Easy Shepard's Pie

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
2 cups hot mashed potatoes
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup beef gravy

Directions:
HEAT oven to 375ºF.BROWN meat in large skillet; drain. MIX potatoes, cream cheese, 1/2 cup Cheddar and garlic until well blended. COMBINE meat, vegetables and gravy; spoon into 9-inch square baking dish. COVER with potato mixture and remaining Cheddar. Bake 20 min. or until heated through.

One Pot Salsa Beef Skillet

Ingredients
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
2 cups water
1 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner Made With 2% Milk Cheese
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup KRAFT Mexican Style 2% Milk Finely Shredded Four Cheese
1 green onion, chopped

Directions:

BROWN meat in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain.

ADD water, salsa and Macaroni; stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 10 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally. Add corn and Cheese Sauce; stir. Cook 2 min. or until heated through.

TOP with cheese and onions.

Turkey and Black Bean Burritos

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 lb ground turkey breast
1 c canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c finely chopped red pepper
1/2 c finely chopped red onion
1/4 c BBQ sauce
4 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
salt (I used garlic salt)
whole wheat flour tortillas
mixed greens
low fat shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oil in skillet until hot. Add turkey and cook 7 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat.

Add beans, pepper, onion, BBQ sauce, lime juice, chili powder, cumin and salt; cook mixture 5 to 7 minutes or until turkey is cooked through.

Serve on tortilla with greens and cheese.

Quick Beef and Pinto Bean Chili

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (16 ounce) packages frozen mixed vegetables, chopped onion and bell pepper mixture
1 lb 93% lean ground beef, uncooked (with 7% fat)
1 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 cup crushed fire roasted tomatoes, canned
2 teaspoons chili powder, medium heat suggested
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:
Prep Time: 10 minsTotal Time: 20 mins
1. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic and frozen vegetable mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables thaw and any liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add beef and cook, stirring frequently, breaking up clumps of beef with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. 2.Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, salt, black pepper and beans; cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until some liquid evaporates, meat is cooked through and chili thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Yield about 1 1/4 cups per serving.

Super Stuffed Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 small Potatoes (2-1/4 lb.)
1 lb. Ground beef
1/4 lb. (4 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 small Tomato, chopped
2 Green onions, sliced
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream

Directions:

PRICK potatoes in several places with fork. Microwave on HIGH 14 min. or just until tender, turning after 7 min.

MEANWHILE, brown meat in large skillet; drain. Add VELVEETA, tomatoes and onions; cook until VELVEETA is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.

SPLIT potatoes; mash insides with fork. Top with meat mixture and sour cream.

Cheesy Salsa Mini Meatloaves

Ingredients
1 lb. Ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 Egg
12 PREMIUM Saltine Crackers, finely crushed (1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese, divided
1 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa, divided

Directions
HEAT oven to 400ºF.

MIX first 4 ingredients with 1 cup cheese and 1/2 cup salsa.

PRESS evenly into 12 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Use back of spoon to make indentation in center of each. Place muffin pan on foil-covered baking sheet.

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until meatloaves are done (160°F). Top with remaining salsa and cheese; bake 3 min. or until cheese is melted.

Tex Mex Lovers Mini Meatloaves

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced separately
1 cup brown rice
2 handfuls tortilla chips, crushed into crumbs (1/2 cup)
6 tablespoons store-bought medium-hot salsa, plus more for serving
1 large egg
1 pound extra-lean ground beef or dark-meat ground turkey
One 15-ounce can small red beans, rinsed

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the rice to coat. Add 1 3/4 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, beat together the tortilla chip crumbs, salsa, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix in the ground beef. Place a 3- to 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter on the prepared baking sheet. Press one-quarter of the meat mixture evenly into the cookie cutter; remove the cutter. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture. Bake until firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.

Stir the beans and scallion greens into the rice and season with salt. Serve with the mini meatloaves and extra salsa on the side.

Spaghetti with Spicy Turkey Meat Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound ground turkey
Salt and black pepper
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving .

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat; add the onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Increase the heat to medium-high, crumble in the turkey, season with salt and black pepper and cook until the turkey is just no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley and cheese.

Toss the pasta with the sauce and 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water, adding more water to thin the consistency, if desired. Serve immediately with more cheese.

End of Summer Chili Pot

* 4 Servings

Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
* 1 pound ground beef, pork or turkey
* 1 red onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 zucchini, chopped
* 1 red bell pepper, chopped
* 2 chiles, seeded and chopped
* Salt and pepper
* 3 ears corn, kernels scraped off
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
* One 12-ounce bottle beer
* One 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
* Grated peel and juice of 1 lime
* 4 scallions, thinly sliced
* 1 cup shredded gouda, smoked gouda, pepper jack or smoked cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.

In a large, heavy pot, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the beef and cook, stirring to break up, until browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the onion, garlic, zucchini, bell pepper and chiles; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the corn kernels, chili powder and paprika. Cook until the veggies are softened, 6 to 7 minutes.
2.

Stir in the beer and cook until reduced slightly, 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, thyme and lime peel and cook until slightly reduced, 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, then stir in the lime juice. To serve, top the chili with the scallions and cheese.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
* 1 red onion, finely chopped
* 2/3 cup ketchup
* 2/3 cup bread crumbs
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup bread-and-butter pickle chips, chopped
* 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
* 8 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
* 2 pounds new red potatoes
* 3/4 cup heavy cream

Frozen assets
Freeze leftovers for up to a month, then reheat in a 350° oven.
Directions:

1.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
2.

In a large bowl, combine the ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs and pickles; mix in the onion. Crumble in the beef, add the cheese and mix together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 4-by-12-inch loaf. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°, about 35 minutes.
3.

