Taco Chili

Early spring in Iowa is full of new life. The calves are being born, the grass is starting to turn green, and the trees have buds. I love these signs that warmer weather is just around the corner. But it is still early spring. Which means that we still have a handful of chilly days and nights to get through.

Our schedule is about to get busy. And busy schedules mean I need quick suppers. This taco chili is quick to fix, keeps well in the crock pot, and warms my family up after a cold day. Plus, it can be made with pantry staples. I can always count on having the ingredients on hand for this chili. We love to eat ours with cheese and oyster crackers.

Vegetable Tortellini Soup

It is so cold here today. I think it is only supposed to reach 8 degrees today, and the wind chill will be well below zero. My farmer will still have to go out and do chores. The cattle can't feed and water themselves, and they need feed to stay warm in this weather! (Thank you farmers!) 

 

This Vegetable Tortellini soup is what I'll make for supper tonight to warm everybody up. It's full of vegetables that I canned from my garden. The canned veggies have me missing summer, especially in these frigid temps. I can hardly wait for spring to arrive and to get my garden started.

My canned goods!

 

The tortellini is my favorite part about this soup (no shocker there since I love my carbs!). The Parmesan in the middle adds an extra flavor that you aren't really expecting, but it pairs so well with the vegetables. If you don't have tortellini on hand, you could substitute another pasta you like. But it won't be the same without the sharpness of the Parm.  It's just so good.

Enjoy this comforting soup recipe!

Vegetable Tortellini Soup

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

My favorite dish to make to use my garden veggies!

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups beef stock
•  1 cup water
• 1 14.5 ounce can green beans
• 1 14.5 ounce can corn
• 1 7 ounce box dry tortellini
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the hamburger with the onion, garlic, and carrot.
2. When the hamburger is cooked through, add the tomatoes, beef stock, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then let simmer for 20 minutes. 
3. Add the corn and green beans. Stir to combine.
4. Add the dry tortellini. Simmer until the tortellini is al dente, about 5-10 minutes.

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Basic Meatloaf

If you need a basic meatloaf recipe, look no further. This is the one that you need. My family likes to have a simple meatloaf once in a while, and after years of adjusting amounts and spices here or there, this is the one that they love the most. I love that since my family is small and my kids are young, I can actually get by with baking only half of this meatloaf and putting half in the freezer for later. That certainly helps on a busy weeknight!

I also like this recipe because I can use both ground pork and ground beef. I'm always looking for ideas to use ground pork because I don't always like it as a substitute for ground beef. Ground pork doesn't always work well in place of ground beef in some recipes. But the mix of both of the meats in this meatloaf is perfect. I also think that this bakes up less greasy than other meatloaf recipes because of the use of oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs.

We usually eat this with baked potatoes and corn. It's the way I ate it while growing up, so it's how I serve it now. Plus the potatoes can bake while the meatloaf bakes, making supper that much easier!

Basic Meatloaf

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

This is the basic meatloaf recipe that you need.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 8 ounce can tomato sauce, divided
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard sized loaf pan.
2. In a bowl, mix the ground beef, ground pork, oatmeal, egg, onion, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and half of the tomato sauce.
3. Put mixture into the prepared loaf pan and pat down lightly.
4. In a small bowl, mix the remaining tomato sauce with the brown sugar.  Add salt and pepper to taste and mix in.
5. Pour sauce over the meatloaf.
6. Cover and bake for 60-65 minutes. Uncover for the last 10 minutes of baking.
7. If you are freezing half, prepare two pans and divide the meat mixture and sauce between the two pans. Cover and freeze for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

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Hot Beef Sundae Twice Baked Potatoes

It's cold, rainy, windy, and downright dreary today. I was reading somewhere that the Iowa State Fair is still deciding on how the fair will look this year due to COVID-19. Which makes today even more dreary. It just won't be summer without the Iowa State Fair.

Then I remembered that I have some leftover roast beef in the freezer (Bonus! I love when I can use leftovers!), and I can make these twice baked potatoes that remind me of those hot and humid summer days at the most wonderful fair in the world. The Iowa Beef Producers make one of the most iconic fair foods, the Hot Beef Sundae. There is always a long line for these savory sundaes. Its a bowl full of yummy goodness that includes mashed potatoes, roast beef with gravy, cheese, and a tomato. Its no wonder people wait a long time to get one. These sundaes are one of my very favorite foods to get at the Iowa State Fair, and are the inspiration for these twice baked potatoes that I created. So, if you are missing the fair and hot summer nights like me, give these a try.

Hot Beef Sundae Twice Baked Potatoes

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

Inspired by an Iowa State Fair classic!

Ingredients:

• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 packet brown gravy mix, 0.87 ounce
• 1 cup roast beef
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 grape tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Wash potatoes and poke with a fork. Wrap in foil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, prepare gravy according to package directions.
3. Heat roast beef in microwave until heated through.
4. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out flesh, leaving about a quarter inch next to the skins. Save the extra potato in a small bowl.
5. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add milk and heat through.
6. Mash the extra potato. Add the milk and butter mixture and stir to make mashed potatoes.
7. Scoop the mashed potatoes equally into the 4 potato skins.
8. Add 1/4 cup of roast beef on top of the mashed potatoes.
9. Add 1/4 cup gravy on top of the beef.
10. Top each potato skin with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheddar cheese.
11. Bake potatoes in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
12. Top each potato with a grape tomato and serve.

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Cheeseburger Potato Skins

Have you tried my Maid Rite Sandwiches yet? My family loves them, and my Farmer is always putting the meat on other things like hot dogs. The meat is actually very versatile and can be put on a variety of things. I created these Cheeseburger Potato Skins after wanting to try something different myself. Dress them up with your favorite cheeseburger toppings for a fun twist on cheeseburgers!

Cheeseburger Potato Skins

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

Dress these taters up with your favorite cheeseburger toppings for a complete meal.

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes
• 1/3 cup tomato ketchup
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup french fried onions

Instructions:

1. Wash the potatoes and poke them with a fork. Wrap them in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, cook ground beef with the onion flakes and drain. Add the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and mix to combine.
3. Cut cooled potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving about one fourth inch around the skin.
4. Fill each potato half with about 1/3 cup meat mixture, making sure to divide the mixture evenly among the potatoes.
5. Top with 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes at 425, or until cheese is melted and potato is heated through.
7. Take out of the oven and top with 2 tablespoons french fried onions.
8. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes or until the french fried onions are crisp and browned.

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Simple Beef Maid Rites

The maid rite sandwich. These just might be the most popular sandwiches in Iowa. They are served at almost every potluck I've ever been to and I don't know anyone that doesn't like them.

Here is the recipe for the version that I make. Serve with macaroni and cheese, chips, soup, or even on hot dogs. I've even eaten it like a chip dip!

Simple Beef Maid Rites

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

These popular sandwiches are a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Brown ground beef with onion flakes. Drain any grease.
2. Add ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
3. Simmer on medium to low heat for 10 minutes.

Notes:

This recipe doubles or triples well. Add the meat to a slow cooker so it stays warm and people can serve themselves.

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