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Syncletica
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 9:11am | IP Logged
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stretch in a casserole to feed 7 people? I would be interested to hear if anyone has any ideas/recipes. I don't see how I can make lasagna or a normal casserole with only 1 lb. But I'm running out of meat....
TIA!
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 9:15am | IP Logged
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I do this all the time with beans.
I add black beans to almost everything - spaghetti, lasagna, casseroles. White beans are a good way to stretch as well and always seem a little softer and milder than black beans. They work well in chicken pot pies and chicken casseroles/dishes.
I don't really follow a recipe - I just dump in an amount - usually a can of beans substituted for a pound of ground beef.
I've actually completely eliminated a meat from many meals and substituted beans in its place with success.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 9:21am | IP Logged
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I use that little or less all the time.. we're just used to there being less meat in a sauce.. matter of fact I often make lasagna without any meat. I just packaged up hamburger for the freezer.. in 3/4 pound packages and only for a few things do we use 2.. most sauces I only use one in and we're 10 in number.
And I don't add in anything to substitute for it.. just more of the other things to fill the pan.
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ladybugs
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 9:22am | IP Logged
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I do what Jennifer does and it really stretches my meat - especially for taco salad.....
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MelissaClaire
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 10:18am | IP Logged
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Milehimama suggested stretching it with lentils and brown rice. I haven't yet--but just bought the lentils to try it out!
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guitarnan
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 10:26am | IP Logged
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I think you'd be fine. I started doing this with ground turkey (we don't eat beef at home) and eventually just started leaving it out of the lasagne...and no one cared!
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 12:55pm | IP Logged
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Brown rice is a good stretcher either in addition to or in place of black beans.
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Syncletica
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 1:06pm | IP Logged
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I hope you will pardon my stupidity, but, could you give me an example (or examples) of recipes which show how you stretch it?
For lasangna, I usually use just ground beef and spaghetti sauce layered with lasagna noodles topped with mozza cheese. Would I then boil/simmer a bunch of beans for a few hours, add it to my ground beef while it's browning and do the same as I usually do?
What about casseroles? Can someone give me some recipes for basic delicious casseroles that are stretched (and where the beans don't seem extremely dry)? I just need some concrete ideas.
 My dh just got home, asked what I was doing, I told him, and he said "Don't put beans in it!"
What's a wife to do? 
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JennGM
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 1:17pm | IP Logged
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We don't do beans very well here, so I understand dh's feelings.
Do you have zucchini? That's another way to stretch your sauce. It doesn't add much taste or texture, but I found loads of recommendations to stretch spaghetti sauce.
Last night I added it to my taco meat.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 1:17pm | IP Logged
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mix the meat into the sauce and layer the sauce and noodles and cheese.. then you don't have an obvious meat layer that will look scanty.
and if the meat taste is weak a bit of beef bullion added to the sauce beefs it up 
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LucyP
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I often use dark lentils (not the orange split lentils - either puy or green or brown) and soak them, and then add them to the pan when I have browned the mince and onions if the dish will have a long slow simmer like a bolognese sauce. Or I use canned lentils, which is soooo quick.
Or I use finely chopped mushrooms or root veggies. If I am wanting to make a savory pie, I will add turnips, carrots, parsnips - grated or very finely chopped. And I add mushrooms - some very fine to add "bulk" and others in chunkier pieces. We typically use 1/2 a pound to feed 4. Very quickly you get used to a lot less meat/sauce.
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lilac hill
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 7:24pm | IP Logged
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My Mom's "Shepherd's" Pie
Browned ground beef topped with creamed corn (since I have celiacs, I make my own- delicious so I make extra)and the top layer is mashed potatoes. Baked til hot and crispy. Some people like ketchup on this, Mom served it with bread and butter pickles, I serve it with raw carrots
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mcchatty
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 8:07pm | IP Logged
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I feed a smaller crew than many on htis board, but three of them are 6 foot bottomless pits. I try to use 1 lb of ground meat. In pasta dishes I tend to stretch the meat with chopped veggies- zuchini, yellow squash, carrots, onions, sweet peppers , bell peppers,spinach etc.... I finely mince them(food processor) and then add them towards the very end of the meat browning, so that the veggies get brown too. The fine pieces mean you don't have a finicky young 'un holding a fork suspicously aloft and saying snarkily "what IS this?"
I use extra beans in chili (the veggies work there too,)
Another favorite around here is "meatball soup"
combine your pound of ground meat with an equal amount of chopped veggies, garlic, about 2/3 cup of breadcrumbs- very fine ones, an egg and some parmesan cheese. Make TINY meatballs (about half a teaspoon) Brown your meat balls. Add chicken or beef broth, either some leftover spaghetti sauce, or a big can of crushed tomatoes, enough liquid to make a big pot of soup. Toss in diced veggies (mostly celery, carrots and squash) and some small pasta- we favor ditalini or alphabet noodles. We grate in even more garlic! Basil would be nice , too Serve with parmesan.
