companion blog to the e-book the 24/7 Low Carb Diner

Companion blog to the e-book
Available at http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Taking advantage of great sales

I like to do my menu planning after I see what is on sale. For my family this week, it is ground beef. We are fortunate enough to have a meat processing plant fairly nearby. They have a monthly dock sale. Yesterday, my sweet hubby found ground chuck for $1.35 per pound. Needless to say, this week's freezer meals will center around ground beef. I'm headed into the kitchen now to make some "Minute Beef." This is the handiest stuff to have around. It is the jumpstart to so many meals!

Here are the recipe variations...since that same sweet hubby still doesn't have the recipe book posted. I'll make some plain and some Italian this week. I already have some taco meat in the freezer.

Minute Beef

You’ve heard of Minute Rice. This is similar, because it is ready to use in just a minute or two. The idea is to brown up large quantities of ground beef to use in lots of different recipes. You always have them handy in the freezer...ready at a moment’s notice to make a taco salad, a pizza bake or a burger in a bowl. Watch for sales on beef and keep this great recipe starter in the freezer.


Mexican version:
5 pounds ground beef
1 26 ounce jar salsa
1/4 cup chili powder
4 Tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt

Brown meat and drain. Stir the salsa and seasonings. Cool and divide into 4 freezer bags for family meals, or 16 individual bags. Good for taco salads, quiches, casseroles, etc.

Serves 16 461 calories 3 carbs

Italian version:
5 pounds ground beef
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 teaspoons garlic powder


Brown meat and drain. Stir the sauce and seasonings. Cool and divide into 4 freezer bags for family meals, or 16 individual bags. Good to eat with sautéed zucchini or cabbage, or added to omelets, pizzas, salads, etc.

Serves 16 447 calories 2 carbs

Here's what I will do with it this week:

Cheeseburger Salad

1 package Minute Beef, thawed
1/2 teaspoon hickory salt
1 pound prepared salad
1/2 onion, sliced
Pickles, chopped
Tomato slices
1 cup shredded cheese
Special Sauce Dressing: Mix 1 Cup Mayo, 1/2 cup mustard, 1/2 low carb ketchup.

Mix dressing ingredients. Put salad greens in individual bowls. Heat the beef in the microwave. Stir in the hickory salt. Build salads with the ingredients of choice. Top with special sauce.

Serves 6 724 calories 3 carbs

Doesn't that sound good?

1 comment:

Julie L. said...

ah....if only we could find ground chuck for $1.35 per pound these days! My local store has it "on sale" for $3.89 per pound this week :( And to think that I used to be able to get ground chuck for less than boneless skinless chicken breasts. What a shame. My family eats much less beef in general these days because of the high prices.