Meat

meatloaf taco meat meatballs burgers

Appetizers, Meat, Uncategorized

Taco Meatballs

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Taco Meatballs In the Air Fryer
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Taco Meatballs In the Air Fryer

Recipe by Sheri Tomato

Spicy, delicious meatballs you can use so many ways. Put them in a hoagie. Put them on top of a salad with a little salsa and sour cream. Serve them on a party platter with toothpicks and individual dip cups. Very easy recipe. You can serve them immediately or freeze them to use in a pinch when you need to serve up an appetizer quick. And of course, they are always great to add to a spaghetti sauce. Who needs frozen meatballs from the supermarket when you can make your own.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef

  • 2 eggs

  • 1/4 cup salsa

  • 1 tsp paprika

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp pepper

  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions

  • Break up ground beef in large bowl. Add eggs and salsa. Combine well.
  • Add in the seasonings and breadcrumbs. Mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
  • Shape each meatball into the size of a golf ball. You should end up with about 20 meatballs.
  • Place your meatballs in a single layer in your air fryer, with none of them touching each other. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to work in batches. Cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 -15 minutes until they are browned and reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Meat, Uncategorized

How To Cook Bacon In The Oven

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Who doesn’t love bacon? The smell of it cooking, the crispy texture, the wonderful taste of it on a sandwich, or in a salad, or just on it’s own. Bacon, bacon, bacon. Let’s make some bacon in the oven.

Why in the oven? It doesn’t make a mess, you can make more at a time, and it always comes out perfect.

Bacon Cooked In The Oven
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Bacon Cooked In The Oven

Recipe by Sheri Tomato
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Total time

35

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Sliced Bacon

  • Baking sheet

  • Aluminum Foil

Directions

  • Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • Lay your bacon in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Place it in a cold oven. This is very important. Do not preheat oven.
  • Once bacon is in the oven, turn the oven on to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Cook for 30-40 minutes.
  • Not all ovens are created equally, so start peeking after 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven when the bacon has reached your desired doneness.
  • Note - They say you don't need to flip bacon when you are cooking it in the oven, but I can't help myself. I usually flip it once, halfway through the cooking time.

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Meat, Uncategorized

Ground Beef Taco Meat Recipe You’ll Cook Again and Again

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I always keep a batch of taco meat in my freezer. It is such a versatile dish.

You can more than just tacos or burritos. Who doesn’t love a rice taco bowl, or a taco salad, or taco eggrolls.

This is one of my favorite taco meat recipes. I always make a double batch. Eat some, save some.

Really Easy, Tasty Taco Meat
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Really Easy, Tasty Taco Meat

Recipe by Sheri Tomato

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef (I like 85/15)

  • 1 tsp chili powder

  • 1 tsp ground cumin

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp pepper

  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1/4 tsp oregano

  • 1 1/2 cup water

Directions

  • Cook ground beef under med/high heat in frying pan, breaking the meat into small pieces as you stir. Cook until all meat has been browned.
  • Drain grease and return pan to stove.
  • Mix all of the spices together and add to meat. Combine well.
  • Stir in one cup of water. Heat till boiling, then turn heat down to med/low. Cook till all liquid is gone, stirring occasionally.
  • Done. So easy and tasty, too.

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wok burger
Meat, Uncategorized

Best of Both Worlds – Juicy Burgers with a Healthy Salad

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There is nothing I love more than a juicy delicious hamburger. Yes, I know it’s not the healthiest of meals. That’s why I pile salad ingredients between the buns. 

I also add a teaspoon of turmeric into the ground beef, along with the other spices.

According to the Cleveland Clinic and many other sources, the spice turmeric can act as an antioxidant and has been credited with all kinds of other benefits including pain relief, improving memory, an antidepressent, antiinflamatory agent and also has been credited with lowering the risk of heart disease.

What more could you ask for in a burger?  Enjoy!