I find that I need to intensify the seasonings when stretching meat.
Another favorite here is "ants on bamboo"- which is Chinese hamburger and noodles.
Brown your meat,with lots of garlic, grated ginger and a very large onion chopped fine. Once the meat is barely brown add finely sliverd cabbage- napa or round head- a LOT it cooks down, and a bunch of grated carrots(I use 3 carrots) Add about a cup of beef broth.(from a bouillon cube is fine, although I keep the cartons of swanson's broth in my fridge.) Season with soy sauce, and sesame oil. Cook some lo mein noodles, in salted water. (I go with two packages, find them in your produce section) Drain noodles and add to the saucy hamburg mixture. Garnish with sesame seeds if you have some. We eat alot of asian food, so this might be an acquired taste.(it works with ground turkey or ground pork too)
good luck, Mcchatty
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Milehimama
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Stretching ground meat without beans - the key is to use plenty of seasoning!
Potato tacos: dice potatoes and add to meat, cook together until soft.
Meat and gravy: Brown ground meat, add salt, pepper, spices. Sprinkly meat with flour, add milk to make a creamy gravy. Make a lot of gravy Add some veggies - peas or green beans go well. Serve over plenty of noodles (2 bags of egg noodles, at least) or toast.
Baked spaghetti:
Brown ground beef. Add diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes to make the spaghetti sauce. The diced tomatoes will make it "toothsome". You can also add diced carrots. Think of the meat as flavoring in the sauce. Using beef broth instead of water helps a lot, too. Mix with cooked pasta, top with cheese, and bake until hot throughout.
Fried rice: For 12 people, cook 3-4 cups of rice. brown ground beef and drain. Stir fry some veggies (more is always better!). Cook rice in a little hot oil to "fry" it, then make a well in the middle. Add two eggs, and scramble them right in the pan in the rice. Add meat and veggies. Spices to use: soy sauce, fish sauce, or oyster sauce, or curry.
Taco salad without beans:
Brown ground meat and drain, add drained canned corn and diced tomatoes (probably 2 cans of each for a crowd that size, at least!) Add chopped onion and cilantro if you have it, otherwise, season with garlic, onion, and cumin powder. Serve over a bed of lettuce with a few tortilla chips. You might add a little water if the meat mix looks "dry" . I mix ranch dressing with salsa for a taco salad dressing.
Cheeseburger mac:
Add 1 pound ground beef to your mac and cheese recipe. Although, with the price of cheese lately, it's probably cheaper to buy meat than the dairy!
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molly
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I tried Milehimama's suggestion of lentils and brown rice, I made tacos last Friday, and added them to meatloaf. We loved it, now I am addicted to finding ways to use it. I even convinced two local friends to try it and they too had great success 
Thanks Milehimama
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Tami
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| Posted: July 30 2009 at 10:48pm | IP Logged
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If you add beans to a recipe - like spaghetti sauce or chicken dish, do you mash them or do anything to disguise their shape/texture? My guys would probably zero right in on something like this in their pasta....
And Nancy,
guitarnan wrote:
| I think you'd be fine. I started doing this with ground turkey (we don't eat beef at home) and eventually just started leaving it out of the lasagne...and no one cared! |
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Around my house, my crew (very-beef loving sons and dh) would probably ask "Maybe they didn't care because it was turkey?"
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Becky Le
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| Posted: July 31 2009 at 7:00am | IP Logged
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I do the same as Jodie, I just use 1 pound in everything, spaghetti sauce, tater tot casserole, etc. But I'm thinking maybe 2 of my 7 are a bit younger than yours which would make a huge difference! 
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DaniW
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| Posted: July 31 2009 at 7:39am | IP Logged
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I stretch meat all the time with lentils (In sloppy joes, hamburger patties, meatloaf,meatballs, etc. they are similar in color and texture to ground beef, so nobody knows if I don't tell them! If you add them to hamburger patties, you need to add an egg to help hold them together.) Not as "strong" as beans, cheap, and very good for you!
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Angel
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| Posted: Aug 03 2009 at 4:28pm | IP Logged
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You've already made your dinner, but I'm just seeing this, so I'll add... don't put beans in lasagna!!! (I guess I'm with your dh here If I want to make spaghetti sauce or lasagna or something that is generally bean-free, I don't put beans it; we just eat less meat. Or I put more veggies in.
The places I stretch meat with beans are in soups and stews, or say, in a tortilla casserole where I use a combination of black beans, pinto beans, and 1 lb of hamburger, and we get leftovers for lunches for the week.
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lovebeingamom
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| Posted: Aug 03 2009 at 8:10pm | IP Logged
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Okay Ladies .... confused on the lentil idea.
I too need to stretch the use of our ground beef. I am just not understanding how to use the lentils in a meal in place of ground beef.
Help?!?!?!? TIA!
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: can I make 1 lb. of ground beef
