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Stretching Ground Beef - Recipes and Ideas - Stretch Burgers

 

Don't Be Afraid To Try New Things...

My Mom called me the other day. It was So nice to hear her voice. We chatted for a bit, then she had a question about making a meatloaf. During our conversation she also shared with me that she had to pay almost $7 a pound for ground chuck. My Mom didn't buy it at a high end grocery store either. She bought it at Wal-Mart. I could not believe the price of hamburger. 

This conversation motivated me to create new recipes that would stretch our hamburger meat. Number One loves hamburgers, so I came up with "Stretch Burgers". I just happened to have cooked brown rice, cabbage, carrots, sweet peppers, celery and onions in the fridge, so I decided to use up what I had on hand. This recipe is very flexible. You can change the ingredients to fit your personal preferences as long as it binds together. 

We enjoyed these burgers. This recipe made 6 very large burgers. They are very filling and tasty. Number One is particular about food and he gave the Stretch Burger recipe a thumbs up. 

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground beef

1 C Cooked rice

2 Eggs

1 1/4 C Finely Chopped vegetables

2 Tbsp. Beef bouillon paste or equivalent 

1 tsp Black pepper

1/4 tsp Onion powder

1/4 tsp Garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together. Form into patties and fry in a greased pan until done. Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Other Ideas: 

*Use your imagination...

*Use oatmeal, crackers, bread crumbs or instant potatoes instead of cooked rice

*Use other spices

*Add cooked potatoes

*Add Cooked beans or lentils 

*Add cooked grains such as leftover quinoa

*Add other types of finely chopped fresh vegetables (potatoes must be instant or cooked or they will be undercooked)

Other Entrees:

*Use Your imagination...

*Taco meat filling: Fry crumbled meat mixture and follow the directions on your taco seasoning package.

*Breakfast sausage: Add breakfast sausage seasonings to meat mixture. Shape into patties or fry crumbled.  

*Hamburger Helper: Fry crumbled and follow directions on package or make your own.

*Meatloaf: Shape meat mixture and put into a greased loaf pan. Bake using your favorite toppings.

*Meatballs: Shape meat mixture into balls. Fry or bake. Serve over noodles with gravy.

*Italian Meatballs: Add Italian seasonings to meat mixture and shape into balls. 

*Spaghetti and meat sauce: Fry crumbled meat mixture and cook in your favorite sauce. 

I hope this helps you stretch your ground beef and your grocery budget. If you have any other ideas, please share them in the comments below...

Mrs. Smith

DITL On A Slow Day...

It has been a long and winding road for the whole world for quite some time now. We are still on this crazy road with its ups and downs. This has been a pretty slow uneventful restful day. With all the crazy in the world we are so thankful for a day like today...

It was beautiful morning. We can actually see the mountains today. There is still some haze from the smoke, but it is so much better. The world is on fire. We have droughts and floods going on at the same time in our country and all around the world. The weather is really crazy along with everything else that's going on.

I put on a pot of tea and went out to let the chickens out of their coop. I have kept the chickens locked up at night ever since we lost two to a coyote, had a badger dig under the chicken coop and had a bear tear up the chicken fence all within a two week period. Number One ran into the bear on our porch when he opened our front door and scared it off. It was a frightening experience for us too. I am so glad the Wildlife Officer brought out a pepper spray barrel to discourage the bear from coming back. Bears are very destructive. The bear came back the very next night and was pepper sprayed. We never saw it again. Apparently, it moved several miles away to a small fishing village. We haven't heard anything else about the bear. 

I poured myself a cup of tea and started my morning Bible study. I was a little behind on my weekly morning devotion, so I finished it up. Then I completed my study on Hosea using The Bible Study by Zach Windahl. 

I made Number One some quesadillas out of homemade refried beans that I made earlier in the morning with smoked sausage. I had been snacking, so I was not hungry. I did have a Shasta Twist. 

We love Shasta soda as an occasional treat and Sam's finally had it back in stock when I placed my last pick up order. They no longer ship this item, so it's really hard to get it. I can't just run and pick something up, since it's a three hour round trip to town and back. That is just driving time. 

We did a little work this evening. I didn't make anything for dinner. Number One had homemade granola. I just snacked a bit. I did a few dishes. We played several games of backgammon. That's it for today... 

Sticker Shock! 79% Inflation On Propane !!!

Headline: Snow? Colorado’s high peaks may see light flakes Thursday...

In the dead of summer, Colorado’s peaks may get some light snow accumulation...

Number One staying warm at the end of April this year.