Meanwhile, halve the potatoes and place them in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, return to the pot and mash with the cream.
4.

Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the mashed potatoes.

Turkey Chili

Ingredients

10 oz. ground turkey, 93% lean
2 cups sliced zucchini
2 cups sliced yellow squash
3-15 oz. cans tomatoes
2 celery stalks
2-8 oz. cans beef broth
1 can black beans
1 onion


Directions

Chop all ingredients into same size dices.
Saute' onion and turkey.
Add rest of veggies and broth.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Add black beans and cook for 10 more minutes.


Number of Servings: 10

Goulash

Ingredients

16 oz lean ground beef
2 cups water
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
3-1/2 cups diced tomatoes, no salt
1 cup frozen peas
2-3/4 cup dry whole wheat noodles


Directions

Brown and drain ground beef.
Add water, carrots, onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
Simmer until vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, cook noodles.
Add peas and noodles to vegetables.
Makes 8-1 cup servings.

Lasagna Style Baked Ziti

1 pound ziti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano (optional)
1 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan
1 15-ounce container ricotta
1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove liquid
1 cup grated mozzarella

Cook the ziti according to the package instructions.

Heat oven to 400° F.

In a large pot, over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beef, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until no trace of pink remains, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. Add the garlic and oregano (if using) and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pasta sauce and heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan, ricotta, and spinach and toss again. Spread the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or individual ramekins and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake until the mozzarella melts, about 15 minutes.

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients


* 1 lb. ground turkey
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 onions, chopped
* 2 10 oz. cans black beans, drained and slightly mashed
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 2 cups tomato sauce
* 1 10 oz. can stewed tomatoes, coarsely chopped
* 6 medium whole wheat tortillas
* 1 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese



Directions

1. Preheat oven 350� F.

2. Saut� 1 onion, 1 garlic clove on high heat while breaking up meat. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Stir in black beans. Set saut� pan aside.

3. Heat oil in another saut� pan over medium heat. Saut� remaining onion, until soft. Add remaining garlic, chili powder and cumin, saut� for 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce and tomatoes with juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer partially covered for 20 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer all but 1/2 c sauce to meat and beans; Mix well.

4. Dip half the tortillas, one at a time, in the hot tomato sauce. Lay tortillas in the bottom of an 8.5 x 11 casserole dish. Spread half meat and bean mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle half the cheese over meat and beans.

5. Add another layer of tortillas and meat & beans mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 35 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes.

Serves 6.

Turkey Chili with Corn and Black Beans

Ingredients

20 oz. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 small can tomato sauce
1 can yellow corn
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can seasoned chili beans


Directions

Brown turkey in large skillet or large, but shallow pot. After 1 minute, add onion, red bell pepper, and spices.
Cook until turkey is no longer pink.
Add canned ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30-45 minutes or until onions and peppers are soft.
If you have some wiggle room, garnish with light shredded jack and/or cheddar cheese, dollop of light sour cream, fresh cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, etc.


Number of Servings: 8

Spanish Rice and Beef

Ingredients

1 lb of lean ground beef
1 onion
1 green bell pepper
2 cans (32 oz) of stewed tomatoes
1 cup Mahatma uncooked long grain rice
1 cup water
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder


Directions

1. Cooked ground beef, chopped onion and green pepper in dutch oven until meat is browned.
2. Drain in colander, pat dry with a paper towel and clean pan with paper towel.
3. Return meat mixture to dutch oven, stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occassionaly.


Number of Servings: 6

Healing Stroganoff

Ingredients

16 oz lean ground beef
2 cups water
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
3-1/2 cups diced tomatoes, no salt
1 cup frozen peas
2-3/4 cup dry whole wheat noodles


Directions

Brown and drain ground beef.
Add water, carrots, onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
Simmer until vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, cook noodles.
Add peas and noodles to vegetables.
Makes 8-1 cup servings.


Number of Servings: 8

Spicy Hamburger Stirfry

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup lean ground beef
1 cup rice, uncooked
1 cup green bell peppers, sliced
1 cup yellow bell peppers, sliced
1 cup carrots, sliced or strips
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Oriental 5 spice blend
1/2 tsp curry powder
3 tbsp soy sauce


Directions

Cook one cup rice.
Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Put in hamburger. Cook until well browned.
Add spices excluding soy sauce.
Add vegetables and mix together with hamburger.
Cook until vegetables are soft but still slightly crisp.
Add rice and soy sauce. Stir and serve.
*Add spices according to your tastes*


Number of Servings: 4

Tortilla Chip Casserole

Ingredients

16 oz Ground Turkey 1 cup chopped Onions 12 oz can Yellow Sweet Corn, 2 cup Black Beans 12 oz can Kidney Beans 2 cups Spanish Rice w/Tomatoes 1.5 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese 8 ounces Tortilla chips

Directions

Brown ground turkey with chopped onions. Put in bottom of sprayed casserole baking pan. Mix corn and beans in with cooked Spanish rice. Layer over browned turkey. Crush tortilla chips over the rice mixture. Spread cheese over top of casserole. Bake at 350 in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh salsa and low fat sour cream.

Number of Servings: 12

Turkey and Black Bean Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

19 ounces turkey (93% lean) black beans 1 can - drained and rinsed one medium onion sliced 1 tsp minced garlic 1 can - 6oz tomato paste 12 oz low sodium tomato juice 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp paprika 2 tsp chili powder 1 can tomatoes and green chiles 0.25 tsp salt 1 tsp Onion & Herb Ms Dash

Directions

Brown ground turkey and drain fat. Combine remaining ingredients and heat till hot and desired thickness. Server on whole wheat hamburger buns or whole wheat bread. (bun/bread in not in calorie count).

Number of Servings: 8