Tomato Beef Barley Soup

1 lb ish cubed beef
2 cups peeled cubed tomatoes
large can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes (28 oz?)
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
4 cups beef broth
1/4 t paprika
1/4 t dried oregano or basil
1/2 cup barley (or more)

Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until clear and tender. Add beef and brown. Add both types of tomato, broth and spices and bring to a boil. Simmer about 5 minutes. Bring back to a boil and add barley. Simmer uncovered until barley is tender. Add water if it gets too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Heart Skillet Meal

From the Best of Mennonite Fellowship Meals Cookbook Serves 4

1 lb cubed beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1-2 cloves garlic
1-1 1/2 cups water2 T soy sauce
1/4 t pepper
salt to taste

Saute beef and onion. Stir in rice, carrots, potatoes and garlic. Add water, cover and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Right before serving stir in soy sauce salt and pepper.

Tin Foil Dinners

I just got back from camping where we had tin foil dinners. They were so good and so simple!! We did them on the campfire, but they can also be done on the grill.

1/2-1 cup hamburger or cubed beef
1 potato (red is my favorite) small chunks
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
6-8 baby carrots, cut in half
salt and pepper to taste

Put all raw ingredients in a layer of tin foil, season to taste. Close tin foil by pinching edges together and folding over several times (this helps with leaking.) Add a second layer of tin foil and bake in a nice bed of coals about 45 min (this is very approximate!!!)

I have never grilled them before so I am not sure how long it takes. I will update as soon as I try it.

Fried Rice

1 cup bean sprouts
1 T olive oil (or vegetable)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (3 oz)
3 cups cold cooked rice
1 cup cut-up cooked pork
2 T sliced green onions
1 T olive oil ( or vegetable)
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
3 T soy sauce
dash of white pepper

Rinse bean sprouts with cold water, drain. Heat 1 T oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook mushrooms in oil about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until coated. Add bean sprouts, rice pork and onions. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up rice, until hot. Push rice mixture to the side of the skillet. Cook eggs in 1 T oil until eggs are cooked, but moist. stir eggs and rice together. Stir in soy sauce and pepper.

Variations:
Omit bean sprouts and mushrooms
I add green peppers with pork and onions
Substitute chicken or beef for pork
Use regular pepper

Beefy Taco Joe

1 lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Brown Hamburger and add soup and salsa. Heat through. Top with cheese and serve on hamburger buns or corn bread (my personal favorite.)

Sloppy Joes

2 Pounds of Hamburger
2 Cans tomato soup
1 Tsp Garlic Salt
1 Tsp Onion Salt
Salt
Pepper

Cook hamburger, add tomato soup and spices to taste and simmer for 10 min

Alternatives: add chili pepper for a southwestern twist, add 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Shepard's Pie

1lb hamburger
1small to medium onion
1/2 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup
2 carrots chopped
1/2 can corn
1/2 can green beans
5-6 potatoes mashed and seasoned (milk, butter, salt, pepper)
1/2-3/4 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)

Chop onion and sautee until clear. Add meat and brown. Slightly precook carrots. Mix, hamburger/onion mix, soups, slightly cooked carrots, corn and green beans in a greased 13x9 pan. Top with mashed potatoes and cheese. Bake 30 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is slightly brown.

Sloppy Joes

2 lb hamburger
1Tbs Mustard
3 Tbs Sugar
2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1 Cup Ketchup

Brown hamburger and drain grease. Add all other ingredients, heat through and serve on hamburger buns or whole wheat bread. Goes excellent with a side of corn.

Stir Fry

1 Small to medium onion
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1 lb chicken, cubed or cut in slivers
1 can chicken broth
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 cup water
2-3 Tbs. soy sauce
1-2 heads of broccoli
3-4 carrots
2-3 Tbs. cornstarch
water


Chop onion and garlic. If you have kids who don't like onion, cut it VERY fine. Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add chicken broth, bouillon, water and soy sauce. Add carrot and broccoli. Cook until vegetables are soft but not squishy. Once vegetables are to desired texture, bring mixture to a boil and thicken using cornstarch dissolved in water. Serve over rice.

Variations:
You can use all canned broth or all bouillon.
You can add green peppers and snap peas, just before serving.
You can use beef and beef broth instead of chicken
I don't use a recipe for this so all measurements are approximate

Hamburger Soup

1 lb Hamburger
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 cups tomato juice
2 cans cream of celery soup
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 bay leaves
2 cups shredded carrots

Brown hamburger with onions, drain. Add tomato juice, soup and spices. Add carrots and simmer until tender.

Variations:
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic sauteed with the burger and onions is tasty instead of garlic powder

Galooey Goulash/Chop Suey

1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked according to box instructions
1 small to medium onion, chopped
3 small cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 lb. hamburger
1 can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
basil
cayenne pepper
salt

While noodles are cooking, sautee onions and garlic until tender. Add hamburger and brown. Add tomato sauce and spices (salt, basil, cayenne pepper (go light on this.)) Simmer on low heat while waiting for noodles. Drain noodles and add to tomato mixture. Simmer until heated through. Top with parmasean cheese to serve.

Variations:
For a really fast, easy meal, omit onion, garlic and tomato sauce, and substitute pre-seasoned spaghetti sauce