How to Use Ground Beef, Chicken or Turkey Recipes to Stretch Your Food Budget

The traditional hamburger consists of a ground beef patty fried or grilled and served on a bun. Topped with ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise, a tomato slice, lettuce leaves, sliced onion and/or dill pickle slices this burger has been a traditional summer cookout favorite for many years. But why banish hamburgers to the summer months only? Consider the many ways a hamburger could be served.

The Patty Melt

The traditional patty melt is often served at Mom and Pop Diners. This favorite diner sandwich can be prepared easily at home. Form 1 lb. of lean ground beef into 4 hamburger patties and season as desired. Fry, grill or bake your patties until well done. Slice one small red onion and saute in butter or margarine. Place a slice of buttered Texas Toast in a skillet and top with a slice of Swiss cheese, grilled onion, a hamburger patty, more onions, another slice of Swiss cheese and top all with a second slice of buttered Texas Toast. Grill on both sides until bread is browned and cheese has melted. Serve with baked French fries, potato salad or a leafy green salad.

Hamburger Patties & Grilled Onions

Are you watching your figure or your budget? Then why not eliminate the hamburger bun altogether? Save yourself a few calories and some money by making this tasty meal. Season a patty of lean ground beef or turkey with salt & pepper or Mrs. Dash and fry or grill as usual. While your burgers are cooking slice a medium sized red onion and saute in a skillet with a small amount of butter or margarine just until onions are softened. To serve place a patty on your plate and cover with grilled sauteed onions. Add home baked potato wedges, pepper gravy for dipping and green beans for a delicious meal. For those of you that prefer cheese burgers cover your patty with a slice of cheese just before it finishes cooking and before you cover it with onions.

Taco Burgers

I remember Taco Burgers from my school days. A favorite lunch room meal is easy to prepare at home and sure to become a family favorite. Start by frying 1 lb. of lean ground beef or ground turkey in a medium size frying pan until meat is thoroughly cooked and crumbled into small pieces. Drain off any fat in the pan. (Add more vegetables to your family's diet by adding ½ cup finely grated carrots if you wish.) Add 1 packet of taco seasoning mix and ½ cup of water. Stir and simmer until liquid has cooked off per taco seasoning packet instructions. Serve the taco meat on a bun with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce and a slice of tomato. Include refried beans or mexi-corn, Spanish rice and salsa & chips to make this a complete meal.

The Pizza Burger

Pizza burgers are delicious and fun to make. Children will enjoy helping mom in the kitchen on Pizza Burger night. To make form patties using lean ground beef and small cubes of mozzarella cheese. Dip the cheese cube in pizza sauce and then surround the cube with the ground beef forming a patty. Fry or grill as usual. Serve the burgers on garlic toast with pizza sauce and a slice of onion or sweet bell pepper.

The Aloha Burger

Try topping your hamburger with a slice of pineapple for a tasty sweet sensation. Use Thousand Island dressing instead of the more traditional condiments. Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls are perfect for this hamburger with a tropical twist.

The Meat Loaf Burger

Make your favorite meatloaf mixture of seasonings and lean ground beef but instead of filling a loaf pan form small patties instead. Bake as usual (cooking time will be shortened with the smaller size). Serve on a half bun or a slice of bread topped with a scoop of mashed potatoes and brown gravy. Try your meatloaf recipe made with ground turkey instead and don't forget the turkey gravy. These burgers are also great made the traditional way on a bun with ketchup, mustard and dill pickle slices.

The Southwestern Burger

For a hot and hearty meal after a cold day of sledding or shoveling snow make these tasty western burgers. These burgers are great for using left-over food from other meals.

You will need a hamburger patty, chopped onion, fried bacon and chili. No left-over chili and not enough time to make from scratch? Not a problem, these taste great made with canned chili too. This western burger is an open faced sandwich eaten with a fork. Assemble each burger by placing an open bun on a plate and adding a hamburger patty to each bun half. Next you will spoon chili over the top of each patty and sprinkle with chopped onion and crumbled bacon. Serve with Frito corn chips and carrot sticks on the side. This meal is hearty enough for even the biggest appetites.