sloppy janes
Sloppy "Janes"Ground beef can be the ultimate time-saver for moms. You can buy large amounts of it and freeze it in little one-pound packs. Then, when you need a quick dinner -- ta da! Pull one out for an easy, frugalicious meal.

But you need ideas, right? Fresh ideas beyond the usual Hamburger Helper. Well we've got you covered. Here are five quick and tasty ground beef dinner dinner ideas that will fill your family's bellies and put a smile on their faces.

Sloppy "Janes": This is my own take on Sloppy Joes. Brown half a chopped onion, a minced garlic clove (or some garlic powder), and sage together and then add your beef. When the beef is fully cooked, add some grated zucchini, a couple tablespoons of tomato paste, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until done and serve over buns.

Tacos: Stir half a chopped onion and the ground beef in a pan. Brown both together and then sprinkle in some chili powder and cook until done. Load up your hard-shell tacos with the beef, grated cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and anything else you want.

BBQ Comfort Meatballs: From guess who -- yup, Pioneer Woman. Ree wouldn't post it if it weren't lip-smackin' and easy. She shows you how to make the sauce, too.

Mini Meatloaves: I love this cute idea. Instead of making one big meatloaf, make a few individual-sized loaves that cook faster! This recipe calls for ground turkey, but any ground meat would work.

Indian Spiced Beef: This one is for you more adventurous eaters. This is Khema, and the chef promises it's super quick and easy to whip up. It would go well with rice -- especially basmati rice if you have some.

What are your go-to ground beef recipes?

 

Image via Adriana Velez