Cheap. Fast. Good!

Cheap. Fast. Good! is about planning smart, shopping smart, cooking smart, and eating smart. If you're interested in saving time and money, and in making dishes that your entire family will like, this book is for you.

Always on the lookout for quick recipes, I really liked their skillet recipes. I especially liked "Lynne's Mom's Mince" since it uses ingredients I always have on hand - ground beef (well, in my case venison), rice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and gravy mix.

Lynne's Mom's Mince
Serves 4 and takes 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1. Salt for cooking rice
2. 1 1/3 cups long-grain rice
3. 1 lb. ground beef, fresh or frozen
4. 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
5. 1 large onion
6. 1 clove fresh garlic minced or 1 tsp. bottled minced garlic
7. 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
8. 1 envelope (about 1 oz.) brown gravy mix

Directions:

1. Bring 2 2/3 cups lightly salted water to a boil in a covered medium-size saucepan. Add the rice, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, if the beef is frozen, run it under hot water so you can remove the packaging. Place the beef on a microwave-safe plate and microwave, uncovered, on high power for 3 minutes to partially defrost.
3. While the ground beef defrosts, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Cook until the onion starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic to the skillet.
4. Add the ground beef (fresh or partially defrosted) and cook, stirring often, until the meat is crumbeled and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes more. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
5. While the beef cooks, pour the gravy mix into a 2-cup or larger glass measure. Add the amount of water called for on the package and whisk well. Set aside.
6. When the beef has cooked, add the gravy mixture to the skillet and stir well. When the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until ready to serve. To serve, spoon about 3/4 cup over each serving of hot rice.

Other ideas: serve mince over mashed potatoes with a vegetable, such as frozen peas. Or you can try the mince served over baked potatoes or noodles, with any vegetable on the side to round out your menu.

(For more recipes, go to the Good Morning America website.)

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