From Linda Larsen,
Your Guide to Busy Cooks.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Ground beef has been an American kitchen staple for decades. It's readily available, inexpensive, and as an extra bonus, children like it. You can dress it up or make simple burgers. It is at home in many cuisines, from Thai to Mexican. When you have a pound of ground beef in your freezer, dinner is only minutes away.

When you buy ground beef, make sure to respect the dates stamped on the package. If you're not planning to cook it within two days, take it out of the supermarket package and form several thin patties. Rewrap the patties in freezer wrap, mark with the date and freeze up to 1 year. The thin patties will thaw quickly so you'll be more likely to use them.

And a note about food safety; cook it until well done! Bacteria that is present on the outside of all cuts of beef is distributed throughout the beef when ground. Make sure to wash all utensils, plates, and platters that come into contact with raw meat - plus your hands, please.

If you don't have all the ingredients called for in these recipes on hand, don't worry! It's easy to substitute something else or just leave it out. For instance, in the Sicilian Supper recipe, leave out the green peppers if you don't have them, or use another kind of cheese. For Mexican Stuffed Peppers, all you really need are the peppers, tomato sauce, and beef! Just improvise.

Start With - Ground Beef

• Five Ingredient Ground Beef Recipes
• Ground Beef Tostada Filling
• Tropical Beef
• Microwave Chili
• Ground Beef Mix
• Old Fashioned Goulash
• Crockpot Chili
• Crazy Crust Pizza
• Crockpot Beef Tamale Pie
• Shepherd's Pie
• Spaghetti in the Microwave
• Grilled Nacho Cheeseburgers
• Beef and Cottage Cheese Pie
• Sicilian Supper
• Cheddar Burger and Veggie Packets
• Crockpot Tortellini
• Tex Mex Skillet Lasagna
• Mexican Stuffed Peppers
• Pizza Spaghetti Style
• Cheesy Skillet Lasagna
• Beef Cheese Pizza
• Meatloaf Madness