Wok Burger with Loaded Salad Toppings
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Wok Burger with Loaded Salad Toppings

Recipe by Sheri Tomato

Have the best of both worlds with this delicious burger cooking in it's juices at the center of the wok, then put it on a toasted bun with wonderful, healthy salad ingredients on the top and bottom. Yum.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef

  • 2 TB water

  • 1/4 tsp baking soda

  • salt and pepper, to taste

  • 1 tsp chipotle seasoning

  • 1 tsp turmeric

  • 3 each hamburger buns, buttered and toasted (in wok or air fryer

  • Salad Toppings

  • 1 cup Lettuce, cut into thin strips

  • 1 each English cucumber, sliced thin, with skin on

  • multicolored sweet peppers, deseeded and cut into thin rings

  • Ranch dressing

Directions

  • Break up ground beef in large mixing bowl.
  • In small bowl or cup, whisk together water and baking soda.
  • Mix water/baking soda combo into ground beef. Let sit 15 minutes in refrigerator.
  • Form into 3 burger balls.
  • Heat wok on medium high heat.
  • Place a ball in middle of wok. Flatten with heavy spatula.
  • Season with salt, pepper and chili seasoning. Let cook for 2 minutes or until bottom starts to brown.
  • Flip. Season other side. Let cook for 1-2 more minutes, until temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Remove from pan and repeat steps 6 -8 for other two burgers. Cover cooked burgers with aluminum foil to retain heat until all burgers are cooked.
  • Toast buttered hamburger bun in wok or air fryer until lightly browned.
  • Add lettuce and onions to bottom of bun. Place burger over lettuce. Top with peppers, cucumbers, ranch dressing, and of course, top of bun.

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Meatloaf
Meat

A basic, delicious meatloaf

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Meatloaf

This is a great, basic recipe that can be the main meal itself, or the start of an appetizer platter.

Mini meatloaf sandwiches, meatloaf eggrolls, baked potato skins with meatloaf and mashed potatoes in it, etc.

There is so much you can do with a flavorful, juicy meatloaf.

Easy, Yummy Meatloaf
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Easy, Yummy Meatloaf

Recipe by Sheri Tomato
Course: Dinner, LunchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Cooking time

40

minutes
5 minutes

Crusty outside, juicy inside. Your guests will love it.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lb ground beef, broken up

  • 4 eggs, beaten lightly

  • 1 TB Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/4 cup ketchup

  • 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

  • 2 tsp garlic powder

  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning

  • 1 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Mix ground beef and eggs in large mixing bowl. Add in Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Mix well.
  • Add the seasoning to the ground beef mix, and then the breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly, being sure that the breadcrumbs are fully incorporated into the ground beef.
  • Shape into a loaf, approximately 10" x 16" and 2" deep. Place in lightly greased baking pan.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes. Check at 30 minutes. Internal temperature should be at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit when done.
  • Remove from oven. Let rest 5 minutes and then place on a serving dish. Drizzle juices from baking pan over meatloaf.

Notes

  • This would make great meatloaf sandwiches to serve at a party. Spread a little mayo inside a slider roll. Stuff it with a slice of meatloaf and a couple of pickles. Repeat until your sandwich platter is full. Good hot or cold.

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Meat

Take some taco logs to the party

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This is a great make-ahead appetizer. Prepare them the day before and instead of cooking them, put them in a storage baggie and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.

On the day of the party, preheat your air fryer to 450 degrees fahrenheit and start cooking. It takes approximately 10 minutes per batch.

You could also cook them in the oven. Just lower the temperature to 350 and cook a few minutes longer on each side.

