This week is all about quick and easy ground beef recipes that will help you make the most of your time in the kitchen and your grocery budget! And these meal ideas don’t lack in bold flavor either! Enjoy authentic Texas Red Chili, cornbread muffins, old school Cheesy Tomato Beef & Noodles and a fall inspired broccoli slaw + a dessert, snack and fall breakfast recipe in this week’s Monday Menu meal ideas.
This Week’s Secret To Success
- Seasonal eating is in full swing with this week’s menu recipes! Apples, pears, brussel sprouts and pumpkin all make a yummy appearance!
- But the real star of the week is ground beef. Here are my tips:
- Buy a 4 lb package of lean ground beef (instead of several smaller packages) to give the ol’ budget a bit of breathing room.
- Brown the ground beef all at once, then portion it out for the week’s recipes (2 lbs for chili, 1 lb for Cheesy Tomato Beef & Noodle Casserole & 1 lb for taco hand pies). Store the portions you aren’t using right then in separate zip top bags.
- Use a similar budget saver for the tomato sauce. Buy a 30 ounce can for the chili and one 15 ounce can for the casserole instead of multiples of smaller cans.
- Plus, the broccoli slaw and the apple pear crisp share ingredients to make shopping easy.
- Lastly, the side dishes go great with both main dishes, so mix and match away!
A successful meal isn’t just about tasty or convenient recipes. Making the food is only half of the dinner equation!
So, don’t forget to make a plan for you table this week!
Here are some of the things I keep on hand to set the table. And having a few things you really love and on the ready is THE KEY to making meal time special and inviting others over for dinner stress free.
- Antique Blue Charger Plates, Set of 6
- 11 inch Acacia Wood Dinner Plates, Set of 4
- Gold Embossed Harvest Salad Plates
- Camel Yellow Ruffled Dinner Napkins by Hen House Linens
- Gold Bamboo Silverware
- Camel Yellow Ruffled Table Runner by Hen House Linens
- 9×13 Deep Baking Dish, White & Brown
- Gold/Amber Vertical Line Stemware
Menu 1- Texas Red Chili
Texas Red is absolutely one of the easiest chili recipes you can make. A true blue authentic chili recipe, it's hearty, beefy and completely satisfies any and all fall chili cravings! Serve it with Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins for a real chili dinner experience.
Menu 2- Cheesy Tomato Beef & Noodles
I’m sure there’s room in your menu for a quick one dish meal this week. Seasoned ground beef, tender egg noodles, dreamy melted cheese and a rich tomato mushroom sauce all combine to create the hearty, classic flavors of Cheesy Beef Noodle Casserole no one can resist! Serve it with a unique broccoli slaw that has all the fall vibes.
Dessert This Week
Cozy up to fall with this easy Apple Pear Crisp! Layers of sliced apples and pears are wrapped in a brown sugar cinnamon filling, full of warm spices and topped with a crunchy oatmeal pecan topping. This foolproof apple recipe is what autumn is all about!
Breakfast Made Easy
This is the best pumpkin muffin recipe! Light and tender with warm spices, these soft muffins are full of real pumpkin with an easy streusel topping of brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and pumpkin seeds for a genuine bakery/coffee shop experience at home!
Snack of the Week
These taco hand pies are so easy, you’ll wonder why you don’t have more empanadas in your life. Spicy ground beef and melted cheese wrapped in a golden, flaky crust, make these little snacky treats the perfect pick for tailgating, after school and weekends. The fact that they are made with a pre-made, roll out crust and baked only make them better!
New To Monday Menu?
Southern Discourse subscribers receive Monday Menus directly in their email inboxes, along with a little weekly scripture encouragement here in the post. At Southern Discourse we’re all about bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith and grace from which true hospitality springs!
Subscribe to join our community and receive your Monday Menu + enriching food for the soul every week!
Hi Stacey. I am confused as to the amount of ground beef as your recipe for chili calls for 3 lbs of ground beef, not 2 lbs. Do you have the proportions for chili using 2 lbs of ground beef? Thank you.
Hi, Kay! I don’t have the proportions for 2 lbs. I usually purchase a 2 lb package of ground beef + a 1 lb package or simply (3) 1 lb packages. But for leftovers, I’ve found that 3 lbs usually works best. To get to proportions for 2lb if ground beef, you would have to find 1/3 of each ingredient measurement, then double that amount.