Paula Dean's Basic Meatloaf

I tried this recipe out and loved it. No big surprise that it comes from Paula Dean. She makes great tasting food. I have been trying to find a good meatloaf recipe and right now this one ranks as the best right now in my book. I will keep trying others, but this one is delicious. Most meatloafs are pretty bland, but this one has a good flavor to it and smells yummy.

Yields: 4 - 6

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Topping:
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix all meatloaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.

Topping:
Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour.

Tips:
I left out the mustard based on the suggestions from others because I am not a big fan of mustard, and it tasted wonderful.

Classic Risotto

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon margarine
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 cup uncooked Arborio or regular long-grain rice
3 ½ cups chicken broth, divided (up to ½ cup additional broth may be needed at end of recipe)
½ cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Preparation:

1. In nonstick 10 inch skillet or 3-quart saucepan, heat margarine and oil over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Cook onion and parsley in oil mixture about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is tender.
2. Stir in rice. Cook, stirring occasionally until edges of kernels are translucent. Stir in ½ cup chicken broth. Cook about 3 minutes stirring constantly until broth is absorbed.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in 1 cup of the broth. Cook uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until broth is absorbed. Repeat, adding another 1 cup of broth. Stir in remaining 1 cup broth. Cook about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste rice. If rice is still “crunchy,” add more broth and continue to cook until rice is soft.
4. When rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, stir in cheese and pepper.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Tips:
This recipe compliments any chicken or steak entrée. When cooking this recipe, I usually half it since I cook for two, and I still end up with leftovers. Also, don’t be afraid to deviate from the time specifications as you may find your stove top cooks faster or slower. I usually do end up having to add extra chicken broth at the end to get rid of the “crunchiness.” Good luck!

Shells and Veggies Soup

Need something to warm you up this winter?

This recipe always works for me. Plus, it has tons of veggies in it (without the veggie taste), so it is a good way to get your serving of vegetables for the day. Trust me, my hubby is pretty much an anti veggie eater and he loves this soup.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 clove garlic, chopped
(I usually substitute garlic powder - conversions to cloves are usually on the bottle)
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1 can (14 oz.) crushed or diced tomatoes
1/4 cup small shell pasta
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/4 cup chopped frozen spinach
1/4 cup cubed zucchini
1/2 cup chopped carrots (or 10 baby carrots chopped)
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle over top)

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, parsley, basil, and oregano to saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
3. Add spinach, carrots, celery, and pasta. Cook 10 minutes covered at a low boil. Add zucchini and cook 7 more minutes.
4. Test for doneness by forking vegetables and pasta to see if tender. Continue to cook if needed.
5. Spoon into a bread bowl; add salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese to taste.

ENJOY!

One great thing about this recipe is that if you don't like something in it, you can easily change or modify it. The only thing I modify is the carrots. I am not a huge cooked carrot fan, so I usually do 5 baby carrots instead of 10, but like I said it is up to you and what you like.

Christmas Cheer

I know it has been forever since I posted anything! However, I am back now with a few ideas on decorating for the holidays.

Since moving into our bigger apartment, I realized that I have hardly any Christmas decorations at all. I felt like I was missing some of the "filler" type decorations. You know, the ones that take up space, but aren't your big items like your tree or nativity.

Well, I have been struggling to buy any because one, it's hard to find cute little things that don't feel like junk, and two, I have just been so busy and I would rather spend the money right now on Christmas gifts for others.

Well, I was at Michael's the other night and got in the creative mood to make my own!

Below are two of the items I created for under $10:

The first piece is one of my favorites because I love the smell of cinnamon. I bought these cinnamon sticks at Michael's for $2.49 for a pack of six, and at the time I had no idea what I was going to do with them. I only bought them because I liked how they smelled. So, I brought them home and put them in my grandmother's milk jar that she gave me before she passed away. Don't underestimate what you have lying around at home. Get creative and find ways to re-use things.

After that, I decided it needed a few extra touches, so I found a cute green ribbon I had lying around (you can buy ribbon at Michael's for a $1), and added the red berries I also bought from Michael's for $2.49 to add a touch of red to the piece.
In total, this piece cost me: $4.98

The second item I made was an accent piece for my dining room sidetable. I had this glass vase already, but I think you can get them for around $5 from Michael's. I love having unique glass vases on hand because I always seem to find uses for them some way or another.
I used the same berries from the above mentioned box that I bought for $2.49, and I decided that I wanted some other fillers to fill my vase, but you can use whatever you want (all berries, pinecones, christmas ornament balls, etc.). I bought one stick of pinecones (with three attached) for $.29 - usually you can find these in the aisle with the "make your own wreaths." I just snipped each pine cone off the stick and stuck it in my vase. I also did this same thing for the greenery. I just found a stick of evergreen for $2.09 and cut pieces of it off. Then, I combined them all together and filled it up. It was so easy! Literally, it took only 5 minutes to do!
In total, this piece cost me: $2.38
(I already accounted for the berries in the above estimate).


Well, I hope you can have fun and get creative this season while decorating! I sure enjoyed finding cheap ways to fill my new place up with Christmas cheer.

Parmesan Knots

Yields: 10 - 20 (depending on if you cut them in half or leave whole)

Ingredients:
1 tube (12 oz.) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 cup canola oil
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

Preparation:
You can either leave each biscuit whole or cut into halves. Then roll each piece into a rope and tie into a knot. Tuck the ends under. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; add the warm knots and gently toss to coat.

You can also use the toppings for breadsticks or any other type of bread you prepare. It is a great Italin flavor that compliments any meal.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients:
8 thinly sliced chicken breasts
8 thinly sliced deli ham
8 slices Swiss cheese
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups crushed corn flakes or any other breaded substitute (I prefer Ritz Crackers)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:
Top each piece of chicken with a slice of ham and cheese. Roll up and tuck in ends; secure with toothpicks.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs and milk. In another bowl, combine cornflakes and seasonings. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then roll in crumbs.
Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes (or until the chicken juices run clear). Discard your toothpicks before serving or you will have a nice surprise when taking your first bite!

I loved this recipe. A great idea that I have not tried yet, but you could cut the proportions down and make miniature Cordon Bleu that would serve as a wonderful hot Hor D'oeuvre.

Peaches 'n' Cream Cups

Yields 2 Servings

Ingredients:
1 gingersnap cookie, crumbled
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 carton (6 oz) peach yogurt
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup sliced peaches, drained and chopped

In a small bowl, combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs and ginger; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, beat the yogurt, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the peaches.
Spoon the mixture into two 6 oz. custard cups; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. After 1 hour take out and sprinkle with the gingersnap cookie crumbs.