Quick Ground Beef Freezer Cooking

Freezer cooking does NOT have to be an all-day/all-weekend ordeal. Just doing some simple bulk cooking can save you SO much time in the kitchen during that dreaded getting ready for dinner time!
For example, this afternoon I did a quick batch of freezer cooking with a an almost 8lb. package of lean ground beef. In just barely over an hour, I processed all the beef to yield us prepared meat for at least 8 dinners--8 hamburger patties, chili, seasoned taco meat, & meat sauce for pasta! And, better yet, it only required two dishes and such a money saver too!

Here's how:
- get out one large stock pot & large "frying" pan
- divided the ground beef package into quarters (for me this was just shy of 2 pounds each)

- place 1 quarter in the pan & 1 quarter in the stock pot. Add your favorite "taco" seasoning to the meet in the pan. We happen to like this Six Seasonings blend from Santa Fe Seasons--it's sodium free! Let it brown.

- Add chopped onion to the meat in the stock pot & let brown together (this is for the chili)
- While those are browning, take another quarter (plus a little extra from the last quarter) and patty it up for hamburgers (I made 8--6 "adult"-sized & 2 kiddie-sized). Place each patty on a piece of wax paper and put them in a freezer bag. 

- Once the meat in the pan is brown, set it aside to cool. 
- Add the rest of your ingredients to your pot for chili (recipe coming soon! now here) and let the chili simmer!
- After this, place your taco meat in freezer containers/baggies.
- Use that pan to brown up your last chunk of meat. Add some garlic & tomato sauce to make a homemade meat sauce!

And, voila, enough prepared meat for at least 8 meals for our family made with minimal cleanup in just over an hour (not counting the chili simmering)! Woot! 

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