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Bacon Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes
Turkey and bacon give the classic sloppy joe a frightfully tasty new spin. Freddy Krueger may invite himself to dinner! —Janine Smith, Columbia, South Carolina 2 / 40
Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Meatballs
You’ll usually find a batch of these meatballs in my freezer. The slightly sweet sauce nicely complements the spicy pork sausage. —Genie Brown, Roanoke, Virginia 3 / 40
Mini Meat Loaf Sheet-Pan Meal
I grew up with this meat loaf recipe, but I adapted it to mini meatloaves so that it would bake more quickly. The sauce topping is always a hit. I added the potatoes and asparagus to make the meal easier. —Deanne Johnson, Reading, Pennsylvania 4 / 40
Easy Baked Beans
My family enjoys this easy baked beans recipe with cornbread, but it also rounds out any cookout. Canned pork and beans make meal prep quick. —Phyllis Schmalz, Kansas City, Kansas 5 / 40
Cheeseburger Pepper Cups
I like to serve my grandkids something special, and this is one of their favorites. They like red or yellow peppers because they’re sweeter and look more appetizing. —Betty Winscher, Royalton, Minnesota 6 / 40
Sweet and Savory Brisket
I like this recipe not only because it makes such tender and flavorful beef, but because it takes advantage of a slow cooker. It's wonderful to come home from work and have this mouthwatering dish waiting for you. The beef doubles as a warm sandwich filling, too.—Chris Snyder, Boulder, Colorado 7 / 40
Simmered Smoked Links
A tasty sweet-sour sauce glazes bite-size sausages in this recipe shared by Maxine Cenker of Weirton, West Virginia. “Serve these effortless appetizers with toothpicks at parties or holiday get-togethers,” she suggests. 8 / 40
Weeknight Goulash
With this recipe, you can put in a full day’s work, run some errands and still get dinner on the table in hardly any time. Make it extra-special by serving the meat sauce over spaetzle. —Cyndy Gerken, Naples, Florida 9 / 40
Cheeseburger Crescent Ring
This is an easy entree that can be put together quickly after a long day at work. I guarantee that adults will enjoy it as much as kids do. —Stephanie Hurd, Oxford, Alabama 10 / 40
Currywurst
When I used to I lived in Berlin, Germany, one of my favorite things to eat was currywurst and pomme frites. After I came back to the states, I created my own version, which is a pretty close second.—Julie Merriman, Seattle, Washington 11 / 40
Homemade Sloppy Joes
I simmer a big batch of this hot and tangy sandwich filling, then freeze the extras. Just thaw and reheat it for a quick dinner. —Sandra Castillo, Janesville, Wisconsin 12 / 40
Cheeseburger Stuffed Pasta Shells
You could call this a comfort food mashup made in heaven. Jumbo stuffed pasta shells are loaded up with cheeseburger goodness in a dish that will soon become a family favorite. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 13 / 40
Toasted Reubens
New Yorkers say my Reubens taste like those served in the famous delis there. For a little less kick, you can leave out the horseradish. —Patricia Kile, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania 14 / 40
Party Meatballs
These meatballs in a sweet, tangy sauce can be made a day in advance and reheated. We usually serve them at birthday parties. – Irma Schnuelle, Manitowoc, Wisconsin. 15 / 40
Meat Loaf Muffins
Serve these tangy meat loaf muffins for dinner or slice them up for a take-along sandwich lunch. They're just as flavorful after freezing. —Cheryl Norwood, Canton, Georgia 16 / 40
Savory Beer Pork Chops
These tender chops cooked in a savory sauce are perfect for a hectic weeknight because they're so easy to prep. Try them with hot buttery noodles. —Jana Christian, Farson, Wyoming 17 / 40
Cowboy Calico Beans
This is a tradition at the table when my girlfriends and I go up north for a girls’ weekend. The husbands and kids are left at home, but the slow cooker comes with us! —Julie Butsch, Hartland, Wisconsin 18 / 40
Beefy Chili Dogs
For years, people have told me I make the best hot dog chili out there. It’s timeless, it’s family-friendly, and I carry the recipe with me because people ask for it. —Vicki Boyd, Mechanicsville, Virginia 19 / 40
So-Easy Sloppy Joes
Everybody in the family will love the zesty, fun flavor of this simple staple. Try it spooned over warmed cornbread if you don’t have buns. —Karen Anderson, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 20 / 40
Cheeseburger Soup
A local restaurant serves a similar cheeseburger soup but wouldn't share its recipe with me. So I developed my own, modifying a recipe for potato soup. I was really pleased with the way this all-American treat turned out. —Joanie Shawhan, Madison, Wisconsin 21 / 40
Delicious Oven Barbecued Chicken
