RECIPE SWAP: GROUND BEEF RECIPES YOUR CHILDREN MIGHT ENJOY

Again this week Recipe Swap has an abundance of ground beef recipes for you to try. We have had a great response to a recent request for any recipes using ground beef. The Cape Girardeau cook who submitted the request told us that using ground beef is about the only way she can get her children to eat meat. I have tried a few of the recipes and my children really enjoyed them. Give these recipes your taste test, file them and enjoy them in the months ahead.

Lillian Harmon of Scott City shares two recipes with us; a casserole and a soup. Her Taco Casserole can easily be made beforehand then heated when ready to serve. She also tells us that it is just as good made with ground turkey as it is with ground beef.

Taco Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 envelope taco seasoning mix

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup sour cream

1 cup cottage cheese

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

2 cups (8 ounces) grated Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In skillet, brown beef, drain off excess fat; remove from heat. Add onion, garlic powder, taco seasoning mix, and tomato sauce to beef; mix and set aside. In medium sized bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese; set aside.

Place half the crushed chips in bottom of a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish that has been coated with a nonstick vegetable spray. Add enough meat mixture to cover chips, then cover the meat with half the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with half the grated cheese. Repeat layers.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, until cheese melts and casserole is heated through. Yields 4 generous servings.

Lillian's Chili Taco Soup sounds absolutely wonderful. She tells us that in Texas they use Del Monte's Mexican-style stewed tomatoes and Trappey's jalapeno pinto beans. Also, whole kernel corn may be substituted for the hominy.

Chili Taco Soup

2 pounds ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 (4 ounce) can green chilies, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, undrained

1 (15 ounce) can white hominy

1 envelope taco seasoning mix

1 envelope Ranch dressing mix

1 1/2 cups water

Brown ground beef with onion and green chilies in large skillet. Drain fat if necessary. Place meat in Dutch oven, add salt and pepper, tomatoes and beans with liquid, hominy, dry taco and dressing mixes, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes.

Jodi Thompson of Jackson has a Hamburger Stroganoff recipe that uses buttermilk instead of the usual sour cream and it is very good.

Hamburger Stroganoff

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons onion, chopped

2 tablespoons fat or oil

1/4 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 beef bouillon cubes

1 cup water, boiling

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 1/4 cups noodles, cooked

Brown beef and onion in the oil in a large frying pan. Stir in flour and pepper. Stir bouillon cubes into the water. Add to beef mixture. Gradually stir in buttermilk. Reheat 3 to 4 minutes. Serve over noodles.

Nina Sommers of Cape Girardeau also shares a soup recipe with us. Her Spicy Vegetable Beef Soup makes a large batch and can be frozen for later use. It can also be a heart-healthy recipe if made with ground turkey. If you prefer less spice, omit Italian seasoning and oregano.

Spicy Vegetable Soup

1 pound lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (46 ounce) can no-salt tomato juice

2/3 cup water

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoons dried whole oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

Combine beef and garlic in Dutch oven; cook over medium heat until brown, stirring to crumble meat. Drain meat in a colander and pat dry with paper towel. Wipe pan drippings from pan with towel. Return to Dutch oven; add tomato juice and next 10 ingredients. Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in thawed mixed vegetables. Cover and cook 25 minutes. Yield: 10 cups.

Another beef recipe was received from a Cape Girardeau cook that meatloaf lovers will enjoy.

Bar-B-Que Beef Ring

1 1/2 pounds hamburger

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons onion, minced

3 tablespoons green pepper, minced

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup canned milk

3/4 cup oats

Mix together. Shape into a ring and bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Then cover with sauce and bake 35 minutes more.

Sauce:

2 tablespoons Worcestershire

1 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons vinegar

6 tablespoons onion, minced

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup water

Mix and pour over meat ring. Bake as directed.

Marjorie Reir shares a "kid friendly" recipe that is popular in her family.

Cheese Hamburger

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 cup corn flakes

1 3/4 cups milk, divided

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

pepper

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons fat or oil

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1/4 pound grated cheese or 1 cup processed American

Combine beef, corn flakes, 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and ketchup. Form into 6 patties. Saute' in 1 tablespoon oil till brown on both sides.

