Recipe Sifter

Easy and tasty meatballs, these are great for meatball subs.

Carol's lasagna stacks six noodle layers with a triple-cheese mix of ricotta, cottage, and romano, plus mozzarella and a slow-simmered ground beef tomato sauce. The classic baked pasta done generously.

Red bell peppers stuffed with spiced ground beef, rice, toasted walnuts, raisins, and olives, then baked until tender. A one-dish dinner with sweet and savory filling.

Baked pizza sandwich layers a Bisquick batter base with seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, and Parmesan, then crowns it with more batter for a pizza-style casserole.

I use crushed Ritz crackers instead of bread crumbs and add 2/3 cup of shredded sharp Cheddar. A simple gravy to go along with the meatloaf can also be made using another packet of soup mix, 2 Tbs. flour and 2 cups of cold water. Simmer until thickened.

Greek gyro sandwiches blend ground beef and lamb with oregano, thyme, and garlic into thin patties, then tuck into pita with homemade cucumber-yogurt sauce and sliced onion. Street food classic done at home.

Classic meat lasagna layered with seasoned beef, cottage cheese, cheddar, and Parmesan between tender noodles, perfect for freezing and reheating.

Padre Kino's meatloaf blends ground beef with chorizo for a Southwestern twist, then bakes with cheddar, thyme, paprika, and allspice. Named for the Jesuit missionary of Sonora and Arizona.

Beef and sausage chili built on a scratch-made ancho chile sauce, with green chiles, tomato, cumin and Mexican oregano. Rehydrated dried anchos give it deep, smoky flavor you can dial up to taste. No beans.

New Mexico red bean chili with ground beef, three cans of kidney beans, and pureed pimentos. Built on ground New Mexico chile with allspice, cumin, and coriander.

Classic Italian lasagna with layers of beef and mushroom tomato sauce, spinach-cottage cheese ricotta substitute, and melted mozzarella. The Sunday-supper bake that always feeds a crowd.

Hamburger pizza with a quick Bisquick yeast crust topped with seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, oregano, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Two pizzas in one hour.

This recipe is a faily old (circa 1983) but reliable one, somwhere in between competition and eating and chili. It would be a good starter for any novice cook.

Pork and beef chili with cocoa, cinnamon, and a finishing stir of masa harina. The mole-inspired chili that builds dark depth over a slow simmer. Beans optional.

Make-ahead pizzaburgers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and chopped green olives on hamburger buns. Wrap, refrigerate, and reheat anytime.

A from-scratch chili con carne made with dried pinto beans, lean ground beef, and a smoky blend of cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Simmers into a thick, soul-warming bowl that's lower in sodium than most.