taco stuffed pepper cups

Ingredients:

• 2 medium green peppers
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 T chopped onion
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 3 T taco seasoning (We use Ortega)
• sour cream (toppings)
• cheddar cheese (toppings)
• tomato (toppings)

Preparation:

1. Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds.  In a large pot, cook peppers in boiling water for 3-5 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, cook beef and onions over medium heat until cooked through; drain.  Stir in the tomato sauce and taco seasoning; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer for 5-6 minutes.
3. Spoon into peppers.  Place in an ungreased glass baking dish.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until peppers are tender.  
4. Top with sour cream, cheddar and tomatoes.

taco pasta

Ingredients:

•  1 lb ground beef
• 1 pack taco seasoning (We like Ortega.)
• 1 can tomato sauce (14 oz)
• 1 lb shell macaroni, cooked and drained
• 1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta.  Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown ground beef over medium heat. Drain and add taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and green chilies. 
2. Stir in cooked macaroni. 
3. Place in a 9×13 pan. Top with cheese. 
4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through.

from Full Bellies, Happy Kids

Taco Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 ready made pizza crust (We used Boboli)
• 1 lb ground beef
• taco seasoning (We use Ortega)
• lettuce
• tomato, chopped
• cheddar cheese (about 3 cups, shredded)
• tortilla chips
• salsa

Preparation

1. Heat oven to temperature directed on package.
2. Cook meat with taco seasoning.  
3. Spread salsa over the crust.
4. Spoon beef mixture onto pizza crust.  Top with cheese.
5. Bake as directed on the pizza crust package or until crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
6. Top with lettuce and tomato.
7. Crush tortilla chips and sprinkle on top.
8. Drizzle with salsa.

Teriyaki Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 can pineapple chunks (8 oz)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb. ground beef

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 T honey
• 2 T vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preparation:

1. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice; set pineapple aside.
2. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, ginger, salt and reserved pineapple juice. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. 
3. Mix the sauce ingredients together.  Place 2 tablespoons of sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Add meatballs, peppers and onions. Pour remaining sauce over meatballs.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. 
5. Top with pineapple chunks.

Save the juice from canned pineapple by pouring into ice cube trays and freezing. When solid, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. When a recipe calls for 1 to 2 tablespoons of pineapple juice, thaw 1-2 cubes and use as directed.

We served this meal over some whole grain couscous.

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza

Ingredients:
-pizza dough
-steak (however much you like)
-green pepper (1 or 2, depending on how you like it)
-sweet onion (however much you like.  I'm not a big onion fan, so we maybe use a quarter of 1)
-mozzarella cheese (about a pack and a half)
-Worcestershire sauce (2 T)
-Italian seasoning (1/4 tsp.)
-Classico alfredo sauce (maybe 1/4 cup?)

Directions:

1. Prepare pizza dough.
2. Cook steak and cut into small pieces.
3. Marinate steak in Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning for about 15 minutes, turning once.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Cook peppers and onion in a little vegetable oil.
6. Add steak to the pepper and onion mixture.
7. Spread the dough evenly onto a pizza pan.
8. Spread alfredo sauce over pizza dough.
9. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the sauce to cover.
10. Spread steak, pepper and onion mixture over the cheese.
11. Sprinkle with some more cheese.
12. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.