Tasty Crunchy Taco Logs
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Tasty Crunchy Taco Logs

Recipe by Sheri Tomato
Course: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizers

Ingredients

Directions

  • Place eggroll wrapper on working surface in a diamond shape, one tip pointed to you. brush small amount of water along edges (this is for sealing the eggroll).
  • Place a line of taco meat in middle of eggroll, leaving space at each end. Sprinkle with hot sauce (optional)
  • Place a line of cheese on top of taco meat.
  • Starting at the bottom, begin to roll wrapper tightly but gently over meat, stopping midway to tuck in sides like an envelope. Then finish rolling.
  • Place another eggroll flat on your rolling surface. Place already rolled eggroll on top of it and roll it up. This is a double roll eggroll. This will give you a nice crispy outside, without the insides leaking out.
  • Once all of your eggrolls are done, brush them lightly with your olive oil baste. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning (optional).
  • Preheat air fryer to 450 degrees. Lightly oil bottom of air fryer basket. When it is ready, cooking in batches, lay eggrolls flat on the bottom with a little space between each one.
  • After 5 minutes, flip over and cook another 3 - 5 minutes. The eggrolls are done, when they reach a golden color.
  • Serve with a bowl of salsa and a bowl of sour cream, for dipping.

Notes

  • Makes 10 eggrolls.

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Meat

Made from Scratch Taco Meat

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Taco meat is a great basic ingredient to use in all kinds of appetizers. From mini tacos to taco logs to taco calzones, you are off to a good start with this made from scratch taco meat recipe.

And hey, taco salad anyone?

Made from Scratch Taco Meat

Do you have a packet of taco seasoning in your pantry? Did you ever read the back of a taco seasoning mix that you buy in the store?

Dextrose, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Caramel color, disodium inosinate. Doesn't sound very yummy to me. Throw out the store-bought taco mix.

Let's dice some onion and green peppers instead and get the rest of the flavor from your spice rack.

  • heavy skillet
  • wooden spoon or heavy spatula
  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced spanish onion (or other yellow onion)
  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 is good for this recipe)
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tsp tomato paste (I buy my tomato paste in the tube instead of a can. Much easier when you only need a small amount)

  1. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet on medium high

  2. Add diced onions and green pepper. Sauté on medium high, stirring for about 3 minutes.

  3. Add ground beef. Break up ground beef in the skillet with a wooden spoon or heavy spatula until you have very small chunks of meat.

  4. Keep cooking and stirring the ground beef until it is no longer pink anywhere.

  5. Turn off the heat and drain the grease.

  6. Put heat back up to medium and stir in the spices

  7. Whisk water and tomato paste together in a cup and pour over meat mixture.

  8. Stir the meat till the liquid starts to boil

  9. Turn heat down to medium low and cook till most of the liquid is gone, stirring occasionally. This should take about 20 minutes.

  10. Remove from heat.

  11. There are many uses for taco meat. My favorite ways to use it is in a taco shell with your favorite toppings or over a baked potato with some sour cream, or as a base for taco salad. See my appetizer section for more ideas.

ground beef, taco meat, scratch cooking, party food

 
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Appetizers, Meat

Make bacon the star in your appetizer

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I use bacon in a lot of my party food recipes.

I like to cook a batch of bacon ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for later use. 

Cooked bacon is good in the fridge for 4 – 5 days.  To store it, let cooked bacon cool down completely and then put in an airtight bag in your refrigerator.

Low and Slow Bacon

There are many ways to cook bacon. Because we are in the dog days of summer right now, I don't want to turn on the oven. So we will be cooking it on the stovetop.

  • nonstick heavy duty frying pan or wok
  • 6 slices raw bacon
  • 1/8 cup water

  1. 1. Lay your bacon strips side by side in cold pan.

    2. Pour 1/8 cup of water on top of bacon.

    3. Turn the stove to med/high. Cook until all water has evaporated. Approximately 5 minutes. This helps to render down the fat.

    4. Once water has evaporated, turn heat down to med/low.

    5. Occasionally rearrange bacon, and flip it, to ensure even cooking.

    6. Once the bacon as reached your happy level of crispiness, approximately 10 – 15 minutes.

    7. Turn off the heat and let the bacon drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Once your pan has cooled down a little, pour excess bacon grease into a mason jar and store in fridge. We will be using this in other recipes. Bacon grease is full of flavor. Do not discard it.

I will be posting future recipes on how to cook bacon in the oven and in the air fryer.

Breakfast
American
bacon, fried bacon, breakfast
 
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