Frankenbeaniecheesyburger Casserole

I had a whole bunch of leftover ingredients in the fridge.  Half of an onion, a quarter of another, some ground beef, a couple hot dogs, biscuits, a few slices of American cheese, a pat of butter.  So, that became dinner.  I dubbed it A whole big pile of awesomeness OMG this doesn't suck.   For the purposes of a recipe I'll call it Frankenbeaniecheesyburger Casserole.

It was awesome!  And there were no leftovers.  Yummly in my tummly.

Frankenbeaniecheesyburger Casserole

1 Tube Buttermilk Biscuits
2 Tsp. Vegetable Oil
1/2 Large Onion, Chopped
1/2 Lb. Ground Beef
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Hot Dogs, Sliced
8 Slices American Cheese
2 11-oz Cans Pork and Beans

Preheat oven to 400°F.  

Press biscuits into a pie pan or small cast iron skillet to form a crust.  Bake for 5 minutes and remove from the oven.










In a separate skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Cook onions in oil until they start to brown.  Add ground beef and season with salt and pepper (I use Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning).  Cook until meat is brown and crumbly.

When meat is cooked, drain off the fat and pile on top of partially cooked biscuits.   Top with four slices of American cheese.

In the same pan the ground beef was cooked in, melt the butter.  Add the cut up hot dogs and cook until browned.  Pour contents of the skillet over the American cheese slices.

Top with one can of baked beans.  Then lay the last four slices of cheese on top of the beans.

Pour the last can of beans over the cheese and make sure the cheese is covered so it doesn't brown.

Turn oven down to 350°F and bake casserole for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

Beerific Barbecue Bacon Meatloaf

A beerific variation to meatloaf that takes your mom's basic baked ground meat and takes it to a whole new level.

The meat is mixed with an onion beer reduction, spices and panko then topped with a glaze of spicy barbecue sauce and bacon.  

Moist, flavorful - perhaps the best meatloaf EVER.  




The flavor will change depending on the type of beer used.  I recommend a dark or amber beer. I used a bottle of my husband's home brewed nut brown ale.  Yum!

Beerific Barbecue Bacon Meatloaf


2 Teaspoons Canola Oil
1 Medium Vidalia Onion, Chopped
1 12-Ounce Bottle Beer
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Teaspoon Dry Mustard
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 1/2 Pounds 85%-Lean Ground Beef
1 Fresh Panko Crumbs
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Large Egg, Lightly Beaten
1 Egg White, Lightly Beaten
1 Cup Spicy Beer Barbecue Sauce
8 Strips Bacon


Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a small baking dish with aluminum foil and coat with a thin layer of oil.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Pour in beer and increase heat to high. Bring to a vigorous boil; cook until the liquid is syrupy, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in thyme, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Let cool for 10 minutes.

While the onion mixture is cooling, cook bacon until just starting to crisp.

Add beef, panko, parsley, egg and egg white to the onion mixture. 

With clean hands, mix thoroughly.  Form into a loaf and place in the prepared pan.

Pour 1/2 of the barbecue sauce on the meatloaf and spread to cover.  Lay slices of bacon evenly over top and press gently into the sauce so they lay flat against the loaf.

Bake the meatloaf for an 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread the rest of the barbecue sauce over the top of the meatloaf.  Bake for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes; drain grease from the pan and slice.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

These were the tastiest sloppy joes ever.  Admittedly, making sloppy joes from scratch is a little more time consuming to make than to dump a can of Manwich into a pan, but it is oh so much better and really not all that difficult to make.  

I think it's the combination of sweet and sour that makes this recipe so good.  But it's the spiciness of the cayenne pepper that really sends it over the top!

Homemade Sloppy Joes



1 1/2 Pounds Extra Lean Ground Beef
1/2 Onion, Diced
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Green Pepper, Diced
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Ketchup
1 Dash Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt, Or To Taste
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Cup Water
Cayenne Pepper To Taste 

Over medium heat, brown the green pepper in a large skillet until it starts to soften and brown a little.  

Add the garlic, onion and ground beef.  Cook and stir the mixture often until the beef is browned and forms small crumbles, about 10 minutes.

Add 1 cup water and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.











Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. 

Add an additional 1/2 cup water and return mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick, about 40 minutes.

Season with salt , black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.

Serve on a bun or open face on white bread.  

Perfect with potato chips.

Mac'n'Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

You want comfort food?  I've got your comfort food right here!  All wrapped up in one delicious package.  Meatloaf stuffed with macaroni and cheese wrapped in bacon.  That right!  I said it!  Mmm, mmm, mmmm.

