA SOUP

This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.

"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.

Ingredients

Noodles:

8 ounces dry lasagna noodles

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

Soup Base:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound lean ground beef

6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed

1 cup diced yellow onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce

4 cups chicken broth

2-1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Cheese Mixture:

12 ounces ricotta cheese

3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Garnish:

1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)

Directions

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.

Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.

Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.

In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.

Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.

Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.

Cook’s Note

The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.

More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.

SKILLET LASAGNA

This is from Brittany at AllRecipes. It begins, "This no-bake skillet lasagna is made right on your stovetop and is a fast and easy alternative to store-bought hamburger mixes!"

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 3 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/273775/skillet-lasagna/.

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried basil (Optional)

2 teaspoons dried oregano (Optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups dried mafalda noodles

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease. Add spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat until sauce is hot, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook mafalda noodles at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.

Add cooked and drained noodles to the sauce and stir until completely coated. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.

Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.

Place skillet under the hot broil and cook until cheese is golden and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes.

Cook's Note:

You can use ground turkey in place of beef, if you like.

GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE WITH POTATOES AND CHEESE

This yumminess comes from Diana Rattray on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, “Corn, tomatoes, and potatoes and cheese make this ground beef casserole a whole meal. The casserole is similar to a cottage pie or this crockpot Chinese pie.

“If your ground beef is not extra lean you might want to brown it first. See the tips for instructions.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Yield: Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound extra-lean ground beef (90% or better)*

1 cup chopped onion

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups corn kernels or 1 can (15 ounces), drained

16 ounces diced frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed, or about 3 to 4 cups mashed potato or cooked diced potato

1/4 cup flour

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups shredded sharp or mild Cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine beef, onion, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine corn, potatoes, flour, melted butter, and chopped green bell pepper.

Pat the beef mixture into a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; top with the corn and potato mixture.

Bake uncovered at 375° for 45 minutes; sprinkle with the cheese and bake ground beef casserole 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until browned and potatoes are tender.

*If the ground beef is not extra lean, you might want to brown it first. Brown the beef with the onions win a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain well and then mix it with the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Proceed with the recipe.

BEEF STROGANOFF

This one is from my mom.

Ingredients

1/2 C finely chopped onions

1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

1/3 C butter

1-1/2 lb. chuck, cut up

2 T flour

1 C boullion

1/2 tsp. salt

2 T tomato paste

3/4 tsp. Worchester sauce

1/4 C sour cream

1/2 C heavy cream

1 1/3 C white rice

1/2 C butter

Directions

Sauté onions & mushrooms separately, cooking each in butter until tender. Remove & set aside. Roll beef in flour & brown in remaining butter. Add bouillon, salt & onions. Cover & simmer until beef is tender (about 1-1/2 hours). Add tomato paste, Worchester sauce, sour cream, heavy cream & mushrooms. Heat thoroughly. Meanwhile, cook rice & add butter.

OLD-FASHIONED MEATLOAF

This comes from VeryWellFit, and begins, “This lighter meatloaf recipe is similar to the one most of us enjoyed during our childhoods, but without all of the extra fat. Choose a lean ground beef or, better yet, ground turkey to cut down on the fat. And since you can't make meatloaf without breadcrumbs, why not replace the white, unrefined with whole wheat for added fiber? Also, using two egg whites in place of one whole egg will reduce the calories and fat while still helping to bind the mixture together.”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (85% to 90% lean, or ground turkey)

1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat)

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)

2 cloves garlic (minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water (or low-fat milk)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Mix well, using your hands, but don't overmix because you will toughen the meat.

Turn mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for about 1 hour.

To be sure the meatloaf is done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. The temperature should register 155F when it is done.

About 10 to 15 minutes before you think the meatloaf will be done, you can cover it with barbecue sauce if you like.

International Meatloaf

If you are looking for a different kind of meatloaf, try kofta kebabs, a Middle Eastern grilled ground meat recipe. The spices in this meat mixture (traditionally lamb) are a delicious change of pace from the usual. If you don't have the time or inclination to place them on skewers, you can make them into oblong-oval shapes that look like sausages without the casings.