I love this meal because:

• it’s delicious – savory and so good 
• it’s healthy – made with fresh ingredients 
• it’s fast – ready in about 30 minutes 
• it’s a one pan wonder – made in one pan makes for less dishes and that makes a happy momma! 

This Mediterranean dish is versatile and if you prefer, you can leave out the ground beef for a delicious vegetarian dish.
I use zucchini or just whatever squash I have on hand. Enjoy the recipe!

~Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

Print

Zucchini and Black Bean Beef Skillet

Zucchini and Black Bean Skillet is an easy dinner to throw together that is delicious and healthy. Ground beef with rice, beans, and zucchini and tied together with tomatoes and seasonings make it a one pot wonder that your whole family will love.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Black Bean, Ground Beef, Main Course, Rice, Zucchini

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 4 small zucchini quartered lengthwise and diced
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cans 15 oz each Black Beans, drained & rinsed or 3 cups
• 1 can 28 oz Petite Diced Tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Add ground beef, onion, and bell pepper to a large 13” skillet over medium heat. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sauté until ground beef is browned.
• Add zucchini and oregano and let simmer for a couple minutes.
• Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, and rice. Stir well and let cook until zucchini is soft.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
• Turn off heat and sprinkle with cheese.
• Serve and enjoy!

The post Zucchini and Black Bean Beef Skillet appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

These homemade Runzas, also called Bierocks by a lot of people, are fluffy dinner rolls stuffed with a filling of savory cabbage, ground beef, and onions. Simple, hearty, and filling!

Runzas are famous in Nebraska and surrounding regions. They even have a restaurant called Runzas. We had friends in Nebraska who introduced them to us. But we also had family in Kansas who call them Bierocks. Same thing, different name. They’re just handy little hearty hot pockets! 

I make my own dinner roll dough but you can buy frozen dinner roll dough and use it for a quicker recipe. I’ve even used my bread dough sometimes. 
And my kids always like to fill a couple with pizza sauce, pepperonis, and cheese for a pizza hot pocket. You can stuff these with any filling you want.

True Nebraska runzas do not add any cheese to the filling but that is something you could add if wanted. The original runzas are so simple and basic. Just cabbage, ground, beef, and onions with some seasonings.

Ingredients Needed for Homemade Runzas: 

• water, lukewarm with a temperature between 105-110, warm enough to activate the yeast and not too hot to kill it
• sugar
• salt
• yeast, I use instant dry yeast 
• butter, I use salted butter for everything 
• bread flour
• ground beef
• onion
• cabbage, I usually double this recipe for our family which is nice because then I use the whole head of cabbage
• pepper
• garlic powder
• egg, for the egg wash

How to Make Runzas:

• Make the dinner roll dough and let it rise.
• While the dough is rising, make the runza filling.
• Punch down the dough and divide it into equal pieces and shape each piece into a smooth ball
• Roll out each dinner roll and spoon some filling on it.
• Bring the dough up over the filling and pinch it shut 
• Place on a baking sheet and brush with the egg wash.
• Bake for 25 minutes in 375 degree oven until lightly browned and golden
• Enjoy!

I always make a double batch of this recipe for our family. It uses the whole head of cabbage and there’s some leftovers for lunches the next day. These also freeze well but we usually don’t have enough to freeze! 
I use my cast iron skillet to make the filling. Cast iron is my favorite and I can’t get enough of it! It lasts forever and works so well for so many things. When I double the recipe I use my 13” skillet but when I make a single batch, a 10” skillet works just fine. 

If you are looking for more hearty family dinners check out these other recipes of mine:

• Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti 
• Lasagna Soup 
• Swedish Meatballs 
• Creamy Bacon Potato Soup 

Enjoy the runzas! It’s a great recipe to make with the kids. They love helping roll out the dough, spoon the filling, pinch the dough shut, and brushing on the egg wash. 
~Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.   ~Rachel 

Print

Homemade Runzas also called Bierocks

Runzas are fluffy dinner rolls that are stuffed with a savory filling of cabbage, ground beef, and onion. Kind’ve like a German hot pocket.

