Probably one of the most versatile items on your grocery list–and it undoubtedly almost always is on your grocery list–is ground beef.

When you’re in a quandary over what to fix for supper, or when you’re looking for an economical entree, or when you’re pressed to put a meal together in a hurry, ground beef comes to the rescue.

Although the possibilities with ground beef are almost endless, you might sometimes find yourself stuck in a rut, using the same old recipes over and over.

Not anymore. Following, in honor of the national cattle industry’s “October is Beef Month” observance, are some fantastic recipes that give you new ways to dress up ground beef. They come your way courtesy of several of the Alabama Farmers Federation’s top-notch cooks from around the state.

Rounding out the column are a few sweets recipes with a definite “fall” flavor.