A friend made this saucy chicken for us when we had our first child. I pared down the recipe to make it lower in fat and calories. Now it’s a family favorite, and even the kids ask for this baked bbq chicken breast. —Marge Wagner, Roselle, Illinois 22 / 40
Three-Bean Baked Beans
I got this recipe from an aunt and made a couple of changes to suit our tastes. With ground beef and bacon mixed in, these satisfying beans are a big hit at backyard barbecues and church picnics. I'm always asked to bring my special beans. —Julie Currington, Gahanna, Ohio 23 / 40
Family-Favorite Cheeseburger Pasta
I created this cheeseburger pasta recipe to satisfy a craving. What a delicious, healthy classic! —Raquel Haggard, Edmond, Oklahoma 24 / 40
Spicy Butterscotch Wings
We love big-time-spicy chicken wings. I do a caramel sauce to balance the heat, but you could also glaze the wings with melted brown sugar. —Aaron Salazar, Westminster, Colorado 25 / 40
Blackberry Sriracha Chicken Sliders
Dump everything in a slow cooker and watch these spicy-sweet sliders become an instant party time classic. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland 26 / 40
Buffet Meatballs
I need only five ingredients to fix these easy appetizers. My grape jelly and ketchup meatballs make an appearance at almost every potluck and party. —Janet Anderson, Carson City, Nevada 27 / 40
Cheeseburger Quesadillas
I created these fun cheeseburger quesadilla mashups in honor of my family’s two favorite foods. They are so yummy and easy to make! —Jennifer Stowell, Deep River, Iowa 28 / 40
Skillet Shepherd's Pie
This is the best shepherd's pie recipe I've ever tasted. It's very quick to make, and I usually have most—if not all—of the ingredients already on hand. —Tirzah Sandt, San Diego, California 29 / 40
Cornflake-Coated Crispy Bacon
I've loved my aunt's crispy-coated bacon ever since I was a child. Now I've shared the super simple recipe with my own children. We still enjoy a big panful every Christmas morning—and on many other days throughout the year! —Brenda Severson, Norman, Oklahoma 30 / 40
Li'l Cheddar Meat Loaves
I got this recipe from my aunt when I was a teen and have made these miniature loaves many times since. My husband and three children count this main dish among their favorites. —Kathy Bowron, Cocolalla, Idaho 31 / 40
Dill Pickle Hamburger Pizza
My husband’s favorite foods are pizza and cheeseburgers, so I combined the two in a pizza with mayo and dill pickle juice topping. People who try it start laughing because it’s so good. —Angie Zimmerman, Eureka, Illinois 32 / 40
Cranberry Turkey Sloppy Joes
Want a holiday spin on sloppy joes? This combination of turkey and cranberries is a big hit with everyone who tastes it! The flavor has a touch of sweetness, a touch of salt—just right for a holiday get-together. The slow cooker makes it easy to keep warm on a buffet. —Christine Grimm, Mount Wolf, Pennsylvania 33 / 40
Tempura Chicken Wings
When I moved to Kansas City from Texas, I brought many of my mom's best-loved recipes with me, including these saucy sweet-and-sour wings. The recipe is so good it turned a friend who's not a fan of chicken into a real wing lover. —Susan Wuckowitsch, Lenexa, Kansas 34 / 40
Beef & Bacon Gnocchi Skillet
This gnocchi dish tastes like a bacon cheeseburger. Go ahead and top it as you would a burger—with ketchup, mustard and pickles. —Ashley Lecker, Green Bay, Wisconsin 35 / 40
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
With four small children at home, I need quick yet filling meals. This family-favorite BBQ chicken sandwich filling is a cinch to make. For a spicier taste, eliminate the ketchup and increase the amount of salsa to 1 cup. —Leticia Lewis, Kennewick, Washington 36 / 40
Cranberry Meatballs
Lots of people have asked me for this recipe, but I knew I had a real winner when my grandmother asked me for it! —Tammy Neubauer, Ida Grove, Iowa 37 / 40
Slow-Cooked Reuben Brats
Sauerkraut gives these beer-simmered brats a big flavor boost, but it’s the special chili sauce and melted cheese that put them over the top. Top your favorite burger with some of the chili sauce; you won't be sorry. —Alana Simmons, Johnstown, Pennsylvania 38 / 40
Saucy Beef & Cabbage Supper
My beef and cabbage supper began as an idea for a gluten-free Reuben sandwich. We also make this dish with smoked sausage. It’s comforting on cooler days. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas 39 / 40
Ranchero Supper
This hearty dish is quick and easy to fix after a busy workday. We like to use hickory and bacon baked beans and serve it with fruit or a green salad for a complete meal. —Karen Roberts, Lawrence, Kansas 40 / 40
Jerk-Seasoned Meat Loaves
I wanted meat loaf, but also something unique, so I decided to spice it up using Jamaican jerk seasoning. My family loved it! I complete the meal by serving it with string beans and yams. —Iris Cook, Batavia, Illinois Originally Published: March 31, 2021