Meatloaf by Geisel Nye

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 Lbs. lean ground beef

2 eggs

½ Cup milk

½ Cup beef gravy (from 12 oz jar) reserve rest for top of meat loaf

1 6oz box of Stove Top Stuffing Mix (your favorite flavor)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, process stuffing mix until fine crumbs.

2. Prepare a 10x15 jelly roll pan with a sheet of parchment paper or cover pan with foil. Set aside for later use. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

3. In a large bowl; combine meat, eggs, milk, gravy, crushed stuffing mix, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined.

4. Place meat on prepared jelly roll pan and shape into an even loaf. Pour the rest of the gravy from the jar on top of loaf and place in preheated oven.

5. Cook loaf for 1 hour and allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Beef Stew

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup water

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

2 teaspoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks

3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 celery ribs, cut into ¾ inch chunks

1 medium onion, cut into chunks

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, water, tapioca, sugar, salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into a greased 13 X 9 X 2 inch or 3 quart baking dish. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1 ¾ to 2 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Serve in bowls. Yield: 6-8 servings. 

Ground Beef Selection and Storage

Chuck or sirloin? Choosing the right cut for your recipe

By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

Ground Beef Selection
When buying packaged ground beef, be sure there are no tears in the packaging and always check the expiration date. Bulk ground beef is often sold in round chub rolls, vacuum-packed in a wrapper you cannot see through. With this type of packaging, you are pretty much at the mercy of the market, because you cannot see the meat to make any visual judgments. Since it is usually the best bargain, pay attention to the expiration date and cross your fingers. 

Clear-wrap packages give you more of a visual choice. The meat should be red, with the fat marbling uniformly mixed. 

For most recipe applications, ground chuck is the best choice. Chuck comes from an area of the cow that is more exercised, giving it more robust flavor. It has enough fat to make it juicy, but not so much that it shrinks down to nothing when cooked. Keep in mind that the flavor compounds in fat also stimulate saliva flow, hence succulence and a pleasurable dining experience. 

Ground sirloin and ground round make adequate burgers, but only if cooked to less than medium doneness. Longer cooking renders the meat dry and flavorless. Although the USDA now recommends all beef be cooked to at least medium doneness, many gourmands still opt for flavor and cook to rare or medium-rare. Choose your ground beef according to your tastes.

Ground Beef Storage
Fresh ground beef should be stored in the coldest part of your refrigerator and used or frozen within 2 days. 

To freeze ground beef, remove it from the market packaging and divide into specific recipe portions (1/2 pound, 1 pound, 2 pounds, etc.). Wrap in plastic wrap or foil and place in airtight plastic sealable bags. Freeze up to three months. 

Burger patties can be formed, separated by butcher paper or plastic wrap, sealed in a zip-top bag, and frozen for quick individual meals. 

Plan in advance to thaw frozen ground beef in the refrigerator.

Four ounces of cooked ground beef is considered 1 serving. One pound raw beef will equal 2 cups ground beef.           http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodstorage/a/groundbeefstore.htm