Mac'n'Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Mac'n'Cheese

1 Cup Elbow Shaped Noodles
1/4 lb Velveeta-Cubed
1/4 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Butter


Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain. Stir in the Velveeta, milk and butter. Keep on low and stir occasionally until cheese is completely melted. If it seems to thick add a bit more milk. Remove from heat and set aside.  Or you can cheat like I did and use a package of Velveeta macaroni and cheese.  

Meatloaf

1 lb Ground Beef
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Egg
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Milk


Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Topping

6 Strips Of Bacon
1 Cup Ketchup
1/4 Cup Mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar



Preheat oven to 325 Degrees Fahrenheit. 

Line a loaf pan with foil. Place half of the meat mixture in the pan and press down and up the sides creating a well in the middle. 

Add your mac'n'cheese to well. You probably won't need all of it.

Place the rest of the meat mixture on top, sealing the sides.

Line a sheet pan with foil. Place the sheet pan on top of the loaf pan, flip over, transferring the meatloaf to the sheet pan. Discard foil from loaf pan. Perfect the form of your loaf and make sure the sides are sealed well.

Precook the bacon until just barely done.  Basket weave the bacon on top and tuck the ends under the loaf. 

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Mix together the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire and brown sugar. 

Remove the meatloaf from the oven. Pour sauce over top. Turn oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 15-20 more minutes, or until sauce is bubbly and meatloaf is cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Hot Dog Casserole

I like to cook but there are days when I don't really want to be bothered  . . . and other days when I'm not feeling particularly fancy or inspired . . . sometimes I just want to throw a bunch of ingredients that I have on hand together and call it dinner . . . this is one of those recipes that covers all those bases and it's pretty darned good, too!

Hot Dog Casserole


1/2 Pound Ground Beef
4 Hot Dogs, Cut In Half Lengthwise And Sliced
1 Can (16 Ounces) Baked Beans
1/2 Cup Ketchup
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Prepared Mustard
4 Slices American Cheese Chopped
4 Slices American Cheese, Cut Into Strips
1 Pillsbury Pizza Crust

In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain off fat.


Add the hot dogs, beans, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and
chopped cheese. 

Cook and stir until cheese is melted.

Roll out the pizza crust and press into a casserole dish.  Prick all over with a fork. 

Bake at 400 for 5 minutes. Fill with hot beef mixture. 

Cut each cheese slice into strips; make a lattice topping over pie. 

Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. 

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Cheesy Joes

These are silly quick and easy to make.  And quite tasty, too.  Great for a party or a fast meal.  Yum!

Cheesy Joes

1 Pound Hot sausage
1 Pound hamburger
1 Pound Velveeta, Cubed
1 Package Slider Rolls

Brown together the sausage and hamburger until no longer pink. 

Drain off the fat. 

Add the cubed Velveeta and stir until melted. 

Divide mixture evenly and spread onto rolls.

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Cowboy Meatloaf

Cowboy Meatloaf  

3 Cups Mashed Potatoes

1 Pound Ground Beef

3/4 Cup Onion Finely Chopped

1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs Seasoned

1 Cup Brown Gravy

1 Egg Lightly Beaten

3/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Crisp Bacon, Crumbled

1/2 Cup Crispy Fried Onions Canned

2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded

Note: Any mashed potato recipe will work but I used this recipe for the mashed potatoes and this one would be awesome, too!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat 9x9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine beef, onion, breadcrumbs, ½ cup gravy, egg, and salt until well mixed. Gently press into bottom of baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Carefully pour off any excess fat.

In a large bowl, mix together hot mashed potatoes with bacon, 1 cup of cheese and ¼ cup fried onions. Spread evenly on top of beef mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese and fried onions.

Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned. Serve hot with top with additional brown gravy.

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Homemade "White Castle" Sliders

Homemade "White Castle" Sliders

1 Packet Onion Soup Mix
2 Pounds Ground Chuck 
6 Slices American Cheese 
12 Slider Rolls
Dill Pickle Slices

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Mix the ground beef with the soup mix.  

Gently press the ground beef mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish.   Press it out evenly into a big patty. 

Stab all over with a fork. (or a drinking straw which is what they do with the original white castle sliders.) 

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Using a paper towel, pat the excess grease from the top of the patty, let set for 5 minutes then cut into patties. 

Using a spatula lift a patty onto each bun bottom. Top each slider with cheese and a pickle slice.  Top with ketchup and mustard, if desired. Then put on the bun lid. Serve immediately. 

Makes 12- 15 sliders depending on how big you cut them.

