Peggy's Meatloaf

Hi Bloggers!

Today I am sharing one of the easiest recipes of all time... Meatloaf. I love this dish because it takes very little prep time. Also, it requires just enough bake time to pop in the oven and forget about it, so you can serve drinks and entertain as your friends arrive. It just happens to be my husband's all-time favorite meal. The best part is that most of the ingredients should already be on hand. Once your pantry is stocked, you only need to buy the beef.

I tried several recipes before falling in love with the perfect meatloaf -- this recipe was given to me by my sweet friend and coworker, Peggy. Don't you just love her name?!

Ingredients:

- 1 pound of ground beef per 2-3 people (I prefer ground sirloin because it is the leanest of the ground beefs)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup grated parmesian
- spash of milk
- 1/4 cup grated onion (optional)
- 1 tsp red pepper chili flakes (optional -- although it adds a tasty little "kick")

Sauce:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup spicy or dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon of honey (or brown sugar)

Step 1 -- Plop the meat in a bowl. Mine is already slightly brown on the edges from defrosting in the microwave. Make sure your meat is completely thawed so you can mix it by hand!

Step 2 -- Add spices to the ground meat and mix together by hand. That's right, take off those rings and get your hands dirty! Mix, mix, mix... Add egg, breadcrumbs, and onion. Mix by hand some more.

Step 4 -- After adding breadcrumb, your meat lump may become a little dry. Add a splash of milk to moisten your loaf and to sop up the rest of those breadcrumbs. Add the parmesian cheese.

Step 5 -- Refrigerate in bowl for up to eight hours or cook immediately. Roll meat into a "loaf" shape and bake at 375*F for 1 hour. More meat and / or a thicker loaf may require more time in the oven. You will need to cook your meatloaf in a pan because a small amount of grease will drip off during cooking. You can use a loaf pan or a baker, which will collect the liquid and will require draining after cooking. I prefer to use a broiler pan, and I cover the base with foil to catch the drippings. It makes for easy clean up.

Step 6 - Time to mix the sauce. Whisk together ketchup, mustard, worcestershire and honey. Spread the sauce across the top of the meatloaf after it has been cooking for 40 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve immediately. I always transfer the loaf to a pretty serving dish and cut into slices for easier serving.

Happy Meatloaf Mixing!

Never Stale Frozen Banana-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ever made homemade cookies that NEVER go stale? Try these delicious frozen banana-oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies!

I wish I authored this easy recipe myself, but the credit goes out to The Adams Family of Highland Park, Texas. I spent most of my high school days trying to find a reason to go over to their house just to get my hands on Mrs. Adams famous chocolately treats. She genereously kept them in the freezer at all times. They are reasonably healty too!

Directions -- In a stand mixer add:

- 3/4 cup of butter at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar -- cream / mix
- 1 egg -- cream / mix
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon -- mix it again
- 1 cup mashed banana (about four bananas) -- mix some more

-- STOP! HALT! --

Turn mixer off and mix remaining ingredients by spatula. This cookie has heavy flour and oats, so avoid overmixing to keep them light and fluffy.

By hand, add:
- 1 3/4 c. dry oats -- mix by hand
- Chocolate chips... usually a 12 oz. bag.

Do you loooove chocolate? Don't we all... I am a middle child, so I have a tendancy to "out-do" and add a little more. Despite my efforts to cut back in this recipe, I always end up with "a little cookie with my chocolate". Oh well, some flaws you just have to embrace.

You can make them as small or big as you like... Bake at 400*F for 8-10 minutes. If they even remotely look like they are starting to turn brown, TAKE THEM OUT IMMEDIATELY!!!!! Usually 8 minutes does the trick! We like ours more on the doughy side. They are delicious right out of the oven and just as good frozen -- days later or even weeks later! Keep them in a large baggie for a sweet treat when ever you get that chocolate craving.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Is your man a lover of meat and potatoes? Here is a dish that is easy to prep and will melt in your mouth (and melt your man's heart)!

Now, being a working girl, I do not get to spend as much time in the kitchen as I would like. Don't get me wrong, I love my job -- But coming home around 7:00 PM does not afford me much time to prep a complete meal. The solution? Slow cooker meals. I'm talking healthy meals -- from scratch -- that do not require you to slave over a stove all day. All you have to do is prep... wait... and come home to a house that smells delicous and warms your tummy on a chilly Fall evening!

