Homemade freezer burritos

1 lb ground beef, browned and seasoned with taco seasoning

1-2 cans black beans, rinsed

3 cups brown rice, cooked

1 can olives, chopped

2 (7 oz) cans diced green chilis

2 jars green taco sauce

2-3 cups shredded cheese

Cumin powder

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Dash of salt

2 T lime juice

Chili powder

World's Best Lasagna

Ingredients

1 lb Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage, Italian style

3/4 lb ground beef

1/2 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, italian style

2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

2 (6.5 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1.5 tsp dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 T salt

4 T fresh parsley, chopped

9 lasagna noodles

16 oz. ricotta cheese

1 egg

.75 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In Dutch oven cooked sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Season with basic, fennel, Italian seasoning, salt, and 2 T parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Fill a 9x13 pan with very hot tap water. Place lasagna noodles in water to soften. (No need to boil noodles.) Let soak for at least 20 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 tsp. salt.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups meat sauce in the bottom of the 9x13 pan. Arrange 3 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture and top with 1/3 of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup Paremesan cheese. Spoon more meat sauce over the cheese and layer 3 more noodles. Then spread the other half of the ricotta cheese mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Spoon meat sauce and top with more mozzarella. Layer the last 3 noodles, spread the last of the meat sauce and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
6.  Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, spray foil with cooking spray.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Tater tot casserole

Ingredients

1 lb. hamburger

2 cups cooked brown rice

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 small cans mushroom stems and pieces

1 T butter

2 cans green beans

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 bag of frozen tater tots

Directions

1. Ahead of time cook one cup raw brown rice in 2 to 2.5 cups water. (This takes almost an hour.)
2. Sauté in 1 T of butter finely chopped onion and mushrooms until onions are sweet. 
3. Brown hamburger.
4. In large bowl combine cooked brown rice, hamburger, onion and mushroom mix, and green beans. Mix in cream of mushroom soup until well combined.
5. Press into 3 qt. casserole dish and top with tater tots.
6. Bake at 350 degree F for 1 hour or until tater tots are crispy.

Uncle Larry's Meatloaf

(Yes, Kevin and I prefer totally different meatloaf recipes. I'm envisioning when we have older kids just mixing up half and half, putting them in muffin tins with color coordinated toothpicks and letting everyone pick their favorite version at the table.)

Ingredients:
Mix together:
1 ½ pounds lean hamburger
2 eggs
1 ½ cup crushed crackers (prefer Nabisco Vegetable Thins)
½ cup diced onion
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup milk
1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, then add topping and bake another 15 minutes.

Topping:
1/2 cup catsup
2 Tbsp. mustard
2 tsp. honey

Burrito Pie (or Mexican Lasagna)

Burrito Pie

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced (or 1 can large olives chopped in food processor)
• 3 (4 ounce) cans diced green chili peppers
• 2 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
• 1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 16 ounces shredded Colby cheese

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground beef until done. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Mix in the olives, green chili peppers, tomatoes with green chile peppers, cooked brown rice, and taco sauce. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas. On second set of tortillas spread re-fried beans and place face down on first set of tortillas. This creates a double layer of tortillas with re-fried beans sandwiched in between. On top of tortilla layer, spread more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla (and re-fried bean), meat, cheese pattern until all the tortillas are used, topping off with a layer of meat mixture and cheese. (In a 3 quart caserole dish I can only fit in two layers of double tortillas.)
4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

This freezes really well!

Kevin's favorite meatloaf

Meatloaf with Fried Onions and Ranch Seasoning

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 3/4 cup herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix
• 1/2 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
• 1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onions

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine meat, eggs, ketchup, stuffing mix, ranch dressing mix and fried onions.
3. Shape into loaf and place on broiler pan (so grease can drain).
4. Bake, covered loosely with foil, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until meat is thoroughly cooked.

Aunt Jill's Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This is a recipe my Aunt Jill gave me and has been a favorite ever since. (This recipe may be a little "Well, duh! I know how to boil water!" But my Aunt made this recipe for me when I was still learning how to cook. And boy did it help! She lovingly wrote out an entire box of recipes for me that I still use as staples in my meal menu.)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
3 to 4 cups cooked rice
1-1/2 lb. ground beef formed into meatballs and cooked (See recipe for Spinach Meatballs)
2 to 3 cups sweet and sour sauce (see recipe)
1 lg. can chunk pineapple (save juice, you will use it)

Cook rice first. While it is cooking, prepare meatballs and cook them. In large pot prepare sweet and sour sauce reserving pineapple chunks. Put cooked meatballs into pot with sauce. Stir gently to coat meatballs and mix in pineapple. Serve over cooked rice. Serves 6.

Spinach Meatballs
Ingredients
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach, drained well
1/2 med. onion, finely chopped (I substitute dried onion flakes to taste, not sure how much I use)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 to 1-1/2 lb. ground beef
2 to 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
2 to 3 slices dry bread, in crumbs (Veggie Thin crackers are also yummy!)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Blend together well and form into half dollar sized balls. Coat cookie sheet with tin foil. Place meatballs on cookie sheet and place on highest oven rack. Broil on "low broil" setting and turn once. (Watch carefully so they don't over-cook.) Or bake at 500 degrees F in center of oven for about 10 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
Ingredients
2 cups water and/or pineapple juice
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
4 heaping Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in cold water (about 1/3 cup water)

Bring water and/or juice to a boil. Add vinegar, sugar, and ketchup. Stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture returns to a low boil. Pour some cornstarch mixture into liquid a little at a time and stir constantly. Continue adding cornstarch mixture until sauce thickens to right consistency. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to use.

*At Chinese restaurants, I also see them include sweet bell peppers with the pineapple. This is very good but my tummy doesn't like peppers. But I thought I'd throw the suggestion out there.