I served mine with salt and vinegar potatoes.  So good!

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If I had my druthers

Hubby and I were off on a scenic motorcycle ride.  We have a totally spiffy helmet to helmet bluetooth intercom system that allows us to chat while we're riding.  While we were cruising along we had a conversation about barbecue ribs . . . styles of ribs, places that make the best ribs . . . that kind of thing.  We'd been riding a while and we were getting a little hungry.


Anyway, as the discussion progressed I said that if I had my druthers I prefer ribs dry rubbed and smoked and then slathered with a tangy barbecue sauce.

Whoah, wait!  Druthers?  What in the heck does that mean, where does that word come from . . . sounds like a blog post.  Yeah, that's how these things come about . . . really and truly, it is.


So, what's the deal with the word 'druthers'?  Here's the low down . . .


Druthers is a purely American word.  Specifically, from the south and is used to indicate a personal preference. It first came into usage around the mid-1800's and was originally 'drathers' . . . as in, I'd rather - a man can't always have his 'drathers.  It wasn't long before it morphed to 'druthers' -   a man can't always have his  druthers.

As luck would have it . . . my luck, that is . . . we stopped for lunch and I had my druthers.  Oh yes indeed I did!  I had me a half a rack of dry rubbed pork ribs with a spicy sweet barbecue sauce.  Mmm, mmm good!

Those ribs are from Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery and you can bet your sweet bippy I had myself an amazing brew (or two) to go along with those sloppy ribs!

Slow Cooker Ground Beef Barbecue

3 Pounds Lean Ground Beef

1 Large Onion, Chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

5 Stalks Celery, Finely Chopped

1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Prepared Mustard

1/4 Cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar

3 1/2 Cups Ketchup

Place ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook until brown, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 15 minutes. Drain excess grease.

Place the cooked meat, onion, garlic, celery, salt, black pepper, cider vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, and ketchup into a slow cooker, and stir to combine.

Set the cooker on Low, and cook for 6 to 8 hours.

Serve on a Kaiser roll or over biscuits with cheese.

I've been slimed!

I'm always looking for ways of saving money, being healthier and simply being self-sufficient.


I make my own soap, wash my hair with baking soda & vinegar, grow vegetables, preserve foods by canning & dehydrating.  I make my own butter, make pickles and mustard . . . I bake bread.  I cut my husband's hair and he maintains our vehicles.




After reading the about the yuckiness of 'pink slime' that is added to ground beef, I was kind of queasy about buying prepackaged ground beef in the grocery store.  


Just in case you've been living in a hole in recent months, it has been brought to the public attention that an additive known as 'pink slime' is being added to ground meat being sold in grocery stores and served by food service companies.  What is this slime?  It's pretty much the stuff they used to put in pet food . . . fat, tendons, lips, ears, and other random meat scraps.  Now they transform these former waste parts into a by-product called 'boneless lean beef.' These parts are then liquified and sterilized with ammonia . . . yes, I said, ammonia . . . and then this crap is injected into ground beef as a filler.  

So anyway . . . as a way to avoid getting slimed and save a few dollars in the process I've started grinding my own meat.  In addition, to the cost savings and lack of additives it's also healthier.


When I'm at the grocery story I look for roasts and steaks that are on sale.  A good one to look for is London broil.  It's relatively lean and what fat there is is easy to trim.  I recently purchased seven pounds of fresh meat on sale for $1.99 per pound . . . meat that normally goes for $5.99 per pound.


Like I said, London broil is pretty lean.  So, when I compare what it costs for 93% lean  . . . $6.29/lb . . . that's a huge bargain.  Granted, the meat is on sale because it's soon to go past is freshness date.  But, that's okay because I am either going to use it immediately or freeze it.  


Once I get the meat home, I trim any excess fat . . . a little fat is okay . . . and cut it into cubes.  Then I feed it to my Kitchenaid mixer which I've fitted with the food grinding attachment.  

Obviously, this take more time than picking up a package of ground meat infused with lord knows what.  But it's super easy and it's highly gratifying.


After the meat is all ground up, I separate the it in to 1 to 1-1/2 pound packages using an old postage scale. Then I  vacuum seal the packages, label them and freeze them.  







Easy peasy . . . fresh ground beef with no effluvial crap mixed in and a few extra bucks in my pocket . . . over all, a win/win.

















I've been slimed!
Peter Venkman, Ph.D. 
Ghostbusters

All it takes is a pinch

I think chewing tobacco is probably one of the most disgusting habits . . . like . . . EVER!  This spitting is the nastiest, ickiest, uckiness!  To be frank . . . it's gross.


