Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
Vegetable oil

Directions:
Combine pineapple (with juice), tomato sauce, vinegar, and sugar in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to the boiling point, stirring as needed to prevent sticking. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, chili powder, cumin, salt and parsley in a zippered plastic bag. Squeeze out air and close bag securely; knead the bag to mix the ingredients. Shape small meatballs using 1 tablespoon of meat mixture for each one. Coat the bottom of a heavy skillet with vegetable oil. Over medium heat, brown the meatballs on all sides. Add meatballs to sauce. Reheat; simmer for 20 minutes (stir gently as needed to prevent sticking). Serve over hot rice.

Italian Meatballs and Sauce

Meatball ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2 eggs
1 cup moist bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon sweet basil
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, as desired
Vegetable oil

Directions:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and form into 1-inch balls. Cover the bottom of a skillet with vegetable oil. Over medium heat, brown the meat balls on all sides. Add to sauce (recipe below) and simmer for two hours. Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.

Sauce Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
3 (12 oz.) cans tomato paste
6 (12 oz.) cans water
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sweet basil
1 small bay leaf
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Sauce Directions:
Heat oil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add pepper, garlic, and onion; cook quickly over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When vegetables are tender, reduce heat and stir in tomato paste and water. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Over low heat, simmer uncovered for about 2 hours or until sauce is thickened. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Tortilla Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 (16 oz.) can whole tomatoes
1 (16 oz.) can tomato sauce with herbs
1 small can (4 oz.) green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream

Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion and drain thoroughly. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, and taco seasoning to beef and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Grease a 9x13" baking dish. Place two tortillas side by side on the bottom of the dish. Top with 1/4 cup meat sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat to make two stacks of 4 tortillas, each layer covered with meat sauce and cheese. Spoon remaining meat sauce around edges. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese melts and casserole is heated through. Cut each stack into quarters and spoon sour cream over top.

Beef and Bean Burrito Filling

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and rinsed 1 medium onion, chopped 2 (16-ounce) cans refried beans 1 cup milk

6 slices American cheese Garlic salt Salt Pepper Tobasco sauce

Directions:
Prepare the ground beef. Add chopped onion to beef, return to pan, and cook until onions are clear and tender. Add garlic salt, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in milk and beans and heat through, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Stir in cheese and add tobasco sauce to taste.

Notes:
Fill warmed flour tortillas or soft tacos with the mixture, and top with grated cheddar cheese, chopped lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and chopped tomatoes.

Poor Man's Steak

1 lb. uncooked lean ground beef
1 c. saltine crackers crumbled
1 c. milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can condensed mushroom soup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
Mix hamburger, crackers, salt, pepper, and milk; shape into a roll. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Slice the roll of hamburger mixture about 1/2" thick; brown the slices in the skillet. Drain steaks briefly on a paper towel, then place in a 9x13" baking dish. Spoon condensed mushroom soup (undiluted) over "steaks", and bake covered at 250° for 1-1/4 hours. Serve hot.

Notes:
This recipe is adapted from the Yoder Mennonite Cookbook (Yoder, Kansas).

Quick Lasagna

1 pound ground beef
3-1/2 cups (32-oz. jar) thick spaghetti sauce
1-1/3 cups water
2 cups (15-oz. tub) ricotta cheese
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces lasagna, uncooked

Directions:
1. Brown the ground beef in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Drain the beef and add the spaghetti sauce and water. Simmer over low heat for about ten minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Combine the ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper and stir together.

3. Pour 1 cup sauce in a 9x13" baking dish and spread evenly. Lay 3 pieces of uncooked lasagna evenly spaced over the sauce. Cover the lasagna with about 1-1/2 cups sauce. Spread half of the cheese filling over the sauce. Repeat layers of lasagna, sauce, and cheese filling. Lay another layer of lasagne over the top and spread the remaining sauce over the top.

4. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for about one hour at 350°. Remove foil and bake about ten more minutes. Allow to stand for ten minutes before cutting. Makes 8 to 10 generous servings.

Notes:
Small curd cottage cheese may be substituted for the ricotta cheese.

My family loves this lasagna.

Bean Medley Casserole

1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1 (16 oz.) can lima beans
1 (16 oz.) can pork and beans
1 (16 oz.) can kidney or red beans
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 cup brown sugar packed

Directions:
Brown beef and onion; drain well. Combine beef mixture with remaining ingredients, stir well. Place in lightly greased 3-qt. casserole dish. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes.

Notes:
Barbecue sauce may be substituted for the catsup and brown sugar. A lady in our church brought this dish to a potluck dinner and it was so good that I asked her for the recipe.