Mini Burger Bites with Smokin' Chipotle Ketchup

They may be small, but these hearty little patties 

cook up quick and pack a cheesy flavour punch. 

Your whole family will love the great saucy taste.

Mini Burger Bites

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. lean ground beef 
• 2 Tbsp. ketchup
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. ground black pepper 
• 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 green onion, finely sliced
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese

Chipotle Ketchup

Smokn' Chipotle Ketchup

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 Tbsp. pureed chipotle chilies

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix beef, ketchup, brown sugar, pepper salt, garlic, green onion and onion powder together. Work together with your hands, insuring that all ingredients are incorporated.
3. Form meat into balls, a bit smaller than a golf ball.
4. Flatten with your hands to create a burger shape.
5. Preheat your grill pan or barbecue to a high heat. Grill burgers until seared and grill marks appear, about 1 minute per side and transfer to a baking sheet.
6. Finish cooking through in the oven about 5-10 minutes, or until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle. Top with grated cheese and continue cooking until cheese melts.
7. In a small bowl mix together ketchup and chipotle chilies. Reserve until ready to serve.
8. Place each burger on a mini hamburger bun. Top with Chipotle Ketchup.

Happy Cooking ☺

Brians BBQ Bow-Tie Dinner

Dress dinner up with this quick and simple dish - a tasty dinner that's ready in 30 minutes!

This was a big hit. Everyone in my family loved it. The guys were scraping their plates clean. I'd suggest using Bull's-Eye Texas Style BBQ Sauce or any other kind of smokey barbecue sauce for great flavour.

Brian's BBQ Bow-Tie Dinner

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked mini bow-tie (mini farfalle) pasta (5 oz)
• 2 1/2 cups beef-flavored broth (from 32-oz carton)
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup frozen corn (from 12-oz bag), thawed
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)
• 
  

Preparation:

1. In 12-inch non stick skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.
2. Add bell pepper; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in pasta, broth, barbecue sauce, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.
3. Stir in corn and 1 cup of the cheese. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover; cook 3 to 4 minutes longer, until corn is hot and cheese is melted.

Expert Tips

Buy a block of Cheddar cheese when it's on sale; shred and store, tightly sealed, in the freezer. It will be handy whenever you need it for a recipe. Store-bought beef broth can be overly salty. Always look for the reduced-sodium varieties.

Happy Cooking ☺

Pita Pizzas

Enjoy this pizza pie with luscious tomatoes, rosemary-seasoned ground beef and crumbly feta cheese. The flavours work perfectly with hearty pita bread crust.

Pita Pizzas

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 8 ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 2 6 inches whole wheat or white pita bread rounds
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
• 1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese (1 ounce)
• 12 pitted ripe olives, halved (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium nonstick skillet, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until meat is browned; drain off fat. Stir tomato sauce and rosemary into meat mixture in skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
2. Carefully split pita bread rounds in half horizontally; place pita halves, rough sides up, in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted.
3. Top toasted pita bread with meat mixture; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven. Top with spinach, tomato, feta cheese, and, if desired, olives; serve immediately.

Happy Cooking ☺

Been shocked at how expensive ground beef has been lately?

I found a way around the higher prices! Swipe this file and start saving money when buying ground Beef.

Lia's Lasagna Soup

A cool refreshing salad simply does not taste nearly as comforting as a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter day.

This Lasagna Soup Recipe has all the traditional flavors of lasagna and comes together for a heart warming meal-in-a-bowl.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb extra lean ground beef
• 1 box Ready to Use 30% Less Sodium Beef Broth
• 1 can Condensed Tomato with Basil and Oregano Soup
• 2 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup diced fresh tomato
• 2 cups whole wheat short lasagna-noodle-shaped pasta (mafalda corta)
• 3 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Spray large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven lightly with cooking spray. Brown beef well at medium-high heat.
2. Add broth, soup, water, garlic, oregano, pepper and tomato. Heat to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in pasta and reduce heat.
3. Cover and cook at gentle boil until pasta is tender - about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Tips:

If you cannot find mafalda pasta, it can be replaced by any short pasta - rotini, fusilli, bowties or even broken fettuccine or long mafalda.

Garnishing with a few sprigs of fresh oregano, right before serving, gives this dish an enticing appearance and aroma.

Happy Cooking ☺

Been shocked at how expensive ground beef has been lately?

I found a way around the higher prices! Swipe this file and start saving money when buying ground beef.