We had our very large propane tank filled last week. The sticker shock was incredible. It Costs a whopping 79% more to fill it up this year. OUCH! Apparently, last Winter we used more propane than we have ever used before. By about 300 gallons. We had less than 20 gallons left. We have a 1000 gallon tank that holds 800 gallons. We fill it up once a year to save on delivery fees, state hazard fees and we buy a large amount all at once to save money.  

We replaced almost all of our windows at the end of July except for a couple of panes. Most of the seals in the windows had been compromised and one actually cracked last Winter. This should help cut down on our propane usage. 

Old Man Winter will be here soon

This is me trying to stay warm outside in January

Our 1000 gallon propane tank

What are some other ways you conserve on heating costs? Please share in the comments below. 

Thank you,

Mrs. Smith

Homemade Cappuccino Mix And French Vanilla Coffee Mix - Re-Post

 

If you like coffee from expensive coffee shops or those little cans of flavored coffee, you will like these mixes and it will not eat away at your budget. I had everything on hand except for the instant vanilla pudding mix. I planned ahead and picked it up at the store last week while I was running other errands to keep from making an extra trip into town.

These recipes make a lot of yummy flavored coffee. I am not a big coffee drinker, tea is my poison,  but I do like flavored coffee. My sister is a coffee junkie, half sugar and cream is the way she likes it. She would really enjoy the French Vanilla coffee recipe.

French Vanilla Coffee Mix

2 cups powdered milk
1 cup powdered coffee creamer
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup instant coffee
1 small box instant vanilla pudding

Add all ingredients into your blender. Mix on "grate" until mixture is uniform in size. Store in airtight container, label and date. To use, mix 3-4 tsp to a cup of hot water (8 oz)

Layers of ingredients for the French Vanilla Coffee Mix

Enjoy a cup today! (sounds like a commercial)

Homemade Cappuccino Mix

1 cup instant coffee creamer
1 cup instant Nestle Quick or equivalent (I used hot chocolate mix)
2/3 cup instant coffee
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (makes it yummy!)
One dozen cinnamon sticks (optional)

Combine all ingredients in blender. (except cinnamon sticks) Mix until all ingredients are uniform in size. Store in a quart jar and place cinnamon sticks halfway into the mixture. Label and date jar.

To prepare, mix 3 Tbs to a cup of hot water (6 oz). When serving to guests, place a cinnamon sticks into the cups of cappuccino for the guests to use as a stirrer. The cinnamon sticks add a wonderful flavor and  a lovely aroma to your home.....

Ingredient layers

I've had two cups of coffee and I'm zooming around....

The Bible Study: A One Year Study of the Bible by Zach Windahl - A Bible Study Review -

 

Old and New Testament Volumes

    

    

I absolutely love everything about this study. It is a complete study of the bible in it's entirety. Every book of the Bible is read chapter by chapter and verse by verse. Each week I read a book of the bible  then I complete a session from The Bible Study. That's it. It's that simple. 

The study itself is thought provoking. It helps me to grow in faith and in my relationship with God through His Word. It is a one year study that can be repeated every year. I answer the questions in a separate notebook, so I can use the study over and over again. I can look back and see my answers from the previous year to see my progress and growth.  

Every session gives and overview of the book including the book's author, date, audience, reason, theme, key verses, sections and key words. The format is easy to follow. The illustrations are really cool and simple. 

I have participated in many bible studies through the years and I have also led women's bible studies. I think this would make a great group study for men, women, young adults and families. There is also a 90 day youth addition.  

I highly recommend this study. 

Blessings,

Mrs. Smith 

Inflation - Stretching A Chicken, Re-posted

Note: I decided to re-post this due to inflation and shortages we are all currently facing. Please check out my other posts for more great ideas for saving money and making the most out of the food we buy.

We haven't been able to grill at all lately due to the weather and when I say "we" I mean Number One. He does all the grilling at our home. I do most of the prep work and all of the clean-up. I laid out a whole chicken to thaw a few days ago and this was the first day Number One was able to fire up the grill.

I cut the chicken into three sections. I used the back and giblet portions with some veggies that I really needed to use up to make a rich broth. Number One grilled the rest with a few potatoes and a couple of hamburger patties.

When the chicken came off the grill I felt like a cave woman eating that delicious chicken. I used salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper to season the chicken.

To make the broth, I boiled the chicken pieces (that were not grilled0 with the veggies that needed to be used up for about an hour. (snow peas, carrots and onions). I seasoned the broth with salt, pepper and bay leaves.

