One simple freezer recipe is taco meat. I prefer to use my own spices to avoid preservatives and other additives. When I make this for the freezer, I simply cook up 3-4 lbs. of ground beef at a time. The recipe below is for one pound of ground beef — so double, triple, quadruple, etc. the recipe, divvy it up into containers, and freeze.

Freezer Taco Meat Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion (or onion powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water

Brown the ground beef. While the ground beef is cooking, combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. After the meat is cooked, drain. Then, add the water and dry mixture to one pound cooked hamburger. Heat over medium heat for a 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool. Place in a freezer-safe container, label, and freeze.

When ready to use: Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and heat through before serving or heat straight from the freezer in the microwave or on the stove.

I use the meat to:

• Make tacos (you can stretch it by adding black beans or kidney beans)
  
• Make taco salad (add lettuce, sliced tomatoes, shredded cheese, black beans, and taco meat served over tortilla or corn chips)
• Put it in tortillas with cheese and salsa to make quick burritos.

**This post is part of the Five Days of… series over at iHomeschool Network.  Be sure to visit and see all the other wonderful posts from my lovely and talented friends!  This series is sponsored by Beech Retreat (a new conference for Christian homeschooling bloggers).