Now that we are on the back side of Lent, bring on the meat, seven days a week! I won't deny it, beef has always been a main staple in my diet but as I've aged other proteins have found their place on our weekly menu. Lots of pork, sea food and fish too. But when you buy beef in bulk you end up with a large amount of ground beef. Now what?

It used to be that a package of ground beef was the stand-by for many last minute dinner decisions. But if you keep it frozen, that presents another step most people just don't care to deal with. So in a perfect scenario your ground beef is thawed out and ready to go. Spin the recipe wheel.

My favorite ground beef recipes in no particular order:

Grilled Burgers - Simple! How can you mess this up? Your prep is all in the toppings. Sautéed sliced onion, crispy bacon and cheese. Just don't overcook the burger. I want mine to run down my chin after taking each bite.

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Taco Meat - Again, pretty easy. Doesn't matter if the ground beef is prepared for a taco, taco salad, enchilada or tostada. Make each simple by adding diced onion halfway through browning the meat.

Meat Balls - Can't think of anything better that goes with our made-from scratch marinara. Minced onion, minced fresh garlic, oregano, ground pepper, one beaten egg and a couple shakes of Old Bay seasoning. Trust me.

Goulash - This was one of the first dishes I learned to make. You can almost pull out one of everything in your pantry to make this dish. Stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, celery, green pepper and ground pepper. And the choices are endless if you add a pasta.

Chili - Always made to stock the freezer with several containers of leftovers. Don't forget the biscuits.

Meatloaf - Did your grandma teach you how to make this too? Again, a much varied recipe. And if you are brave try Emeril's Over the Top Bacon, Egg & Cheese Meatloaf. (Have 911 on speed dial)

Easy Ground Beef Recipe Ideas

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