Christmas Entertaining? Try This Easy Christmas Eve Beef Pie Recipe

With all the rich food coming on Christmas day, this easy Christmas Eve Beef Pie is hearty, filling, and so tasty!  Share this recipe with your family and friends…and add your own variations!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 cup tomato sauce with mushrooms
• 1 cup green beans, drained
• dash cumin seed
• dash garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp salt to taste
• 1 cn Refrigerated Quick Crescent Dinner Rolls
• 1 egg, beaten slightly
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese
• dash Paprika

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375. 
2. In large fry pan, brown ground geef onion, and green pepper; drain off fat.
3. Stir in tomato sauce, beans, cumin, garlic salt and salt; simmer while preparing crust.
4. Separate crescent dough into 8 triangles.  Place traingles in an ungreased 9 inch pie pn; press over bottm  and up the sides to form the crust. 
5. Combine egg nd 1 cup of cheese.  Spread over crust.
6. Spoon hot meat mixture into crust.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and paprika. 
7. Bake 20 minutes.  For easier serving, let it stand 5 minutes before cutting into pie wedges.

Serve with a green salad, and your favorite rolls or french bread.  Christmas Eve meal is done!  Coffee?

Beefy Mushroom Turnovers

Tasty snacks in a jiffy will feed your company or family on weekends and evenings when you don’t want to cook anything complicated.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 c chopped mushrooms
• 1/3 c onion, chopped
• 1/2 c shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/3 c Dijonn Mustard
• 2 tbsp red bell pepper, diced fine
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme 2 pkg refrigerated crescent dough
• 1 egg, beaten
• poppy seeds for garnish

Procedure

1. Brown ground beef, mushrooms, and onon until beef is done, stirring occasionally.  Make sure ground beef, or sausage if you prefer, is broken up well and is of fine consistency, with no large clumps.
2. Remove from heat and drain well, then stir in cheese, mustard, bell pepper and thyme.
3. Separate each package of dough into 4 rectangles, press perforations together to seal.  On floured surface, roll each rectangle into 6 inch squares.  Cut each square into quarters, making 32 squares total.  Place 1 scant tablespoon sausage or beef  mixture on each square; fold dough over filling on the diagonal to form triangle.  Press edges with fork to seal.  Place on pre-greased baking sheets. 
4. Brush triangles with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesaame or poppy seed.  Bake at 375F for 10 to 12 min or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

Yield:  32 appetizers.

Green Vegetables in Main Dishes – Beef and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Love that asparagus when it’s in season!  Blanch and freeze it, then, thaw and chop it up in main dishes, rice dishes, soups and salads!  The main reason some people don’t like asparagus is because it is way over-cooked, as in canned asparagus.  The soft, slimy texture causes many kids and adults alike to turn away.

Keep it tender-crisp!

Ingredients

• 2 cups cut fresh asparagus, or cut frozen
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 cup water chestnutse, sliced and drianed
• 1 pkg fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 2 tsp sesame oil, or olive oil
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/3 cup  hoisin sauce ( it is spicy!)
• 1 & 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp minced fresh gingerrot
• 1 large tomato, chopped

Hot cooked rice.

Procedure

1.  In dkillet or wok, cook beef over medium heat, drain and set aside.  In same pan, stir-fry asparagus, water chestnuts, mushrooms and garlic in oil for 5 minutes, crisp-tender.
2. In bowl, combine the cornstarch, broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and ginger.  Blend well, and pour over vegetables.  Return beef to the pan.  Boil and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes or until thick.  Remove from heat, stir in the tomato, serving over rice.

Enjoy with a cold green salad and if you’re not full, check out the desserts on this site.

Yield: 4 servings or 2 generous servings.  Leftovers are even better the next day, so seal this in the refrigerator or share with your neighbors, if they like spice!! 

Note:  Dilute Hoisin sauce with spoons of water if it is too strong for you.

Ravioli with Beef Ragu Topper

Here’s something interesting to do with a can of ravioli that is quite tasty!

Ingredients:

• 1 can beef ravioli, large or small
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 2 med plum tomatoes, diced, or one small can of your favorite tomatoes, diced or sliced
• 1 c beef broth
• 1/2 c red wine
• 1 can tomato paste
• 2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp minced garlic

Grated Parmesan cheese for top.

Procedure:

1. Brown ground beef and onion.  Add tomatoes, broth, wine, tomato paste, rosemary, sugar, garlic and salt. 
2. Bring to boil.  Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 – 45 minutes.
3. Heat Ravioli in separate pan.  Spoon into casserole dish, top with beef mixture. 

Garnish with Parmesan cheese; serve with salad and crusty bread.  YUM!  Fast and easy!

Budget Friendly Main Dishes-Meat Loaf

The secret ingredient of rubbed sage makes this meatloaf high on flavor and low on expense.  Every family needs budget friendly main dishes today!

If you are a beginning cook, this easy and budget Friendly Main Dish is for you!  You’ll be out of the kitchen in no time!

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb ground beef
• 18 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 c chopped onion
• 3/4 c quick-cooking oats
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 c evaporated milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c ketchup

Procedure: 

• In bowl, mix the egg, milk, worcestershire sauce, oats, onion, salt sage and pepper. 
• Add beef and mix, being careful not to overmix as this will make the meatloaf tough.
• Press into loaf baking pan, ungreased.
• Bake at 350 for one hour or until meat is at least 160F.
• Top with ketchup and bake 10 minutes to heat sauce thoroughly.
• Let stand for about 10 minutes before slicing. 

Yield:  6 servings.