Easy Meatloaf
I remember when growing up, meatloaf was a mainstay at our house. Then as the years went by, meatloaf gained a reputation as something that was boring and uninteresting to eat. Gourmet was the buzz word. I have noticed the past couple of years that meatloaf has gained in status and is more popular again. If you are looking for something that is budget friendly and quick to make for dinner, meatloaf has got to be at the top of the list.
I have experimented with a lot of recipes and came up with one that my family absolutely loves! This recipe can be varied a great deal to suit your own taste. It makes two meatloaves, and I usually freeze one for a night that I don’t feel like cooking.
Here’s my recipe:
1 lb. extra lean ground beef (I use 93% lean)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 large egg
1/3 c. quick oats
1/2 c. chopped yellow onion
2 slices of turkey bacon
1 tbsp. worchestershire sauce
dash of garlic powder
1/4 c. skim milk
BBQ sauce, Ketchup or tomato sauce
Preheat oven to 350°. Soak the oatmeal in the milk in a bowl for about 15 minutes. Then add all other ingredients except the BBQ sauce/ketchup and the turkey bacon. Mix all the ingredients together well, I usually use my hand and squeeze everthing together until it is all well blended.
Using two separate pans, shape 1/2 of the meat mixture into a circel about 8″ across and about 1 1/2″ deep. Place it in a non-stick baking pan that has been sprayed with a nonstick spray like Pam. Do the same with the other 1/2 of the meat mixture and place it in a second pan. Spread the BBQ sauce or ketchup on the top of the meatloaf. You can use tomato sauce if you prefer. Cut the slices of bacon in half, and lay each half side-by-side on the top of the meatloaf. Bake for about 1 hour or until done.
If you are going to freeze one, let it cool and then wrap it well before placing it in the freezer.
Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles
What cookie is always a favorite at a picnic or barbeque? Snickerdoodles! They taste great, are easy to pack and take because they hold up to travel. And they’re an all American favorite.
This recipe that I tried today is new to me. It is from Martha Stewart’s Cookies cookbook. The recipe that I have been making for years included cream of tartar instead of baking powder. This one uses baking powder, and I think that I like it better. I have written the directions in my own words, this is how I mixed them up.
2 3/4 c. All-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2c. plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350°. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter and 1 1/2c. of the sugar until mixed well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.
Add the flour mixture and mix until well blended. This only takes a minute to do.
In a small bowl mix together the 2 tbsp. of sugar and the 2 tsp. of cinnamon. Shape the dough into balls and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place the balls on parchment lined cookie sheets, spacing them out. They will spread as they bake.
Bake until the edges are golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. (They don’t last that long at my house! They also freeze well!)
Enjoy!
Chocolate Crackle Cookies
These cookies are a favorite of my family and are great to eat any time of the year! They are a lot like eating a brownie.
1/4 c. margarine or butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 c. all purpose flour
2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
Powdered sugar
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt margarine and chocolate, stirring constantly until smooth. If you have a double boiler, that works great! Remove from heat; cool slightly. In another bowl, mix together all dry ingredients except the powdered sugar. Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 300°. Shape dough into 1″ balls and roll each in the powdered sugar. Place on a cookie sheet covered with a piece of parchment paper. Note: the parchment paper isn’t required, but makes it easier to bake the cookies without them getting dark on the bottom. If you don’t use parchment paper, leave the cookie sheet ungreased.
Bake for about 13 to 18 minutes or until the cookies are set. They will spread and ‘crackle’ as in the picture above. Remove from the sheets to a wire rack. Cool completely.
The recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.
These cookies make great gifts as well!
Garlic Chicken Pizza
We love to make homemade pizza. It is easy to do, you can be as creative as you’d like, and it can be pretty inexpensive! I have a bread machine that I use to make my dough for the pizza crust. You can use any method you choose for the dough. I have included my recipe below so that you have that option if you’d like.
Garlic Chicken Pizza
For the toppings:
1 – 2 chicken breast – boneless and skinless preferred (I usually cook extra to use for other recipes)
garlic salt
1 – 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes – drained
roasted garlic (I make my own and store it in the refrigerator in olive oil)
1 small yellow onion – chopped
dried oregano
mozzarella cheese – grated
sliced mushrooms
1 large pizza crust (my recipe is below)
cornmeal for sprinkling on the pizza stone (optional)
Place the two chicken breasts in a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with garlic salt, and place in an oven heated to 350°. Bake for approximately 1/2 hour. Depending upon how thick your chicken breasts are, just make sure the chicken is not pink.
Remove from the oven and cut into small pieces. If you didn’t use boneless/skinless chicken, remove the bones and skin and then cut into small pieces. Set aside. You can refrigerate and set aside if you still need to make your crust.
I mix up my crust and roll it out. I then preheat the oven to 400°, place a pizza stone on the shelf in the middle of the oven, and heat it. When the oven has reached the correct temperature, I poke holes in the crust with a fork, and then place the crust on the pizza stone. You can sprinkle cornmeal on the stone before placing the crust on it if you desire. If you don’t have a pizza stone, place the pizza crust on any flat pan that it will fit on, and place it in the oven. I cook until the crust starts to brown a little on the bottom.
When the crust just starts to brown slightly, I remove it from the oven and spread on the drained, diced tomatoes. I then add the roasted garlic (do this to suit your taste), the chopped onion, the chicken, and the dried oregano. I then sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. Return to the oven and bake until the bottom of the crust is brown. This is usually around 20 minutes, depending upon your oven.
Top with sliced tomatoes if desired! (See below)
Bread Machine Pizza Dough
9 oz. water (slightly warm)
3 c. bread flour
1 1/2 tbsp dry skim milk (this is not instant milk. find this in bulk at most health food stores)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp butter
2 tsp dry yeast
Add ingredients to your bread machine in the order that the instructions for your machine indicate. Select the dough mode, and process. When completed, place the dough on a lightly floured board and let it rest for 20 – 30 minutes.
My Resting Pizza Dough
After the dough has rested, I roll it out (any way I can get it into a circle!), poke holes with a fork, and follow the directions above for baking.
Slice of Garlic Chicken Pizza
I hope that you enjoy!
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