Mini Meatloaves

So, Matt and I are both not feeling well. Meatloaf just sounds so good when you feel sick with a cold. We would never eat a whole meatloaf made with 2 lbs of meat so I searched for a smaller recipe. I found the perfect one. These are just like the big loaf mom used to make. I loved it.

Ingredients:

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup quick cooking oats (I used breadcrumbs)

1 tsp salt

1 pound ground beef

2/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*

In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats, and salt. Add the ground beef, mixing well and form this mixture in to eight miniature meatloaves. Place in lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.

Source: allrecipes.com

Pumpkin Chocolate Quick Bread

YUM is all I have to say! I love this. I enjoyed a big chunk for breakfast this morning. When I was baking it last night, our apartment smelled SOOOO good. Go make it now for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 can 100% pure pumpkin

1/2 cup canola oil

4 large egg whites

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*. Coat two loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. (do this, trust me :])

Melt morsels in medium, microwave-safe bowl on high power for 1 minute. Stir. If not melted continue, microwaving at 10 to 15 second intervals. Stirring just until melted.

Combine flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder in large bowl. Stir well.

Whisk together sugar, pumpkin, oil, and egg whites in large bowl. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups pumpkin mixture to melted chocolate, stir to combine. Spoon half of pumpkin mixture into bottom of each prepared pan. Spoon pumpkin-chocolate mixture between pans. Top with remaining pumpkin mixture. Smooth down top.

Bake for 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in bread comes out clean. (my oven took only 50 minutes so check early!) Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Source: Very Best Baking

Buff Chick Lasagna

Matt loved this. Me, I though it was ok. That could be because I am coming down with a nasty cold and all I want to eat is soup and meatloaf. I think it will be a great thing to make for game night though. This lasagna for the guys and something else for the girls. We will see.

For the recipe please visit the AMAZING A Year of Crock Potting Blog

Honey Glazed Chicken

This dish was ok, not great but ok. Made as is, I wouldn't make it again. It smelled wonderful but I think if I were to tweak the cook time a bit and make extra sauce to smother the rice with, I'd have enjoyed it more. Below my suggestions are added into the original recipe in blue.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of diced uncooked chicken breast, cut into pieces

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

4 tbs. butter

1/4 cup honey

3 tbs. lemon juice

2 tbs. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. ground ginger (I omitted this)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350*

In a shallow dish combine the flour and seasonings.

Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.

Melt 2 tbs. butter in a shallow baking dish, large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer.

Arrange chicken in pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes (20 minutes) at 350*.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt remaining butter and add honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, and ginger.

After chicken has baked 30 (20) minutes, turn each piece over and pour sauce mixture over chicken.

Bake another 30 to 40 minutes (25 to 30 minutes) basting frequently.

Serve over rice.

I would also recommend making double the sauce and reserving half to pour over the finished dish. But, I like sauce. A lot.

Source: Telly's Tasty Tidbits

Menu: 11/20-11/27

Thursday: Ham Salad Sandwiches, Salad
Friday: Out to eat!
Saturday: Honey Glazed Chicken, Rice, Broccoli (I WILL get to this this week)
Sunday: Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lasagna, Rolls, Salad
Monday: Mini Meatloaves, Mixed Veggies, Baked Potatoes
Tuesday: Jambalaya, Broccoli, Cornbread
Wednesday: Spaghetti with Meatsauce, Green Beans, Cheddar Biscuits

Turkey Day! I'm bringing this casserole and this dessert. I may also make this bread.

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers For Two

Yum! Next time I'll leave out the cinnamon and add some extra pepper for some heat but overall it was very good.

Ingredients:

2 large bell peppers

1/4 pound ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Dash of ground red pepper

1/3 cup uncooked rice

1/2 cup water

Directions:

Cut thing slice from stem end of each bell pepper to remove top, seeds and membranes. Rinse peppers.

Cook beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat in skillet until brown. Drain.

Stir in tomato sauce, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and red pepper. Stir in rice. Divide beef mixture evenly among peppers.

Pour water into 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker; stand peppers upright in cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or until peppers are tender. Garnish with cheddar cheese.

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Cheesecake Bars Photo!!

Here they are! Yummy and Matt approves! Please ignore the ugly wallpaper. I can't wait until we OWN a home :)

Philadelphia 3-Step Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

No picture yet. It's still chilling. I'll post a picture tomorrow. If I remember :)

Ingredients
2 packages (8 oz each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup melted butter
3 tbs. strawberry preserves
1 cup Cool Whip
1 cup strawberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350*

To make crust, mix graham crackers and melted butter. Press into a 9x9 pans lined with aluminum foil.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and mix just until blended.

Pour mixture into crust. Dot top of batter with preserves. Cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect.

bake 40 minutes until center is almost set. Cool. refrigerate several hours or overnight. Serve topped with the whipped topping and raspberries. Store in refrigerator.

Ham and Cheese Macaroni

Ok, so I forgot to take a photo when the meal was finished. So, you'll have to live with one just before it went in to the oven. This was good. Not great, but good. I think next time I will play around with the cheeses a bit more.

Ingredients:

8 ounces macaroni

1/4 cup butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 cups milk

1/2 tsp prepared mustard

2 1/2 cups colby cheese

4 ounces cooked ham, finely diced

1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degree F

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, drain.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Saute garlic 30 seconds. Whisk in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until smooth. Pour in milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil for 1 minutes. Stir in mustard and colby. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted. Remove from hear and stir in pasta and ham.

Pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesean.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden.

Traditional White Bread

Yum! This is a great sandwich bread and was very simple to make since I used my Kitchen Aid mixer to mix and knead the dough.

Yield: 2 loaves
Ingredients:
2 (.25ounce) packages active dry yeast
3 tbs. white sugar
2 1/2 cups warm water
3 tbs. lard, softened (I used shortening)
1 tbs. salt
6 1/2 cups bread flour

Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Stir in lard, salt, and two cups flour. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Whent he dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and eleastic, about 8 mintues.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. (I set my oven to warm, turned it off and placed the dough in the oven).

Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves wiht a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Cool in pan.

Menu: 11/13 - 11/19

Thursday: Pick up at store
Friday: Slow Cooker Taco Soup, Corn Muffins
Saturday: FFY
Sunday: Honey Glazed Chicken, Rice, Broccoli (never got to this last week)
Monday: Mac n Cheese with Ham, Peas (this either)
Tuesday: Beef Pasta Bake, Green Beans
Wednesday: Crock Put Stuffed Peppers, Smashed Potatoes, Bread

Menu: 11/6-11/12

Thursday: FFY
Friday: Pigs in a Blanket, Cruncy Roasted Potatoes
Saturday: FFY
Sunday: At Matt's Parents'
Monday: Mac n Cheese with Ham & Peas
Tuesday: Ravioli & Meatballs, Green Beans
Wednesday: Honey Glazed Chicken, Rice, Broccoli