Homemade Ready

I find that ground beef recipes are always real time-savers in the kitchen, and frequently turn to them when I need to get something on the table fast. And while ground beef isn't super-cheap the way it has been in days gone by (and this is probably a good thing), when you make it casserole-style, or serve it with a pile of rice and vegetables, it can still be a frugal meal. Ground beef recipes tend to be flexible, too, so if beef isn't your thing, or you don't have any on hand, you can always substitute another ground meat, like turkey or lamb. You can often even make a decent vegetarian meal from a ground beef recipe by substituting cooked lentils, or another meat substitute.  This easy recipe is one of my quick and easy favorites. It's my take on a traditional ground beef and tomato stew that is found in various Latin American countries and Spain. The way I do it is Cuban-style, using raisins for a bit of sweetness, olives for some saltiness, and the cla...

These hearty taco bowls use one of my favorite old-time money-saving tricks: stretching the ground meat. This is something that grandmothers did regularly back in the day, often adding a little bit of bread crumbs, or some oats to make the meat go a little further. Think of all of the meatloaves, casseroles and stews that came out of the necessity to make the meat stretch a little farther.

Kielbasa has always been a favorite around our house. My husband is of Polish heritage, so he is a fan. Although I am not Polish, I was raised in an area of Western Pennsylvania that has a huge Eastern European population, and kielbasa (or kolbassy as I knew it as a kid) was common fare. These days, it is easily found at any market, and makes for a quick, affordable meal. Although we often have it paired with some type of cabbage and/or noodles, tonight I decided to change it up a bit and pair it with some kale and potatoes for an easy fall supper.