Course Main Course

Cuisine German

Keyword Bread, Cabbage, Ground Beef, Main Course

Prep Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 12 Runzas

Ingredients

Dough:

• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp instant dry yeast
• 2 tbsp butter melted
• 4-5 cups bread flour

Filling:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/2 head of cabbage
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 egg plus 1 tbsp water for egg wash

Instructions

To Make the Dough:

• In the bowl of a mixer, put the water, sugar, salt, and sprinkle the yeast on top. Add the melted butter and gradually add the flour as you mix and knead the dough. Add flour gradually until you have a nice smooth dough. Knead for about 5 minutes.
• Turn the dough over and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
• Punch down dough and divide into 12 equal pieces with a dough cutter. Shape each piece into a smooth roll by pinching the dough together and then rolling it in the palm of your hand.

To Make the Filling:

• While the dough is rising, go ahead and prepare the filling.
• In a large cast iron skillet, brown the ground beef and season it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add the onion and sauté until ground beef is cooked through, about ten minutes.
• Add the chopped cabbage and stir. Cook until the cabbage is tender.

To Assemble the Runzas:

• Roll out each ball of dough and spoon filling onto the center. Pick up each corner of the dough and pinch it together on top, bringing the rest of the dough together until it’s pinched shut. Flip over and place on baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water with a fork and using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the runzas with it.
• Bake in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

The post Homemade Runzas also called Bierocks appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

Swedish meatballs are moist and flavorful and have a unique taste from adding nutmeg and allspice. If you’ve ever been to IKEA and had their delicious Swedish meatballs, this is very similar to those. I just need to figure out how to make lingonberry sauce! I serve these on mashed potatoes with a veggie on the side for a delicious meal. 

Traditionally Swedish meatballs are made with both beef and pork and that’s how I like to do it. Adding the breadcrumbs and milk to the meat gives it a texture that’s similar to Salisbury steak which I love. 

Ingredients Needed:

• ground beef
• ground pork 
• panko breadcrumbs 
• onion
• eggs
• whole milk
• allspice
• nutmeg
• garlic powder
• pepper
• salt
• olive oil
• butter
• flour
• beef broth
• heavy cream 
• Worcestershire sauce 
• Dijon Mustard 
• fresh parsley, dried can work too 

How to Make Swedish Meatballs: 

• Mix all the meatball ingredients together in a bowl. I use my hands because it’s just easier to combine it all. 
• Shape the meat mixture into 4o small meatballs, around 1” in size. 
• Heat up a large skillet, add about 1 tbsp of the olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter and then add the meatballs. Cook evenly on all sides. 
• Remove cooked meatballs and place on a pan. 
• In the same skillet, make the gravy.
• Return the meatballs back to the gravy.
• Simmer till heated through. 
• Serve and Enjoy! 

This is a great family friendly meal that the kids love. Here’s a couple other recipes that your family will also enjoy: 

• Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
• Lasagna Soup
• Beefy Noodles 

Happy Eating! 
~Rachel Ballinger 💕

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.” 

Print

Swedish Meatballs

Swedish meatballs are juicy and flavorful and always a hit. If you’ve ever been to Ikea and had their meatballs, these are very similar. A delicious meal when served over mashed potatoes with a veggie on the side.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Swedish

Keyword beef, Ground Beef, Main Course, Meatballs, Pork

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• Olive oil and butter for frying the meatballs

Gravy:

• 8 tbsp butter one stick
• 6 tbsp flour
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine the ground beef, panko bread crumbs, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, onion, garlic powder, pepper, salt, eggs, and milk. Mix until thoroughly combined. I use my hands. 

• Shape the meat mixture into 40 small meatballs.
• In a large 13” skillet over medium-high heat, heat some olive oil and butter. Add the meatballs and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning continuously until brown on each side and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

• To make the gravy, melt the butter in the skillet. Whisk in the flour and sauté until it turns brown, whisking continuously.
• Slowly stir in the beef broth and heavy cream. Add the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and chopped fresh parsley and simmer until it starts to thicken. 

