I was hoping to make one more giant grocery shop before the snow hit in Northern Minnesota (aka Almost Canada) but it seems I was too late. The snow & cold weather has infringed upon my ability to go get groceries this last weekend. Yes I can get food in town but it is drastically overpriced. I usually make a giant trip every 1-2 months and stock up on pantry items & frozen goods. I also buy meat in bulk and then portion it into 2-4 servings (enough for me & my fishing guide for dinner with leftovers if desired) and freeze it. Since I was not going shopping for a week or two I decided to work with what I had on hand. I made 4 meals using the same meat source. Meatloaf and casseroles are big in this state/climate so I included those in my food prep. Nothing fancy but all meals are different (an important concept in many households as people get sick of the same foods being served over & over). Most importantly, you can do all the prep in one day.
Before any of the meals can be made you must combine 1 lb of ground beef with 1 lb of ground pork. Divide the meat into two 1 lb portions. Take one portion and split in half again. Set both of these 1/2 lb portions aside (one will be for meatloaf and one will be for noodle casserole). Take the other 1 lb portion & add to a skillet and brown. Add taco seasoning to your liking with a small amount of water. Let cook off for a few minutes. Take this mixture and split into two portions. Use one immediately for tacos. Set one aside for stuffed poblanos.
Tacos (serves 2)
I will not put any information here for taco prep cause everyone knows what to do. Use your favorite fixings and sides of your preference. I made a spicy pepper creamed corn but refried beans or mexican rice are great as well.
Stuffed Chile Poblanos (serves 2)
- half of the taco seasoned meat previously prepared
- 2 poblano chiles
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup white rice
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- taco seasoning
- salsa
- sour cream
- Place poblano peppers on a cooking sheet & place under broiler. Broil for 3-5 minutes per side until skins are blistered. Place peppers into a bowl & cover with pastic wrap or place in a gallon sized plastic bag. Let sit for 10 minutes & remove skins. Slice open on one side & remove seeds. Place ground meat and 1/4 cup cheese in each pepper. Close peppers.
- Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Stir in diced tomatoes and 1-2 tsp taco seasoning & salsa to your liking (I only use a few tsp of very hot salsa at this stage).
- Pour rice into a 8×8 casserole dish. Top with peppers. Cover with foil & bake within 1 day. Bake covered in a 400F oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Serve with additional salsa & sour cream if desired.
Muffin Tin Meatloaf (serves 2 with 3 muffins each)
- 1/2 lb portion ground meat
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp chopped onion
- 2 slices bread, torn into pieces
- pinch each oregano, basil, sage
- sprinkle salt & pepper
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp worcestshire sauce
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- Take a 1/2 lb portion meat & add to a medium mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredredients through the salt & pepper. Stir to combine.
- Stir together the ketchup, sugar, worcestshiire sauce, and ground mustard. Set aside.
- Lightly grease half of a muffin tin (this makes 6 meatloaf muffins). Add the meat to the tin with a scoop or spoon. Cover with foil. Place in the fridge or freezer.
- Bake for 25 minutes if refrigerated. If frozen, take out the night before you want to bake it and place it in the fridge to thaw. Bake as previously mentioned.
- Once cooked, top with the sauce mixture. Bake for 5-10 moire minutes. Serve with sides of your choice. I served baked potatoes and salad.
Sorry for the lack of photos. I forgot.
Beef & Pork Noodle Casserole
- 1/2 lb portion ground meat
- 1 small red & yellow pepper, diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
- 4 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups pasta
Brown meat with peppers and tomatoes. Do not drain. Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and cook & stir over medium-low to medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
Add the pasta to the beef mixture and stir in parmesan cheese. Place in an appropriate sized container (I used a loaf pan). Cover with foil & place in the fridge or freezer.
If refrigerated, bake within 1 day. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Remove foil, stir, and bake for 10-15 more minutes. Top with more cheese if desired. If frozen, bake for 50-60 minutes covered. Remove foil, stir, & bake for 15-20 more minutes.
