Magic Mince Recipe please?

earth_moon, Nov 10, 4:19am
Hello all.Does anyone have the magic mince recipe that was posted to this board sometime ago please!I thought I had saved it, but apparently not.Would appreciate it if someone could share it here please!I checked using the 'search' function, but to no avail.Many thanks in advance.
Cheers!

lindylambchops1, Nov 10, 5:37am
This isn't what you want but might be useful!

$13 mince mix makes base for 7 meals

This super basic mince recipe saves me up to $100 a month on takeaways, thanks to the convenience of having meals already 'half made'.

All you need are:
2kg minced beef
2 cups of red lentils
2 tbsp of vegetable stock powder, or four vegetable stock cubes
1 tsp dried garlic granules
1 dsp dried onion flakes
4 cups of water.

Place all the ingredients into a crockpot and cook on high for two hours, stirring every 30 minutes. It should be thick, aromatic and an unattractive brown colour (don't let this worry you!).

One batch costs just $13 to make and is enough to serve as a base for seven meals for our family (two children and two adults). This saves heaps of money and time too. I usually freeze the mince in margarine tubs, as that seems to be the right amount for one meal for our family.

The meals I made are:

1. Piemaker pies.
Allow one heaped tablespoon of basic mince per pie. Pour the mince into a small saucepan and add a large spoonful of gravy powder, or a dessertspoon of cornflour and some Vegemite for colour. Heat and stir until thickened. Spoon into pastry cases and cook in the piemaker.

2. Mexican enchiladas.
I use Mountain Bread or make my own crepes. Lay the bread or crepes in u-shapes in a large baking dish. Mix the mince with an equal amount of tinned or home-made refried beans. Spread the mixture in a sausage shape down the middle of each crepe, fold each side of the crepe over, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake at 180C until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve on a bed of rice, topped with natural yoghurt and some salsa.

3. Stuffed capsicums.
Halve enough capsicums for half or one per person. Spoon the mince straight into the capsicums, top with some mashed potato, pumpkin or sweet potato. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 40 mins at 180C. Kids love these as the capsicum sweetens when baked.

4. Baked spuds with topping.
Allow one potato of appropriate size per person. Cook in the microwave according to manufacturer's instructions. Split a cross in the top and pile filling into the opening. Top with natural yoghurt or sour cream and chopped, sauteed bacon. Allow one large tablespoon of filling per potato. Mix the filling with one tin of baked beans and heat in a small saucepan before pouring on to the potatoes.

5. Spring rolls.
Mix about four tablespoons of mince mixture with a packet of cooked and cooled Two Minute Noodles, some shredded carrot, and 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice. Using filo pastry sheets or spring roll wrappers, fold a small handful of filling into each spring roll. Spray liberally with cooking spray and bake at 180C for 20-30 mins.

6. Greek pasta bake (Pastito).
Heat a container of mince mixture with a 400g tin of peeled tomatoes. Cook enough macaroni for your family and drain well. Mix with the meat mixture and spoon into a large baking dish and top with your favourite white sauce or cheese sauce. Sprinkle on some grated cheese and bake for 40 minutes at 200C.

7. Shepherds pie.
Add any vegetables of your choice to the mince mixture. Place into a baking dish and top with mashed potato, pumpkin or sweet potato then bake until heated and the potato browns.

earth_moon, Nov 10, 6:58am
Thank you Lindy.Not quite what I was looking for, but certainly worth saving.!Cheers!:)

cmjbp, Nov 10, 6:45pm
Great recipe and $ saving ideas thanks lindy

kara101, Nov 11, 5:19pm
You can also fry up mince and add the new Pams satay sauce in a sachet along with some soy sauce and water and veges and noodles.Makes a slightly different stirfry than the normal and is really yummy.

Also you can use mince for enchilada's, just fill the enchilada with cooked mince, , top with some pasta sauce and cheese and bake them in oven till golden.

Meatballs is a good old fashioned favourite.

Meat patties, pan out with chopped onion, carrott, bread, pumpkins seeds and anything else you can lay your hands on lol!

Meat loaf, mince, sausagemeat, onion, one egg, seasonings, and yhou can also put in weatbix or crumble weatbix on top.

twindizzy, Nov 11, 7:35pm
I know someone that makes a 'magic mince'. Mince, onion, curry powder, carrots, potato, peas, pineapple, water !

Probably not the same though.

245sam, Nov 11, 7:55pm
earth_moon, I'm not familiar with the recipe you have requested however I may be able to find it with a bit more info'.can you please describe the type of mince dish that it is!:-))

earth_moon, Nov 12, 8:22am
Sure.The recipe I was looking for had a topping, that was buttered sliced bread on it then sprinkled with cheese, then popped under the grill to 'finish off'.I know I could do the same thing with most mince stuff, but the recipe that was posted just had a certain something added to it, and for the life of me, I cannot recall what it was. (must be getting old.):)
- by the way, sorry for the late response.have only just gotten back on here.And thank you all for your responses so far.

245sam, Nov 12, 8:36am
earth_moon, somewhere I have a recipe for a mince dish with that topping - the recipe is not from the MB, it's in one of my books and from memory I think it had packeted soup mix and green peas + ! Do you think that may be what you're wanting!:-))

245sam, Nov 12, 8:50am
Is it this one!From the former Trademe Cooks.