Arrange burgers in baking dish. Add remaining oil to pan. Stir in flour, mustard and remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. When smooth, add cheese and cook till melted. Pour sauce over burgers. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

Another Cape Girardeau cook adds to our ground beef recipes by sharing two of her favorites.

Cheesy Meat Pie

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (15 1/2 ounce) jar extra thick spaghetti sauce

1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

1 cup grated mild Cheddar cheese

Cook beef, onion, garlic and salt until well browned. Drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Cook until thick enough to hold it's own shape.

Cook macaroni. Drain. Melt butter. Stir in flour. Cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk continuing to stir until mixture thickens.

Beat eggs. Pour 1/2 white sauce into eggs beating constantly. Return mixture to sauce remaining in pan. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and macaroni.

Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Sprinkle bottom and side with bread crumbs. Spoon 2/3 of macaroni into pan. Spread into even layer to line bottom and sides. Spoon meat mixture into center. Cover with remaining macaroni mix. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges. Freezes well. Serves 6.

Beef and Macaroni Stew

1 pound ground chuck

1 tablespoon margarine

1/4 cup diced green pepper

1/4 cup instant minced onion

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon instant minced garlic

3 1/2 cups canned tomatoes (1 pound 12-ounce can)

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

1/2 cup diced Cheddar cheese

Brown meat in margarine. Add next 7 ingredients. Mix well and cook covered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese. Serve hot as a main course. Serves 4.

A few weeks ago we had a request for bagel and tortilla recipes. Cindy Payne of Cape Girardeau has answered that request with several to choose from.

Bagels

4 1/2 cups flour

2 packages active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water, 110 to 115 degrees

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

In mixer bowl combine 1 1/2 cups flour and the yeast. Combine warm water, 3 tablespoons sugar and the salt. Pour over flour mixture. Beat at low speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes on high speed. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Continue kneading until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes. Cover; let dough rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Cut into 12 portions; shape into smooth balls. Punch a hole in the center of each with a floured finger. Pull gently to enlarge hole to 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise 20 minutes. Broil 5-inches from heat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side. Tops should not brown.

Heat 1 gallon water and 1 tablespoon sugar to boiling; reduce heat. Cook bagels, 4 or 5 at a time, for 7 minutes, turning once. Drain. Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake in 375 degrees oven 25 to 30 minutes.

Flour Tortillas

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup warm water

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir in enough warm water to form a crumbly dough; then work dough with your hands until it holds together. Turn out onto a board and knead until smooth. Divide into 12 pieces and shape each into a smooth ball. Cover lightly with plastic film and let rest about 15 minutes.

For each tortilla, flatten one ball into a 4 or 5-inch patty, then roll into a 9-inch round, rolling from center to edges. Turn tortilla often, stretching dough as you carefully peel it off board. Make sure these are paper thin, the thinner the better. As each tortilla is shaped, place on preheated, dry, heavy griddle or heavy wide frying pan over medium-high heat.

On a preheated electric griddle set at medium-high heat or about 375 degrees. Almost immediately, tiny blisters should appear. Turn tortilla and immediately start pressing a wide spatula directly on top of it, press gently but firmly all over the top. Blisters will form over most of surface as you press. Turn tortilla and press all over side until blisters turn a golden brown; tortilla should remain soft. If tortillas stick or brown too quickly, reduce heat.

Stack tortillas as cooked, inside a folded cloth towel within a plastic bag; close bag and let tortillas steam and soften until all are cooked. Serve tortillas as soon as they are soft; cool, remove from bag, wrap in foil, and refrigerate or freeze. Makes 1 dozen 9-inch flour tortillas.

To close Recipe Swap this week we have only one request from Irma Ward of Cape Girardeau. She is wanting to know if anyone has a recipe for a sourdough starter that will work in a bread machine.

I spoke with a sourdough bread "expert" in Scott City. She suggested that the first rising would be just too much for a bread machine, but possible the second rising might work. I personally do not have a bread machine, so this is going to take some research. Does anyone have any suggestions?

And, also, Irma, could you possibly be my first grade teacher from McClure Elementary School?

That should keep you all busy until next week. Have a great week and happy cooking.