Sweet and Sour Meatballs

adapted from Lion House Recipes




Serves 4-6

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (I also use frozen meatballs)
3/4 cup quick oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into about 12 balls, eacha bout 2 inches in diameter. Place in a casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Sauce:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients and blend thoroughly. Heat in a small saucepan until combined and sugar is dissolved and pour over meatballs. (This dish is not overly abundant on sauce so if you enjoy things a bit saucier, double the sauce ingredients.)

Recipe source: Melanie

Ready Hamburger Mix

The beginning of many meals, made in minutes!

4 lbs. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Brown ground beef in a heavy skillet. Drain. Add onion, and continue cooking over medium-low heat until onions are golden. Add remaining ingredients. Cool. Spoon mixture into four freezer-burn-proof containers. Seal and label containers. Freeze. Use within 3 months. Makes about 4 pints of READY HAMBURGER MIX.

Use in:
Tacos, Taco Salad, Spaghetti, Hamburger Enchiladas, Hamburger Stroganoff, etc.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

This is for a smaller pumpkin. For a larger pumpkin you can double the recipe.

1 clean pumpkin
1 lb. hamburger, browned
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 c. cooked rice
1 c. grated cheese
1 can sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 small-medium onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste

Brown hamburger and onion together. Combine remaining ingredients and pour into pumpkin. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. It is recommended that you not put the top on the pumpkin to bake because sometimes it falls in. Cover with tin foil and replace top of pumpkin after baked. It is also best to cook the pumpkin on a cookie sheet so the juice won't spill in your oven.

Beef Enchiladas

1 lb. hamburger
1 small onion
1 (16-oz.) can enchilada sauce
2 (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 c. grated cheese
1 pkg. flour or corn tortilla
sour cream


Brown hamburger and diced onion. Add enchilada sauce and tomato sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes. Spread 1 layer of sauce in the bottom of 9x13 pan. Add cheese to hamburger mixture and stir. Put hamburger mixture in tortillas and roll. Place in pan. Cover tortillas with remaining sauce. Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake in oven 375 for 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Tater Tot Casserole

1 bag tater tots
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. Onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¼ c. water
¼ c. milk

Brown ground beef. Drain fat. Pour/arrange tater tots on bottom of 9x13 pan. Put ground beef on top. Mix onion soup, cream of mushroom soup, milk and water together and spread on top. Bake 350 F. for 20-25 minutes.

Salisbury Steak w/Gravy

½ c. fat-free milk
14 saltines, crushed
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (12-oz) or pkg beef gravy
2 Tbsp ketchup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, combine milk, saltines, onion and parsley. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties. Place in an 8-in. square baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine gravy, ketchup, Worcestershire and pepper; pour over patties. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Yield: 4 servings

NOTE: We usually make double the gravy mixture.

Hamburger Stroganoff

1 lb. ground beef
½ c. onion (minced)
1 clove garlic

Brown meat & onion. Add garlic.

2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 8-oz can mushrooms

Stir in and cook 5 minutes.

1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup (undiluted).

Stir. Simmer 5-10 minutes

Add 1 c. sour cream (or Imo). Stir and serve over rice or noodles.

Tamale Pie

1 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped onion
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1 12-oz can whole kernel corn, (or frozen)
1 clove garlic (garlic powder or garlic salt
to taste)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp. salt
2-3 tsp. chili powder
dash pepper
1 ½ c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 box Jiffy brand corn muffin mix

Cook meat and onion until lightly browned and onion is tender. Stir in tomato sauce, corn, garlic, sugar, salt, chili powder and pepper. Simmer 20-25 min or until thick. Add cheese and stir until melted. Turn into 9x9x2 baking dish. Top with prepared corn muffin mix. Bake at 375 for approx 40 minutes. Serves 6.

Note: I put in a little extra sugar for a sweeter pie.

Meat Loaf

2 lbs. Ground beef
1 c. medium cracker crumbs
2 beaten eggs
2 8-oz. Can tomato sauce
½ c. finely chopped onion
1 ½ tsp. salt
Brown sugar to taste

Combine ingredients (only one can of tomato sauce) and shape into loaf. Bake at 350 F. about 1 ½ hours. While cooking, mix together 2nd can of tomato sauce & brown sugar to taste and the last 15 minutes pour over loaf and cook.