When I was a teenager growing up in the sticks of Pennsylvania most of the boys I went school with preferred dipping over smoking.  Don't get me wrong, I think smoking cigarettes is pretty yucky, too . . . but the snuff thing . . . ew.  



Snuff is  "pinched" out of the can and placed between the lip and the gum and is normally kept there somewhere between 10 to 30 minutes. The draw is that nicotine is absorbed through the lining of the mouth causing mellow yet energetic high.  The drawback is that it causes an excess production of saliva . . . 

which mean spitting.  Spitting nasty brown liquid.  The boys would walk around with their empty soda bottles spitting into it almost constantly.  Quite disgusting.  






What's worse, for the user at least, is the high risk with use for mouth cancer.  I had friends . . . at 15 and 16 . . . who had obviously diseased mouths as a result of the dip.  I'll spare you the gory details but if you really must know you can check it out for yourself here.


And, as a teenage girl, I wouldn't ever date a boy who dipped.  Imagine kissing that mouth?  No thanks!

On a side but related note, my neighbor up the road had a thing for Red Man chewing tobacco.  I used to play with his son and the evidence was in little landmines all over the yard.    Unlike dipping tobacco, it is not ground up.  It's shredded tobacco and must be chewed with the teeth to release flavor and nicotine.  The unwanted juices . . . er . . . ugh . . . spit, must be spat.   Once the tobacco is chewed up the chewer is left with a masticated wad of tobaccy . . . 

The whole thing is just . . . ew!


That is all . . . moving on . . . 

Homestyle Beef Enchiladas

1 Lb. Lean Ground Beef

½ Cup Chopped Onion

2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed

½ Tsp Salt

¼ Tsp Pepper

2 10 Oz Cans Enchilada Sauce *

8 Small Corn Tortillas (6-7 Inches Diameter)

¾ Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Or Cheddar Cheese

1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Sour Cream (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large non-stick skillet, brown ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Pour off grease.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in ½ cup enchilada sauce from one can. Set aside remaining sauce from that can.

Pour the second can of enchilada sauce into a shallow dish. Dip tortillas, one at a time, into sauce to coat both sides. Spoon beef mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla and roll up. Place beef enchiladas seam-side down in a 13x9-inch baking dish.

Cover dish and bake in oven for 15 minutes.

Uncover enchiladas. Spoon reserved enchilada sauce over beef enchiladas. Sprinkle with the cheese. Continue baking uncovered for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle liberally with cilantro. Serve with sour cream (optional).

I like breaking the rules

A cardinal rule . . . what kind of rule?  An angry bird rule?  God forbid you disobey an angry bird!!

Seriously, though, I always thought the term ‘cardinal rule’ referred to some sort of religious tenet that morphed into an everyday saying about an all important directive that must be obeyed.

Well . . . suffice to say, I was wrong.  Shocking, I know.  But, it happens now and again.

The word ‘cardinal’ comes from the root word 
‘cardo’, which in Latin translates to ‘hinge’ or ‘that on which something turns or depends’.  Therefore, something cardinal is important because all else hinges upon it.  It is a fundamental rule . . . something that is essential that cannot be deterred from.

A cardinal rule could be: Isn't it the first cardinal rule of perm maintenance that you are forbidden to wet your hair for at least 24 hours after getting a perm at the risk of deactivating the ammonium thioglycolate? 

Back to the church . . . before it was all powerful and had such a grand hierarchy and far reaching authority on everything and everyone . . . a cardinal was simply a clergyman being that he was attached to the church . . . much like a door is attached by a hinge to  a building.  

And back to that angry bird . . . why is it red?  Well, because somehow the name cardinal went from being a simple man to a prince (of the church) and was clad all in red . . . the bird was thusly name because it was all red much likes the robes of churchly princes.

No, he was not red because he was angry; you people and your imaginations.  Sheesh!

Grilled Cheese Cheese Stuffed Cheeseburger

Two Slices of Bread

Two Slices American Cheese

One Slice Swiss Cheese

One Half Pound of Lean Hamburger

Butter

Sliced Tomatoes

3 Slices Crisp Bacon

Divide the hamburger into two patties.  Fold the Swiss cheese into a square and press into the center of one of the patties.  Top with the second patty and press to seal edges. 

Grill or fry hamburger, until done.

In the meantime butter two slices of bread, and lay on frying pan, add cheese to the slices of bread and grill till cheese melts and crispy brown on the other side.

Lay cooked hamburger on one of the bread and cheese slices.  

Top with tomato slices and bacon. 

Serve your amazing creation.