On those hot summer days where the outside temperatures are 80+ degrees, the last thing I want to do is use my kitchen oven. One way you can still serve hot cooked dinners to your family is by using stove-top recipes.
All of these recipes take less than 45 minutes from start to finish. The first two utilize lean ground beef and the third one uses beef strips. You could serve the main dish with a healthy fresh garden salad to make a full meal.
Beef Stroganoff
2 lbs. lean ground beef
2/3 cup water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons flour
cooked pasta noodles
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, drain grease. Stir in the water and soups. Reduce heat to low. In a small bowl combine sour cream and flour until blended, add to meat. Cook on low stirring often until sauce thickens. Serve over cooked pasta noodles.
Optional: If you don’t have any pasta on hand, you can serve it with cooked rice.
Hamburger and Chili Macaroni
1 lb. lean ground beef
6 oz. can tomato paste
3 1/4 cups hot water
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onions; drain grease. Stir in the tomato paste, water and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Stir in macaroni, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Pepper Steak with Rice
2 green peppers, cut into strips
1 can stewed tomatoes
1/2 stick of butter
1 lb. round beef steak
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of salt and pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
cooked rice
Trim fat and cut round steak into thin strips. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add garlic, salt and pepper. Add beef strips and brown on all sides. Turn heat to medium-high, add sugar and soy sauce, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add green peppers and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Mix cornstarch with water and add to skillet. Simmer for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over cooked rice.
