Meatloaf in Peppers - Freezable

It seems that ground beef does not last but 2 days once purchased. Since I shop on the weekends this often causes a problem. I either have meat go bad, I have to freeze it, or I have to prepare in advance. Yesterday I made 2 different beef dishes. The first is here. The recipe below is modified from a Food Network Recipe by Sunny Anderson. I modified to first double the recipe so I can freeze some, and to work with ingredients I had in the pantry. When I finished I had 3 bags to freeze. They contained the following meatloaves per bag: 4, 6, 7. This is perfect for small meals or larger.

PAN FRIED MEATLOAF IN PEPPERS

Ingredients

• 6 green peppers (I ended up needing 7)
• 2 lbs. ground lean beef
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 2 (28-ounce) cans Hunts diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano (1 to be used now and 1 for when final meal is cooked)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 egg2
• 2 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped sage leaves
• A few dashes Worcestershire sauce - 6 dashes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove core and seeds from peppers. Slice into 1 inch rings and place on nonstick baking sheet. You should get about 3 rings per pepper. In a large bowl mix together beef, bread, 1 can of the tomatoes, garlic, egg, onion, chopped sage, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Press meatloaf mixture evenly into pepper rings. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Saute meatloaf rings on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Add remaining tomatoes to skillet and bake until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

To Freeze: Do not brown. Transfer after preparation immediately to a freezer bag. Freeze for 3 months. Once ready to serve thaw in the fridge. Follow above directions.

Miss Nancy's Tomato Basil Sauce

This recipe comes from my Mother's friend, Miss Nancy. Tasty and a family favorite.

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onions (browned)

2 tsp. chopped garlic

3/4 c. red wine

4 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes

1 Tbsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

16 fresh basil leaves, chopped

8 sprigs Italian parsley, chopped

2 bay leaves

8 oz. sliced mushrooms (optional)

Ground round or chicken (optional)

Simmer all ingredients for one hour or longer. Serve over spaghetti noodles. Great with french bread and salad. My mom doubles the recipe!

Beef Bourguignon with Red Wine

I found this recipe online. Charles has been asking me to find other crock pot recipes. I tend to only make a roast. I searched and found this. I have not made it yet, but this will be on the menu this week! The web address in which the recipe is featured can be found at the bottom of this post. Happy eating.

Beef Bourguignon with Red Wine

* Crock Pot beef stew with red wine and bacon, along with carrots and other seasonings

Ingredients:

1 lb. bacon, cooked, reserve grease

3 lbs. beef, cubed

flour

1 1/2 cups red wine

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 ribs celery, sliced

2 carrots, diced

4 to 8 ounces sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

Preparation:

Slowly cook bacon in large skillet; remove to crockpot. Dredge beef cubes in flour, brown in bacon fat. Transfer meat from skillet to crockpot. Saute vegetables and garlic in bacon fat; remove to crockpot. Gently stir beef, vegetables, bacon and wine. Add bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low 7 to 9 hours.

Charles' Chili

This one is so easy. Great to double and freeze the other half. I have been freezing soups in gallon freezer bags, and double bagging them.

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium can tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

chili powder, 3 tablespoons or to taste

conecuh sausage cut into small rounds, I use Hickory

1 can kidney beans, I leave out but Charles does not

Fritos, optional topping

Sharp Cheddar Cheese, optional topping

Cook beef until browned. Drain and rinse. While browning cook the onion and bell pepper until softened in another skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper to the meat. Add the tomato sauce and chili powder. Bring to a simmer. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. Stir. St this point you will want to add water to the desired consistency. At least 2 cups since some will evaporate. Cook the sausage in a separate pan. Add this to the chili. I add the beans at the last minute, just to heat them through. If we do not have others over I skip the beans or just add to Charles'. Serve with fritos and cheese.

I say "I" in this a lot, but Charles is the actual chef when it comes to chili.

Cook this meal a few hours before you want to serve