Rosemary Meatloaf

The boyfriend found this recipe (originally from food.com, now geniuskitchen.com) years ago.  It is now our go-to meatloaf recipe.  And I was horrified to realize earlier today that I had never blogged it.  We usually use fresh rosemary (unless the store is out) and a bit more than is called for.

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs
3⁄4 cup milk (or water or broth)
3⁄4 cup rolled oats (quick or old-fashioned)
2 teaspoons instant minced onion
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1⁄2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1⁄2 teaspoon rosemary, crumbled
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
2 lbs lean ground beef
1⁄2 cup ketchup


DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, beat eggs slightly with a fork.
Add milk and oatmeal and let stand until liquid is absorbed (about 5 minutes) Stir in remaining ingredients, except meat; mix well.
Add meat, using your hands or a sturdy spoon and mix until well blended.
Shape into a loaf in your baking pan.
Make an indentation (trough) down center of loaf and fill with ketchup.
Bake for 1 hour or until loaf is done (should not be pink in the middle).
Remove from oven and cover with foil--let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving and it will cut nicely.

Salsa Mac and Cheese

The boyfriend found this recipe a couple of days ago.  It was time to try something new, so I figured why not.  I can't say I'm always keen on playing with my mac and cheese, but I do love salsa and sour cream.  I'm glad I decided to try this one!!

Ingredients

• 3 cups uncooked small shell pasta, cooked and drained
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 Tbsp. all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 cups 2 % milk
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 4 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 (16 oz.) jar of your favorite Medium Salsa

Instructions

1. Cook macaroni until al dente, drain, and set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a large pan, under medium heat, melt the butter.
4. Add the flour, and stir until smooth for about a minute.
5. Stir in the milk and sour cream while stirring until thick.
6. Add the salt and pepper and stir.
7. Stir in the cheese until melted.
8. Add the salsa, stir.
9. Add the macaroni and mix well.
10. Pour into a casserole dish, and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.
11. Serve hot.
12. Serves 6.
13. *To freeze- prepare as usual, but do not bake. Cool, cover and freeze in a freezer and oven safe container. When ready to eat, move to the refrigerator overnight to defrost, and bake as usual in the evening.
14. Enjoy!

Creamy Honey Mustard Bacon Chicken

This is one of the many (many!) pins I've saved on Pinterest.  It looked good so I saved it and I finally thought I would make it.  I had chicken thighs in the fridge (thinking I would just do my simple roasted chicken thighs with one of my Penzeys spices.  But here was this recipe as I was scrolling through my pins looking for ideas for the coming week - and she said chicken thighs would work too.  And I had milk and cream in the fridge - no extra stops at the store to get special ingredients.  Win!  It did take longer (as per usual) than the blogger said (could have been how long it took the bacon - I used what I had left in the fridge, a half pound - to cook).  And I skipped the parsley.



Ingredients

1/3 cup honey
3 level tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, (or 3-4 cloves crushed garlic)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to season
5 skinless and boneless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs)
1/2 cup diced bacon, trimmed of rind and fat (I used 4 small bacon rashers)
1/3 cup cream (light or reduced fat) *SEE NOTES FOR SUBSTITUTION OPTIONS
1 cup milk (skim, 2% or full fat - almond milk may be used for a dairy free option)
1 teaspoon cornstarch (corn flour) mixed with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large, shallow dish, combine the honey, mustard, garlic, oil and salt to taste (not too much salt if serving
with bacon as the bacon will add a salty flavor when served). Coat chicken evenly in the sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat a nonstick pan (or skillet) over medium heat. Fry bacon until crispy; transfer to a plate. To the same pan,
sear chicken fillets on each side in the oil left over from the bacon until just beginning to brown (about 3
minutes per side -- not completely cooked through as we will finish them in the sauce).
3. Add any remaining honey mustard sauce into the pan along with the cream and milk. Bring to a simmer while
stirring occasionally to mix the flavors through the sauce (about 3 minutes), until the chicken is cooked
through. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate.
4. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the centre of the pan, mixing it through the sauce until it thickens. Place
chicken back into the pan; coat with the sauce. Top with the bacon and garnish with parsley.
5.Serve over steamed / roasted vegetables for lower cal options. Also great with pasta, rice or mashed
potatoes!