• Add the meatballs back to the skillet and simmer for a couple minutes.
• Serve over mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles.

The post Swedish Meatballs appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

This simple cabbage soup is full of nutrients and great for a quick dinner. Made with ground beef, cabbage, tomatoes, and chicken broth, it’s one of those simple hearty meals that are surprisingly delicious and feel like home.  

There is something comforting about a simple soup made with humble ingredients like ground beef and cabbage. It’s nourishing and healthy and delicious. Warms you up from the inside out.

This soup was adapted from my cabbage goulash recipe which I’ve been making for years. I was going to make the goulash one day and discovered that I didn’t have any tomato paste on hand and in that moment I decided to turn it into a soup. Soup is my favorite food group! I left out the tomato paste and added chicken broth. Other than that it’s basically the same recipe. 

Ingredients needed for Cabbage Soup:

(Scroll down for the complete recipe with full measurements and instructions.) 

• ground beef
• onion
• chicken broth
• diced tomatoes 
• vinegar
• chili powder 
• garlic powder
• salt
• black pepper 
• cabbage 

How to Make Cabbage Soup: 

• Brown the ground beef and chopped onion in a skillet. Season the meat with additional salt, pepper, and garlic powder with it cooks. I ALWAYS season all my meat while it’s cooking instead of waiting till afterwards. It holds the flavor in better that way and gives it an incredible boost.
• In a large pot, put the cooked ground beef and the rest of the ingredients except the cabbage and stir. 
• Add the chopped cabbage and simmer on low until cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. 
• Serve and enjoy!

Here’s to many meals that consist of simple comforting soups,

Rachel Ballinger ☕️♥️

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

Print

Simple Cabbage Soup

This simple cabbage soup is full of nutrients and great for a quick dinner. Made with ground beef, cabbage, tomatoes, and chicken broth, it’s one of those hearty meals that are surprisingly delicious. 

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword beef, Cabbage, soup

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 8 cups chicken broth more if desired
• 1 - 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 head of cabbage chopped

Instructions

• In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion. Season with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder while it’s cooking.
• In a large pot, add the cooked ground beef and the rest of the ingredients, except the cabbage and stir.
• Add the chopped cabbage and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Enjoy!

The post Simple Cabbage Soup appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

If you’re looking for the perfect meal for a chilly autumn evening, this pumpkin chili will hit the spot. Full of warm spices and protein, the ground beef pairs perfectly and unexpectedly with pumpkin and cinnamon to make a dish that will satisfy your fall food cravings! 

And if you want to elevate the autumn vibes experience, serve the soup in a big pumpkin! So much fun and the kids and adults alike love it. Scrape off bits of the cooked pumpkin from the inside and add it to the soup for extra flavor.

Reasons to make this pumpkin chili:

• Because its’s the perfect fall dish! Warm and cozy and full of protein. 
• It’s fast to throw together. A quick delicious homemade meal. Make a pan of skillet cornbread to go with it and you’ll make everybody happy. 
• If you decide to serve it in a pumpkin, you’ll make the best fall memories for your kiddos. They’ll never forget when mom served the chili in a pumpkin. 

How to Prepare the Pumpkin for Chili:

Step One:

Pick a nice round pumpkin. Wash it and dry it off. 

Step Two: 

Using a large, sharp knife, cut the top off in a circle around the stem. Remove the seeds and strings from the inside of the pumpkin. Save them to roast for a snack or feed them to your chickens!

Step Three:

Drizzle the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. 

Step Four:

Place on a baking pan or large cast iron skillet and bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour or until soft. You don’t want it falling apart and sagging, it needs to held its shape still. You can prick it with a fork along the top or in the inside to see if it’s soft. 

Step Five :

Ladle your prepared soup into the pumpkin and place the lid on it until ready to serve. If your husband is nearby, have him pour the chili into the pumpkin for you. Much faster!
I like to set the filled pumpkin in the middle of the table. It makes a beautiful centerpiece! 

