Untidy Josephs

I know what you're thinking...what the heck is an Untidy Joseph? Well, growing up my mom would add a can of Manwich to a pound of ground beef and slop it up onto a bun. Yes, you know this creation as the Sloppy Joe. While this is a functional meal, it just didn't cut it for me. I felt like it needed something more, so I went in search of more and found a recipe for Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes. The name worked, but there was nothing common enough in this recipe to have it be referred to as Joe. It's filled with vegetables and delish flavorings. It's much to sophisticated and intelliegent to go by "Joe," so I'd like to introduce you to Joseph. Despite his intelligence, he's still a little on the sloppy side...I'd like to think of it as organized chaos. So, without further ado, please PLEASE give it up for Untidy Joseph:

• 1 pound ground beef


• 1 medium onion, chopped


• 2 celery stalks, chopped


• 10-ounce package of mushrooms (button or baby bella), sliced thin


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 8 ounces tomato sauce


• 1/4 cup ketchup


• 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar


• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce


• 1 Tablespoon sugar


• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper


• 1 tsp salt


• 8 hamburger buns

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef. Remove to paper towels and wipe the excess fat from the pan.
Still over medium-high heat, cook the onions in the beef fat until they are softened and translucent, about five minutes. Add the celery and mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms have released all their moisture and turned golden brown in spots, about eight minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about thirty seconds.
Return the ground beef to the pan, and add the remaining ingredients.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning. If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for another 5-10 minutes until the desired thickness is reached.Serve on hamburger buns.

Southwest Skillet Ragu

• 1-1.5 lbs. ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red (green, yellow, or orange) pepper, chopped
• 1/2 container mushrooms, quartered
• 1 28oz. can diced tomatoes with juices
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt, plus additional to taste
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup water (as needed)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat a tsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet that will be deep enough to hold everything. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
2. Stir in the onions and mushrooms, and cook until the onions are soft and slightly tranlsucent. Add the peppers, spices and salt, and continue to saute until vegetables are mostly cooked.
3. Add tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. Add the pasta. Let the water come back to a boil and then reduce the heat. Allow everything to simmer about 10 minutes until the pasta isel dente and the veggies are cooked through. (If it looks like the liquid is gone before the pasta is cooked, add the 1/2 cup of water.)
4. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and stir until the cheese is melted and gooey. Spoon into individual bowls and serve!

Tamale Pile Up

• 1/2 lb. hamburger (browned and drained)
• 1 (14 0z.) can Mexican stewed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. chopped green chilis
• 9x9 pan of cornbread
• grated cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• guacamole (optional)
  

Combine first four ingredients in a skillt over stove and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Slice cornbread. Serve up cornbread and pour tamale sauce on top of bread. Top with cheese, sour cream and guacamole.

Enchi"Lita's"

At my parent's house, this meal is famous because of me. The first time my mom made these enchiladas, I ate more than anyone else. It was quite rediculous! My family calls me "Lita" and since I loved them so much these enchiladas were named Enchi"Lita's."

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Heat oil in large 2 quart saucepan; stir in flour and chili powder; cook for one minute.2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
NOTE: I usually double the sauce recipe because I like a lot of sauce, and then I put a gravy boat on the table with sauce in it from the pans after cooking in case someone wants additional sauce.
Ingredients for 12 enchi"Lita's" tortillas:

• 12 medium tortillas
• 3 12 ounce cans beef, drained and shredded, or 3 cups shredded pot roast
• 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 large onion,chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 packets Sazon
• salt
• pepper
• cheddar cheese

1. In a skillet with a little bit of oil cook onion until transparent, add tomatoes, garlic, Sazon and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add shredded beef and cook an additional 5 minutes.
2. In a 9 x 13 in pan (I usually have to use two pans) pour about 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of pan to prevent tortillas from sticking. Divide meat mixture between the 12 tortillas then add 1/4 cup shredded cheese on top of meat mixture. Roll and place in pan with tortilla opening facing down. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas. Cover with foil and cook at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle cheese on top and cook an additional five minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serve with finely chopped lettuce and sour cream on top.

Taco Soup

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 15 oz. can stewed tomatoes
• 1 15 oz. can water
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 8 oz. can water
  
• 1 package taco mix
  
• 1 15 oz. can chili beans
• 1 8 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 8 oz. can sliced olives, drained
• 1 can corn, drained

Toppings:

• cheddar cheese, grated
• sour cream
• Fritos corn chips
  

Cook ground beef with some chopped onion in large pot. Add all other ingredients up to the corn and cook until the flavors blend. Serve over fritos and top with cheese and sour cream.

Mary Lee's Lasagna

• 1 lb ground beef
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can/bottle spaghetti sauce (about 1 quart)
• 2 Tbsp. parsley flakes
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
• 1 pint ricotta cheese
• 2 (24oz.) low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/4 grated parmesan
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• lasagna noodles
• mozzarella & parmesan cheese (left over from earlier ingredients)

1. Brown meat, onion, and garlic; drain. Add all ingredients from tomatoes to basil. Let simmer with meat.
2. In a separate bowl, combing all ingredients from ricotta cheese through oregano.
3. Layer in a 9X13 baking dish: noodles, meat, cheese, repeat.
4. Layer everything with mozzarella and parmesan.
5. Bake covered for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
6. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Stuffed Burger Bundles

This fabulous recipe is from my friend Amber Patty!

• 1 lb. hamburger, thawed and uncooked
• 1 pkg. StoveTop Stuffing Mix (cornbread), prepared
• 1/3 C evaporated milk

Sauce:

• 2 cans cream of mushroom
• 2 T ketchup
• 4 t worcestershire sauce

1. Mix the hamburger and evaporated milk. Divide and pat into little circles on waxed paper. (I just do it directly on the 9x13 without waxed paper) Put stuffing in the middle and fold hamburger up around the stuffing and seal, or try to seal it =). Put in an ungreased 9x13 baking dish.
2. Combine sauce ingredients and pour over the meat.
3. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve with rice. (or potatoes, or noodles)