Four Regional Ground Beef Dishes

The following recipes all use ground beef in a regional dish, including Creole, Indian Curry, Asian, and Mexican. Ground chuck or ground/chunk chicken or turkey could be used in place of ground beef in each of the recipes.

Serves 6 at about 330 calories per serving.

If you wish, reduce fat and calories by substituting 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil for the bacon.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon, diced
• 1 pound of ground chuck or ground beef
• *NOTE: The next three ingredients are called "The Three Sisters" or "Cajun Trinity" and are a foundation in much Creole and Cajun cooking: 1 Cup chopped celery, 1 Cup chopped yellow onion, and 1 Cup chopped green bell pepper. See Note below.
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp each of oregano and thyme
• 1/2 tsp each of basil and salt
• 1 can diced tomatoes and the juice
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can black eye peas, drained and rinsed - use the juice for gravy
• 2 Cups diced fresh sweet potato
• 1 1/2 Cups frozen sliced okra
• 1 Cup beef stock
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• A pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

1. In a large pan or deep skillet, brown the bacon dice to render fat.
2. Add the The Three Sisters and garlic and sauté until vegetables are tender-crisp.
3. Add the oregano, thyme, basil and salt quickly and crumble in the ground chuck; stir and lightly brown the meat for about 5 minutes.
4. Add all remaining ingredients, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the sweet potato is tender.

*[NOTE: Among Eastern Native Americans, The Three Sisters are corn, beans, and squash and are used differently; but, I have seen them also in chili.]

Serves 6 with 260 calories per bowlful.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground chuck or ground beef
• 1 Cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 1/2 Cups beef stock
• 1 1/2 Cups tomato juice
• 1 can chick peas, drained - use the juice for gravy in another dish
• 1 1/2 Cups (12 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 Cup frozen peas
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Indian chili paste
• 8 oz plain yogurt
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Over medium heat, heat a frying pan, pour in the oil and heat the oil. Brown the meat in the oil until just brown. Drain if necessary.
2. Add garlic and curry powder to the pan and heat until very fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the flour to the pan and mix well.
4. While constantly stirring the pan, pour stock slowly into the pan.
5. Continue to stir and add in chickpeas and tomato juice; then stir until boiling just above simmer, then boil for 15 minutes with an occasional stir.
6. When thick, add frozen peas, diced tomatoes, salt to taste, and chili paste.
7. Cook 5 minutes more, stir in yogurt and serve with garnish.

Makes 30-40 Dumplings at about 70 calories each.

Ingredients

• 2 Large eggs
• 1/2 Cup crumbled bleu cheese
• 1 large scallion or green onion, finely chopped - use white and half of the green
• 1 tsp basil - fresh chopped or dried
• Pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• Vegetable or peanut oil for deep frying
• Dumplings wrappers (round, but square are fine) for 30-40 dumplings.

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, place 1 large egg and slightly beat it, then add the bleu cheese, chopped scallion, basil and pepper and mix well.
2. Add the ground beef or chuck and mix entire contents of bowl well.
3. Break the second egg into a small dish and beat well with a fork.
4. Place 2 tsp of the meat mixture into each round of a dumpling wrapper.
5. Brush the edges of dumpling with egg wash, pinch-seal dumplings and set aside on waxed paper or non-stick cookie sheet.
6. Heat oil in a deep pot to fry dumplings, to the temperature of 375 F or 190 C.
7. Fry dumplings a few at a time until golden brown and internal temperature of filling is 160 F or 70 C.
8. Drain dumplings on paper towels on a cookie sheet and serve. You can store the cookie sheet and dumplings in a slow oven )or Low setting) to remain warm while you are cooking the rest of the dumplings.
9. Serve with a Hot Asian Slaw with sweet and sour dressing.

Accompany With Hot Asian Slaw

1. Empty a one-pound bag of pre-cut slaw mix (cabbage, carrots, red cabbage) into a large frying pan.
2. Sprinkle with sesame oil and raise heat under pan to medium.
3. Stir fry until slaw mix wilts, stirring constantly.
4. Remove slaw to plates and douse with sweet and sour salad dressing and serve with the dumplings above. This slaw is also good on sandwiches.

Serves 6 at about 320 calories per serving.

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 1 Large egg
• 1/2 Cup yellow or white nacho chips, crushed
• ¼ Cup medium-heat salsa – bottled or from your own recipe
• 1 envelope pre-made Taco Seasoning
• Cooking Spray
• 1 Pound ground beef

Cheese Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp margarine
• 2 Tbsp flour
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 Cup Whole Milk – or substitute 2%
• 1 Cup shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese – Substitute lo-cal cheese if desired. Some cooks like to use white cheeses instead of the yellow cheese.

Garnish:

• 1 large scallion or green onion sliced thin – all of white and most of green parts.
• Jalapeno slices (optional)

Instructions

Meatballs:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F or 175 C.
2. In a mixing bowl, place the egg and beat slightly with a fork.
3. Add crushed nacho chips, salsa, and taco seasoning and mix well.
4. Add the ground beef and mix well with clean fingers.
5. Make meatballs about 1 inch in diameter and place on a cooking-sprayed baking sheet.
6. Bake meatballs for 15 minutes until brown and fully done.

Cheese Sauce:

1. Melt margarine over medium heat, add the rest of the sauce ingredients, mix well and remove from heat.
2. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Return to heat, raise temperature to a boil and continue to stir until thick.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until it is well melted.
4. On each serving plate, place a serving of meatballs and cover with cheese sauce. Garnish with sliced scallion and serve. You can also place meat balls in a large bowl, sauce in a gravy boat, and garnish in a small bowl for table serving.
5. Add sliced jalapenos as an additional garnish if desired.