One-pot chili mac and cheese

The boyfriend found this recipe.  I admit, I looked quickly and thought "eh" - I read it as chili in my mac and cheese and I didn't want anybody messing with my mac and cheese!  But I'm so glad he convinced me to try it!  It's really a beanless chili recipe with pasta added, and the sour cream and cheese that you would put on top - it's stirred in.  Actually, it's become one of our favorite dinners.  Note: we use plain petite diced tomatoes and skip the two optional ingredients (hot sauce and green onions).

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2. 1 pound lean ground beef
3. 1 onion, diced
4. 2 cloves garlic, minced
5. 14-ounce can Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes With Green Chiles
6. 1 tablespoon chili powder
7. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
8. 1 teaspoon dried oregano
9. 2 cups water
10. 1 cup milk
11. 8 ounces pasta, shells, or any short cut pasta of your choice
12. 1/2 cup sour cream
13. 2 cups shredded cheddar
14. 4 green onions, chopped (optional)
15. Hot sauce, optional

Directions

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, add the olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef along with the onion and a small pinch of salt. Cook the mixture for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until the ground beef is fully cooked and the onions have developed some color (make sure to break up the ground beef as much as you can using a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
2. Add the water, canned tomatoes, milk, chili powder, cumin, and oregano; bring mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the pasta, adjust the seasoning to taste, cover the pot with a lid, and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Once the pasta is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until fully melted along with the sour cream.
5. Serve with some chopped scallions and a few dashes of hot sauce.

Sweet Dilly Pickles

My sister sent me this recipe several years ago from the August 2013 issue of Family Fun.  This isn't a sweet pickle recipe.  It's a perfect recipe for delicious pickles!

When I don't have fresh dill, I use extra dill seed.  Also, I don't make them in individual jars.  I just pour them all together in a large bowl.

Also, I'm cheating and just posting the picture of the recipe that she sent me.

Baked Potato Salad

I have been making this recipe for years, but am now finally blogging it!

I don't use reduced-fat anything, so I used regular sour cream.  I recommend making the bacon extra crispy.  Otherwise, you'll end up with limp bacon, which isn't very appealing!

I found this recipe on Pinterest, originally, but I can't find the link at the moment.  

Baked Potato Salad

4 pounds potatoes, peeled

15 slices bacon

1 (16 ounce) container reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons dried chives

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, and allow to cool to room temperature. Dice once cooled.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Allow to cool, and crumble the bacon into a large bowl.

Place the cooled potatoes into the bowl with the bacon, and mix in the sour cream, mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, chives, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Laney's Georgia Peach Cobbler

A couple of years ago I read a book called Under a Summer Sky by Nan Rossiter.  Set in Cape Cod, Laney goes back to her family farm in Georgia to get peaches to make peach cobbler.  I have been meaning to catch the peaches at the store and make it myself since I read it.  And I love a book that includes recipes to the dishes talked about.  So I made the version Laney makes (although she has five boys - she must have made the doubled version!)  I started with measuring out the dry ingredients in two bowls.  As I added the peaches to the sugar and spices, I would give it a stir to coat the new pieces.  After I put the peaches in the oven, I just had to cut in the butter and add the water to cobbler portion.

Peaches:
7-8 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
sprinkle of nutmeg
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch

Cobbler:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

Sprinkle:
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly butter 9-by-9-inch glass baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch..  Spread peach mixture in bottom of pan.  Bake for ten minutes.

While baking, sift together 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until evenly crumbly.  Stir in boiling water until blended.

Remove peaches from oven and drop the dough in spoonfuls onto the hot peaches.  Spread a bit and sprinkle with both sugar and cinnamon.  Bake for 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.  Yum!

Recipe can be doubled for a 9-by-13-inch pan.