Ground Beef Entrees Cheap, Fast … Good!
As food prices continue to soar, I am more convinced now than ever that given the right recipes, we can cook a wonderful meal from scratch at home and have it on the table in the time it would take to decide on a restaurant or take-out, drive there, place the order, wait for it, pay for it and drive back home. The operative words here are “the right recipes.”
Today, I want to share with you my family’s favorite “right recipes,” each one built on one pound of ground beef (or ground turkey) using very few, if any, processed ingredients—plus my recipe for Master Mix! That will make sense as soon as you check out the first recipe below, Upside-Down Hamburger Pie.
If you can get the meat on sale, fabulous. But if not—and even if you opt for a $6 pound of lean organic ground beef—each of these entrees will still come in at less than $10 total, and feed six hungry people. That’s less than $1.75 per serving.
See what I mean? Cheap, fast … good!
Upside-Down Hamburger Pie
This is a family favorite at our house. It’s delicious, it’s comforting, but even more than that, kids love it! I’ve been making this since our boys were little, and that’s a lotta’ years. It never disappoints and comes out perfect every time. Don’t you love that kind of cooking confidence?
Served with a salad, Upside-Down Hamburger Pie makes a great meal. I hope you’ll give it a try soon. I’m going to predict it will find a regular spot in your meal planning.
Upside-Down Hamburger Pie
Ingredients
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
- 1 10 ¾ oz. can tomato soup
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 2 cups Bisquick or Master Mix (see NOTE 1)
- 2/3 cup milk or water if using Master Mix (see NOTE 2)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a large frying pan or skillet, sauté onions in the olive oil, add beef (or turkey if you prefer) and brown well. Drain off excess fat, if any.
- Add drained chilies, tomato soup (do not dilute); oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Heat through. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the Bisquick and milk (or Master Mix and water) into a dough. Roll out to the size of the skillet in which you've prepared the meat mixture. Place this on top of the meat mixture.
- Move the skillet into the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the biscuit top is lightly browned. (If your skillet has a wood handle, wrap the handle with aluminum foil).
- Remove from the oven and carefully place a heatproof platter or plate on top of the skillet. Carefully, holding on to both the skillet and the platter, turn it over so that the entire contents of the skillet are upside down on the platter or plate.
- Top with grated cheese, return to oven until cheese is melted. Don't take your eyes off of it as this will happen quickly!
- Remove from oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve, pie fashion.
Notes
- You have the option to use Bisquick or homemade Master Mix, which can make yourself for a lot less money! You will find the recipe and instructions for Master Mix at Everydaycheapskate.com/mastermix.
Nutrition
Master Mix
Here it is, my homemade version of Bisquick—which is so much cheaper and better than Bisquick. This recipe makes 30 cups of mix so make sure you start with a really big container!
Master Mix
Equipment
- Very large bowl or container with lid
Ingredients
- 5 pounds all-purpose flour, about 17 cups
- 2 1/2 cups powdered dry milk
- 3/4 cup double-acting baking powder
- 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 2/3 cups solid vegetable shortening like Crisco
Instructions
- Sift dry ingredients together.
- Cut in shortening until the mix looks like cornmeal.
- Store at room temperature in a large container that has a tightly fitting cover (like Snapware or Tupperware) in a cool dark place like the pantry, for up to six months. Makes 30 cups.
Notes
What to do with all that Master Mix?
I'm so glad you asked!One dozen biscuits
- 3 cups Master Mix
- 3/4 cup water
Dumplings
Use the same measurements as for biscuits. Drop into hot liquid of choice. Cook 10 minutes uncovered and an additional 10 minutes covered.One dozen muffins
- 3 cups Master Mix
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup water
Four dozen drop cookies
- 3 cups Master Mix
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup nuts or chocolate chips
9-inch round coffee cake:
- 3 cups Master Mix
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup water
18 medium pancakes or 6 waffles
- 3 cups Master Mix
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 egg
One 8-inch square gingerbread
- 2 cups Master Mix
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
One 8-inch square cornbread or muffins
- 1 1/4 cups Master Mix
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Nutrition
Asian Beef and Rice
Fast, inexpensive, and super delicious, here’s one more way to use a pound of ground beef to make a great meal.
Asian Beef and Rice
Ingredients
- 3½ cups beef broth, or 2 cans 14-ounce
- 1 cup long-grain raw rice
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots sliced
- 8 ounces fresh button mushrooms
- 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, or plain white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
- ½ cup frozen green peas, optional
- 2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
Instructions
- In a sauce pan with a cover, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Add rice, stir and reduce heat to Low. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in an extra-deep skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots and mushrooms.
- Add the beef to the skillet and cook, turning and breaking up the meat, until it is crumbled and browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain excess fat, as necessary.
- Add garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar and ginger. Stir well and reduce heat to low. Add peas (if using) and sesame oil. Stir.
- Add the cooked rice and stir until thoroughly combined. Serve at once, passing additional soy sauce at the table, if desired.
Nutrition
Beef Lettuce Wraps
You might think of lettuce wraps as an appetizer in your favorite restaurant—possibly one of your best memories at this very moment! Good news! You can make this at home with healthy ingredients and feed the whole family for less than that one restaurant appetizer.
Beef Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 2-inch pc fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 2 scallions (green onions), chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 head lettuce, Boston or Iceberg leaves separated, cleaned and dried
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and sauté beef until brown.
- Stir in ginger, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, optional red pepper flakes, and hoisin and cook for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the peanuts. Season with salt and pepper
- Serve warm wrapped in lettuce cups.
Nutrition
Up Next:
Homemade Pot Roast with Gravy—Quick and Super Easy!
Homemade Artisan Bread—Amazingly Easy and So Delicious!
How to Make Fabulous Meals Using a Formula, Not a Recipe
Could I use coconut oil instead of shortening?
Can you substitute regular flour for Gluten Free flour in the Master Mix?
Can margarine be used for the Master Mix? I’m not keen on using shortening anymore.
I’m not keen on shortening either as it’s all soybean oil. Butter could be used or a good brand of lard. But it would need to be refrigerated or frozen to not get rank.
For fun with your kids you could use cookie cutter shapes for cutting out the biscuits.