Once the chicken and vegetables had cooked for a while, I strained the broth, picked the bones clean and added the meat back into the broth. I made some homemade egg noodles, dropped them into the broth and continued cooking for an additional forty minutes.

The dogs and I ate the vegetables...

Egg noodles: 1 c flour, 1 egg, pinch of salt and enough water to
make a stiff dough.

Let dough rest for 5 minutes.

Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick.

I use a pizza cutter to cut the noodles.

Drop into boiling broth a few at a time to keep the noodles
from sticking together.

Cook until noodles are done.

Enjoy...

While I enjoyed my cup of coffee this morning on the porch I decided to stretch that chicken a little more, so I made Smoked Chicken Enchiladas. I frequently change the ingredients of this recipe depending on what I have on hand. This time I used corn tortillas instead of flour, cheddar cheese and jalapenos instead of pepper jack. You can also freeze these with or without baking. They freeze wonderfully.

I used some of the smoked meat from the chicken Number One grilled yesterday to make these yummy enchiladas. I like to buy whole chickens because you can make so many different meals from just one. I still have a large breast and wing to put into a pasta salad. 

Ingredients: Chopped smoked chicken, chopped jalapenos
24 oz sour cream, 2 cans cream of chicken soup, tortillas and 2 cups
shredded cheese.

Add all ingredients(except tortillas and cheese) into a pot,
heat on medium until hot.

Fill tortillas with mixture, add some cheese and roll. You will use about
half of the chicken mixture and cheese on the top of the enchiladas, so plan accordingly.

I rolled eleven, that's all that would fit in my pan.

Spread the rest of the chicken mixture and cheese on top of tortillas
and garnish with jalapenos. Bake at 350* until cheese begins to brown.

While I was preparing the enchiladas, I also decided to make a Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad. Simple and easy to make. If I can't get a box of Suddenly Salad at the Dollar store for $1, I just boil some pasta(drain and rinse), add spices (your choice) to a cup of mayonnaise, chop some chicken and veggies, throw everything in a large bowl and viola!

Now that's a lot of different meals with a lot of servings in each meal. I know that chicken went a long way to feed us this week. If you have more ways to stretch a chicken, won't you please share them here?

Odd Pix

Rainbows are so wide out here I rarely get both ends.

Indian Paintbrushes

We had 35 Pronghorn, 20 babies and 15 adults.

This is Bucky. He has been around our place for years. We hold our breath every hunting season, but he stays pretty close.

Very Smokey!

 

We love Him, because He first loved us.

Mountain View Outside Our Home

1 John 4:10-19 KJV

 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Homemade Granola

 

Homemade Granola 

Ingredients:

7 C Rolled Oats

2/3 C Chopped Nuts

1 C Melted Butter

1 C Honey

2 Tsp Vanilla

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Salt

Pre-heat oven to 350*. In a large bowl, combine oats and nuts. Set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Pour mixture over oats and nuts. Mix well. Divide the mixture between two large jelly roll pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes stirring every 10 minutes. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

If Life Were A Map....

In Arkansas there is a road called "The Pig Trail". It's known for it's horseshoe turns. You know the kind where it feels like the head and tail end of your car could almost touch. Life can feel that way too. In fact,  If life were a map it would be unreadable for the most part. Navigating it would be next to impossible. There may be a reason that we cannot see the future. We would never go.

I have been saying lately that God must get a kick out of our best laid plans. I actually announced the other morning that it was all about me this morning. Number One looked at me like I had three heads. This should have been my first clue that I was on a goat path which is way worse than a pig trail. I just wanted to have my tea in seclusion and study a bit before I left for an early morning appointment. Ha! In the car on my way to my appointment I had a lot of apologizing to do to God for such a statement. I asked for forgiveness for my selfish behavior, my attitude when my plans didn't work out and laughed about the stopped up toilet for the fifth time in less than two weeks. God obviously had other plans to get my attention, to check my attitude and to show me His plans for my day. 

My life was completely disrupted about five years ago. This has sent me down some bad roads and pig trails that were so bad that I couldn't even blog anymore. Something that I loved to do. I was lost on those roads. I lost myself on those roads. That's where I have been and still am for the most part. 

I was reminded of what I used to do the other day by a friend and she encouraged me to start writing again.  I saw a glimpse of my former self. While I am not the same person as I used to be I believe that I still have more to share.

Note: I wrote this about five years ago. I have been thinking a lot about blogging again and when I saw this draft I though it would be a good beginning. It would also explain where I have been.

Blessings,

Mrs. Smith