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 8 hours on low heat (Don’t freak out…. You don’t even have to be home while it cooks!)

Note: The key to pot roast is to cook on low heat for a long time. You can cut your cook time in half without compromising tenderness by cooking for high heat. Alternatively, if you do not have a slow cooker, you can make this meal in a dutch oven and bake at 275*F for 5-6 hours. However, slow cookers are inexpensive and very practical.  I suggest you invest. In my view: bigger is better because we like leftovers!

Ingredients: Look at this list, people. Short, simple, organic. I love knowing exactly what is going into my meal:
- 2-3 pound rump roast (chuck roast is great too but has a higher fat content) -- This will feed one woman, one very hungry man, with plenty of leftovers
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled
- 3 stalks of celery, chopped
- 8-10 yukon gold potatoes
- 2 cups of beef broth or stock
- salt and pepper


1. Prep your veggies -- wash the potatoes; cut and chop celery, carrots, and onion. You can do all this one day in advance. Put all veggies in the base of the slow cooker.

2. Salt and pepper your meat on all sides.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan; sear roast on each side for 1-2 minutes on medium-high heat. This step seals all of the juices and flavor into your meat.

 

4. Place meat on top of vegetables. Pour beef broth / stock into the pot.

 

5. Place potatos around the meat and on top of veggies. This will keep them from becoming mashed or soggy.

6. Slow cook for 8 hours on low heat for a never-fail meal that will impress your man. The result? A complete and hearty pot roast that is so tender you can cut it with a fork. I would have uploaded a pic of the finished product in the slow cooker, but The Hubs already helped himself to a bowl before I got home! I gobbled this up shortly after:

To all you ladies out there: my friend Hallie posted a similar recipe on her blog a la Pioneer Woman and titled it “How to Get a Husband”. I can't say I disagree... Thanks Hallie!

Happy Fall to All!

Breakfast for Two... Or Twenty

My husband is the best man in an upcoming wedding. Sticking to his best man duties, he organized and hosted the bachelor party. It was an out of town gathering at a lakehouse for an entire weekend. Now ladies, I know what you are thinking... What will I do with weekend all to myself? In my head, I'm envisioning hot baths, a couple of naps, maybe some shopping on Saturday afternoon. Before I can enjoy any such delights, I have to put on my party planning hat and pack up enough food together to feed twenty dudes. The hamburgers, sausage dogs and extras were a cinch. The tricky thing... breakfast. Men are great at cooking breakfast... for one. Try cooking for twenty hungry men. This takes some planning.

I decided on egg casserole. Easy to prep, easier to bake. The best part is, I can prep this for the hubs a day in advance, freeze, and send him away with two days worth of breakfast. (Side note: I was in such a rush, I did not have time for photos. Sorry friends, blogger fail.)

Step 1 -- Saute one package of Owens pork sausage, which can be found in your local supermarket. Like spicy? Try their hot sausage for an added kick. Drain grease.

Step 2 -- Cut the crust off of several slices white bread (gasp, yes I said it and yes, I did use white bread.). For some reason, white bread just works better, although technically, any sandwich bread on hand will work. Line the bottom of a 9 x13 baker with the crustless slices.

Step 3 -- Sprinkle sausage over bread.

Step 4 -- Sprinkle shredded cheese over sausage. The cheese goes on before the egg to prevent burning during baking. Use your discretion. If you like it cheesy, pour it on. This is a creative step -- different cheeses can dress up your dish. My personal favorite is freshly grated pepper jack, but the hubs will not touch the stuff, so this dish gets plain old Colby Jack.

Step 5 -- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs together. Use 10 large eggs for a 9 x 13 baker. Five to six eggs for an 8 x 8 pyrex.

Step 6 -- Add 1.5 cups of milk. Combine with egg mixture.

Step 7 -- Pour egg / milk mixture into the pan, making sure to cover any exposed bread.

Bake at 350*F for 45 minutes. Taking it to a friend's house? Freeze casserole prior to transport and for preservation for up to three days. Be sure to thaw it out before cooking. Best served with corn tortillas and salsa. Your man and his friends will not go hungry.