Simple and Tasty Ways to Use Extra Ground Beef

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

19 Jan 2008 11:44 AM

Ordinarily there is nothing remotely close to "extra" ground beef anywhere near my kitchen, but since I committed to making Spicy Sloppy Joes (among other dishes) to take to a football viewing party tomorrow I happened to have a few extra pounds of beef in my refrigerator.

As such I was able to prepare two tasty and affordable one-dish meals to feed my family this weekend. (Both can be modified to feed more than four people.) Two other perks of these dishes are their simplicity (all of the ingredients are kid-friendly and take less than 30 minutes to prepare) and the fact that they contain protein, carbohydrates and vegetables in a single serving.

BEEF AND ASPARAGUS PASTA TOSS

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

3 cups uncooked bow tie pasta

1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup minced shallots

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 8 minutes. Add asparagus; continue cooking 3 to 4 minutes or until pasta and asparagus are tender. Drain well.

Meanwhile brown ground beef in large nonstick skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 breaking up into 3/4 inch crumbles. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon. Pour off drippings.

Heat oil in same skillet over medium heat until hot. Add shallots and garlic; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add beef; mix well. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Combine beef mixture with pasta and asparagus in large bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

SLOPPY JOE BAKE ON WHEELS

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 large yellow onion, chopped (1-1/2 to 2 cups)

2 cans (14.5 to 16 ounces each) sloppy Joe sauce

3 cups uncooked wagon wheel pasta

1/2 cup water

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 large tomatoes (sliced)

Sliced green onions (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef with yellow onion in large nonstick skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes; break up into 3/4-inch crumbles. Pour off drippings. Stir in sloppy Joe sauce, wagon wheels and water.

Spray 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon beef mixture into dish. Place sliced tomatoes over mixture. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Continue baking, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Tip: My daughter loves wagon wheel pasta, but you could substitute with rotini.

Related Articles:

Two Easy Ground Beef Dishes: Beef Penne Pasta Bake, and Mexicali Beef Rice

Two Speedy Ground Beef Suppers for Busy Weekday Nights

Spicy Sloppy Joes with Cold and Crunchy Coleslaw

Ground Beef and Cheddar Bake

Macaroni With Beef and Tomatoes - Perfect for large families

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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