I doubled the recipe for the amount of chili shown in the pictures. I got the inspiration for this pumpkin chili from The Pioneer Woman. She’s amazing and her food is always delicious. Here’s the link to her recipe: Pumpkin Chili.

So just prepare your pumpkin and while it’s baking in the oven, make the chili and cornbread. Set the table, gather the family, and make some beautiful autumn memories together. 🍂

Lots of Love, 

~Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

”A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

Print

Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin chili is perfect for chilly autumn evenings! Full of all the classic chili flavors with a hint of cinnamon and pumpkin.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Chili, dinner, Ground Beef, Pumpkin, soup

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 15-oz cans fire-roasted tomatoes, not drained
• 1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• Cornbread shredded cheddar cheese for garnish, sour cream, and roasted pumpkin seeds if desired

Instructions

• In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the ground beef and season with a little salt, pepper, garlic powder.
• After cooking a couple minutes, add the chopped onion and bell pepper. Keep sautéing until beef is cooked and veggies are softened.
• Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon.
• Stir in the tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, pumpkin puree, and chicken broth.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, about 20 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve with cornbread, cheese, sour cream, and roasted pumpkin seeds if desired.

The post Pumpkin Chili appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

If you love the classic flavors of lasagna but don’t have the time or patience to make it, then this recipe is for you. You literally just put everything into a pot and it turns into this amazing dish. My daughter ate it and immediately requested it for her birthday meal. I love when a recipe is a solid family hit. No complaints!

Scroll down for complete recipe with measurements and instructions. 

Ingredients Needed:

• ground beef
• salt, pepper, garlic powder 
• large onion, chopped
• minced garlic
• petite diced tomatoes
• spaghetti sauce
• chicken broth
• dried basil
• dried oregano
• dried parsley
• salt
• pepper
• lasagna noodles
  
• heavy cream
• cottage cheese
• shredded parmesan
• shredded mozzarella

Don’t you just love a good one pot meal? This is one of the best ones you’ll ever try, trust me! Brown the meat and onion in the pot, add the sauce, broth, cheese, and pasta and cook till noodles are soft. It’s really that simple. So delicious! Make some warm buttery garlic breadsticks to go with it. The kids dip them in the soup and absolutely devour the whole meal. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe! 
~Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”     ~Rachel 

Print

Lasagna Soup

All the classic Italian flavors of lasagna but in soup form and ready in just 35 minutes. Creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor, this lasagna soup is sure to become a family favorite!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Lasagna, Main Course

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• salt pepper, garlic powder to taste
• ½ large onion chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes
• 24 ounces spaghetti sauce
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 12 lasagna noodles
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup cottage cheese
• ½ cup shredded parmesan
• shredded mozzarella

Instructions

• In a large pot add your ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic. Season the meat to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Over medium heat sauté everything until the meat is fully cooked through.
• Add diced tomatoes (do not drain), spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper to the pot of cooked meat.
• Add the heavy cream, cottage cheese, and shredded parmesan to the pot. Give everything a big stir to combine.
• Break the lasagna noodles into bite size pieces and add to the soup pot. Stir everything to combine.
• Allow soup to cook on medium-high heat until the pasta is al dente. After noodles are done remove the pot from the stove and serve topped with shredded mozzarella and enjoy!

The post Lasagna Soup appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

Print

Beefy Noodles

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword beef, Pasta,

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 16 oz egg noodles cooked and drained
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 large onion chopped
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cups beef broth
• Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Instructions

• Cook and drain the egg noodles according to package instructions while you’re cooking the meat. Season them with salt and pepper and then stir in half a stick of butter for extra goodness.
• In a skillet, brown beef and onion. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder while cooking. Once browned, stir in the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning. Next stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two, stirring often. Gradually pour in the broth while stirring. Keep cooking for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely thickened.
• Pour the beef gravy over the cooked egg noodles in a large pot. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Stir and serve!

The post Beefy Noodles appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.