Five o’clock comes whether you have a supper plan or not.
And on a busy day, the hardest part usually is not cooking. It is opening the refrigerator and trying to decide what to make while everybody is already hungry.
That is exactly why I use my Cook Once, Eat Three Times method.
You do not need three complicated recipes.
You need good beef in your freezer and one simple plan.
Bulk Beef gives your family trusted protein that is already waiting at home. Cooking one useful cut ahead gives you options when the week does not go as planned.
With three pounds of ground beef and one skillet, you can get the most important part of three family meals finished at once.
Each supper can be on the table in 30 minutes or less. Once the ground beef base is cooked, the next two meals come together even faster.
That is less time handling raw meat.
Less time washing the same skillet.
And a whole lot less wondering what is for supper.
Cook Once: Make the Ground Beef Base
What You Need
● 3 pounds ground beef
● 1 diced onion
● Salt
● Black pepper
● Garlic powder
How to Cook It
Brown the ground beef and diced onion together in a large skillet. Season lightly with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Once the beef is fully cooked, divide it into three equal portions. Use the first pound for tonight’s supper and refrigerate or freeze the other two portions.
Do not add strong seasonings to the whole batch. Keeping the base simple lets each meal taste completely different.
Meal One: Nebraska Potatoes
You may remember Nebraska Potatoes from an earlier Ebersole Cattle Co. blog. This simple, hearty supper fits perfectly into our Cook Once, Eat Three Times plan.
Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the potatoes into small pieces, toss them with a little oil, salt and pepper, and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once.
While the potatoes roast, brown the ground beef base. Top the golden potatoes with one pound of the cooked beef and serve with warm green beans.
Let everyone add the toppings they enjoy.
Easy Toppings
● Shredded cheese
● Plain Greek yogurt or Sour Cream
● Green onions
● Salsa
Serves: 4 to 5
Meal Two: Egg Roll in a Bowl
This meal is quick, full of vegetables and tastes nothing like the first supper.
Add the second pound of cooked beef to a large skillet with one bag of coleslaw mix.
Season with soy sauce or coconut aminos, garlic and a little ground ginger. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender. Add some cooked rice if you have it (again, I make a double batch & freeze) for a side, or in the mix.
Top with green onions. Serve it as-is or over rice if your family needs a little more.
Serves: 4 to 5
Meal Three: Easy Stuffed Pepper Skillet
This has all the familiar flavor of stuffed peppers without actually stuffing anything.
Add the final pound of cooked ground beef to a skillet with:
● 2 diced bell peppers
● 2 cups cooked rice
● 1 can diced tomatoes
● Italian seasoning
Stir everything together and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top and let it melt before serving.
Serves: 4 to 6
One Short Grocery List
Ebersole Cattle Co Beef - from your FREEZER
● 3 pounds ground beef
Produce
● 1 onion
● Potatoes
● Green beans
● 1 bag coleslaw mix
● Green onions
● 2 bell peppers
Pantry
● Cooked rice or microwave rice
● 1 can diced tomatoes
● Soy sauce or coconut aminos
● Ground ginger
● Italian seasoning
● Salt, pepper and garlic powder
Optional Toppings
● Shredded cheese
● Plain Greek yogurt
● Salsa
Storage and Freezer Tips
Place the extra cooked beef in two separate containers as soon as it has cooled.
Refrigerate the portions you will use within three to four days. Freeze the third portion if you will need it later. A flat freezer bag thaws quickly and takes up very little room.
Move a frozen portion to the refrigerator the night before you need it. Then the biggest part of supper is already done.
A Full Freezer Gives You Options
Meal planning does not have to mean spending Sunday afternoon making seven finished meals in matching containers.
Sometimes it simply means thinking one meal ahead.
Brown three pounds of ground beef instead of one.
Serve it as Nebraska Potatoes tonight.
Turn it into an egg roll bowl tomorrow.
Finish the week with a stuffed pepper skillet.
Same main ingredient. Three completely different family meals.
That is the heart of Cook Once, Eat Three Times.
Bulk Beef does more than fill your freezer. It gives you the security of knowing good food is already at home and the flexibility to turn it into whatever your family needs that day.
Cook once. Eat three times. Make the five o’clock question easier.
When you are ready to put trusted beef and more easy options in your freezer, we would be honored to help you choose the right Ebersole Cattle Co. bundle for your family.
Our 100% grass-fed and finished beef is raised on our family ranch in Southern Iowa and shipped to busy families nationwide.
Thank you for letting our family feed your family.
~RanchMama Shanen, Mama to the MommaCows at the ECC Ranch
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