Stretch-A-Budget Recipe!

Want to know how to cook a meal for a small family ...for less than $10 And...have it taste great?  

  These seven hamburgers cost me the price of buns and a pound of beef. The other ingredients were on my shelf...but, I've allowed a little cost in my equation for them....otherwise, I'd say this is a $6 meal!!  

Ingredients: 2 eggs beaten 1/2 small onion chopped fine 1 clove garlic chopped fine (or 1 T jar kind) 1 cup rolled oats (not the instant kind) 1 pd of ground round or ground chuck (I like to use a 80/20 fat content) salt and pepper to taste  

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. I do this with my clean fingers...rather than a spoon....cause that's the way we do it in the south. Divide the mixture...and form the parts into balls. Flatten and place each into a non-stick kind of pan. Do not add oil if you want to keep the fat content down.  

Set your heat to medium. Set your timer for five minutes. Don't mess with them!  

  After five minutes, flip them over...and cook for another 5 minutes. After flipping...push them down with a flat spatula. I use my ceramic skillet for this, and you can see that there is no additional oil in the pan...just what the meat creates itself. Now, wait your five minutes...and don't mess with them! (That's a total of 10 minutes...five on each side)  

  Check them after the five minutes by cutting one in half...it should not be pink. This is how mine looked...you can cook longer if you want to...or if you stove does not cook like mine. (This one is for Buddy...so it's cut up)  I like mayo and ketchup on my bun...but you can put other condiments instead. A slice of tomato, a thin sliver of onion, and some lettuce if you like...or just plain is still great.

  I use my ceramic skillet for this, and you can see that there is no additional oil in the pan...just what the meat creates itself.   If you don't think the men in the family will want a hamburger that has "oatmeal" in it...just call it something other than a hamburger. I dub this recipe "The Italian Stallion Beef Burger". Variation: Add a Tablespoon of BBQ...and change the name to "Spicy Texas Longhorn Burger" Variation: Roll small...golfball or smaller size...and brown on all sides. Then add a jar/can of spagetti sauce...and you have super meatballs! Variation: Place the entire bowl of meat mixture on a baking sheet...form it like a loaf of bread. Bake for about 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven...and you have meatloaf!   How do you stretch your budget when cooking?  If you missed the give-a-way this week...go back and check yesterdays post. Hugs!