"Try this.
Brown the mince (with onion if you have some), cook the pumpkin & silver beet together and mash. place in a dish in layers. Butter 3-4 slices of bread and cut each into 9 squares. Place these in a layer on top of the meat & vege mix, covering it completely. Any extra pieces can be randomly scattered on top. Place in a moderate oven till heated through, and the bread is crisp & golden brown. This is a good topping for any dish. A layer of grated cheese under the bread is a good addition.
posted by letitia":-))

245sam, Nov 12, 8:50am
Edited to delete the duplication of the above posting/recipe as at#10 - sorry.:-))

letitia, Nov 12, 1:04pm
I do another variation of this recipe too.Brown mince and chopped onion, grated carrot & finely chopped silver beet, (or veges of your choice) seasoning with pepper and beef stock. Gently mix in a tin of spaghetti and a dessertspoon or two of curry powder (adjust the amount according to how hot you like it).Sprinkle with a layer of grated cheese, then the topping of buttered bread.Bake in a moderate oven till heated through and the topping is crisp and golden.

vampiriousmist, Nov 12, 6:51pm
Thanks Lindy - will have to try this !

katalin2, Nov 12, 6:59pm
I used to make a mince dish years ago when my kids were little- from memory it was 500gms of mince, mix a packet of maggi mushroom soup in with half a cup of water, pour over mince and mix in well, put in casserole dish, cover with thick sliced bread, cover bread with grated cheese and bake.
It was a quick meal enjoyed by the whole family on busy days! (If you don't like mushrooms could use other soup flavour)

245sam, Nov 12, 9:04pm
katalin2, I did likewise and this is the recipe I have used, it's not the one with peas but maybe I just added them as an extra - I haven't made it for ages.

CHEESE CRUSTED MINCE
450g-500g mince
1 packet mushroom soup mix
1 cup each ofcold waterandgrated cheese
6 thick bread slices

Mix the soup mix and water.Add the mince and mix thoroughly, breaking up any lumps of mince.Place the mixture into a casserole dish.
Cut the crusts from the bread and place the bread on top of the mince mixture.Sprinkle the bread with the grated cheese.
Bake, uncovered, at160ºC-180ºCfor1 hour.:-))

245sam, Nov 12, 9:21pm
Here's another recipe I have used.

MINCE SURPRISE
500g steak mince
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp curry powder
1 large can spaghetti
1 cup grated cheese
4 thin white bread slices
butter

Brown the mince, then set it aside.
Cook the onions in the oil until golden and clear.Mix in the curry powder.
Thoroughly mix the mince, onion, curry powder, canned spaghetti, then put the mixture into a casserole dish.Cover with the grated cheese.Butter the bread and cut it into small squares, then place these on top of the cheese.
Bake at180ºCfor30 minutes.

The following is one that I still make if we have an evening meeting or similar and want an all-in-one, prepare ahead, easy to eat meal before the dash out the door……

CASSEROLE DINNER
1 tbspoilorbutter
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)
225g-340g mince
1 x 450g can spaghetti
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
2 tbsp each ofbutterandflour
1 cup milk
½ cup grated cheese
2-3 eggs
½ tsp salt
pepperandnutmeg to taste

Brown the onion and garlic in the oil or butter, then remove them from the pan and set them aside.In the same pan brown the mince.
In an ovenproof dish spread the spaghetti.Cover the spaghetti with the frozen peas, if using, then sprinkle over the browned onion and garlic and the browned mince.
Make a roux sauce with the butter, flour and milk.Into the thickened sauce stir the grated cheese.Remove the sauce from the heat and cool it slightly, then beat together and add the eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg.Beat to mix, then pour the sauce over the casserole ingredients.
Bake at180°Cfor½ hour or until the topping is golden brown and set.:-))

katalin2, Nov 12, 11:52pm
sounds like the same one- it was a good stand by for busy days. Your recipe sounds like the right one sam- I was just relying on my memory for quantities.

245sam, Nov 13, 12:13am
katalin2, I wasn't trying to say that your recipe was wrong and you did well to remember it as you did, especially if like me you haven't made that mince meal for a number of years.
Am wondering where you got the recipe from originally!The above recipe came from a 1973 Nelson District Country Girls Club book that was compiled to celebrate the 25th Jubilee of the NZ Federation of CG Clubs and the holding of the National AGM in Nelson.The book was obviously gifted to me because I have never lived in/near Nelson nor have I belonged to any Country Girls Club.:-))

earth_moon, Nov 14, 8:11am
Hi Folks.Thank you all so much for sharing such great looking recipes. I have copied them - so thank you again.Thank goodness for the versatility of mince huh!I quite like the sound of the Mince Surprise.
Cheers Everyone. :)

katalin2, Nov 14, 10:31am
Sam, I can't remember where the recipe came from- I thought it might have been in my La Leche Cookbook but can't see it in there. I know it was the late 70's when we lived in Wellington- it may have even been in the paper or from a magazine; I know it was passed around my friends at the time so someone might have given it to me.If I come across the source will let you know. It brings back memories- I can see me making it for my wee grandson who is just starting on solids in about a years time!

tony556, Nov 28, 8:33pm
I found this one on here a while back and adjusted it to suit myself. This is how I make it:

Brown 500-700g mince with 1 finely chopped onion, 2 cloves finely chopped garlic. Add 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tin spaghetti, 1 tin of baked beans, 2 tsp brown sugar, 1/4 c tomato relish-roughly. Add 1-2 c cooked mixed veges. Put in ovenproof dish and cover with buttered bread. Sprinkle over grated cheese. Heat through until the cheese bubbles