When you have 17 pounds of ground beef staring you in the face, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Either that or it’s easy to be lazy and resort to doing the same things with said ground beef that you do month in and month out. But it’s honestly just as easy to just get it done and mix things up at least a little bit.
I’ve actually started to look forward to my big ground beef batch cooking days. It doesn’t take very long to get everything prepared and I know that everything I make will be useful throughout the month. Plus, I know that the things I freeze will, for the most part, be versatile enough that I can change up plans as needed.
Here’s what I did with this month’s batch of ground beef:
- Meatballs for 2 dinners (tentatively planned serving ideas – bbq meatballs and sweet and sour meatballs)
- 7 bags of browned ground beef (each bag contains at least 1 lb. of ground beef)
- Salisbury Steak with Pan Gravy for 1 dinner (this will go perfect with mashed potatoes I plan to freeze later this week)
- 1 mini meatloaf (to be used for sandwiches or for the kids if my husband and I have a date night this month)
- 1 bag of Beef & Rice Burrito filling
- 1 casserole of Cheeseburger Pie (which we ate for dinner)
The beef and rice burrito filling is super easy, freezes perfectly and will mean dinner on the table in under 15 minutes.
Beef & Rice Burrito Filling
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
- 1 1/2 cup cooked rice, white or brown
- 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir to combine. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To serve: Spoon (thawed) filling down the center of a tortilla. Top with shredded cheese. Roll up and repeat, using about 8 to 10 tortillas total. Place rolled tortillas in a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until heated through.
Notes
Don’t forget to see what Toni and Jen are cooking up in their kitchens. Toni just saved a cake wreck and Jen’s talking about tracking your food expenses. Sharing tips and keeping it real…what’s not to love?
