Italian Meatloaf “Cupcakes” with Mashed Potato Frosting

Savory meatloaf is flavored with Parmesan, Italian herbs, and marinara sauce, baked in a muffin pan, and then topped with seasoned mashed potatoes in these easy to make, fun to eat Italian Meatloaf "Cupcakes"

For Meatloaf "Cupcakes" -

1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 egg
2/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup marinara or pasta sauce, DIVIDED
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
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For Mashed Potato "Frosting" -

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions

Arrange rack in center position of oven and preheat to 450°F. Grease a six-cup muffin pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, Italian breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup marinara sauce, grated Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, evenly divide meat mixture between the six muffin cups, smoothing the tops of the mounds. Carefully spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the individual meatloaves. Place the muffin pan on a foil-lined baking sheet (to prevent spills and aid in clean-up) and bake for 20 minutes, or until meat is cooked through. Use a spoon to help lift meatloaves out of the pan (the grease released by ground beef will have accumulated at the bottom of the muffin cups) and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
To make Mashed Potato "Frosting," warm leftover mashed potatoes and milk in a small pot set over low heat, stirring until smooth. Stir in Parmesan, garlic powder, and dried herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Mound potatoes on top of mini meatloaves after they come out of the oven. 

Notes
If you have fresh herbs on hand, you may substitute them for the dried. Since fresh herbs are not as potent, the typical conversion is to use 3 times the amount of fresh herbs as compared to dried.
You may add 1 cup of finely minced/grated veggies (carrots, onions, celery, bell peppers) to the meat mixture, if you wish.
This recipe feeds a small family, but you'll want to double it for a large family.
You may use a spoon to spread the mashed potatoes on top of each meatloaf, or you may scoop all of the mashed potatoes into a gallon-sized plastic baggie. Cut off a 1-inch piece from one corner of the bag, push the potatoes into that corner, and use the bag as a "piping bag" to swirl the mashed potatoes on top of each meatloaf.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

http://www.fivehearthome.com/2015/04/16/italian-meatloaf-cupcakes-with-mashed-potato-frosting/

4.14

Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole

Ingredients

• 16 oz spaghetti noodles
• 2 lb jar of marinara sauce
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheese ( I use cheddar/Colby blend)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9X13 pan or two 8X8 pans.
2. Boil noodles according to package, drain and stir with a drizzle of olive oil so they don't stick together.
3. In a stand mixer combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Mix well and set aside.
4. Brown ground beef and onion until no longer pink. Drain. Add in jar of marinara sauce and stir.
5. Begin by layering half of the noodles in the bottom of your greased pan.
6. Top with 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese.
7. Layer on the cream cheese mixture.
8. Top with remaining noodles.
9. Spread marinara sauce with ground beef over top.
10. Bake for 30 minutes then sprinkle with 2 cups cheese and return to oven for another 15 minutes.
11. Let cook for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
12. Enjoy!
13. *If you want to freeze this, double wrap the casserole in heavy duty foil with instructions written on top. Thaw over night in fridge and top with cheese the last 15 minutes as directed.

\:http://joyfulmommaskitchen.com/million-dollar-spaghetti-casserole/

Chicken Burrito Casserole

 

Heat oven to 350

 

Place chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Add burritos, cutting to fit in a tight single layer (you will need 10 to 12 burritos, depending on the brand).

Scatter the chicken over the top.

In a medium-size bowl, mix together milk, soup, 1 cup of the cheese and the olives. 

Pour mixture evenly over the chicken and burritos.

Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Cool slightly before serving; sprinkle with cilantro leaves, if desired.

 

*This is a easy & fast recipe for those day you need a lazy day easy and fast recipe (-:

Pork and White Bean Chili

 

It is hard, as a writer, to not get too…preachy. Or to ramble. Or be boring. Three things that are more difficult than you might  think. And for the most part, I believe that I succeed at being none of those things in my writing as long as…well, as long as I am not writing about anything too serious. I can write about my kids or my garden or my small town without too much stress. It’s easy to throw together a couple hundred words about whatever happens to be passing through my brain. But this post is different.
I must have written this post a half dozen times and erased every word because it was one, or all, of the things that I just mentioned. The reason I am having such a tough time is because that this is one post that I feel pretty strongly about. And I talk about this a lot with my friends and family ( and I’m sure they are sick of it). The thing that I feel pretty strongly about is simply – Food.

I feel like there is a huge disconnect in this nation between man and the food that they put in their mouths. The general population that surrounds me only thinks of food as a means to an end. In the words of my brother, food is just there to “make a turd” ( if you think that is shocking you should hear our other conversations). It bothers me that parents aren’t more concerned about making meals for their families that don’t have weird chemicals and hormones in them. It troubles me when I see a 300 pound woman walking through the grocery loading up with sodas, Little Debbies, and frozen pizzas all while yelling at her 4 year old who is bouncing off the ceiling while drinking a Diet Mountain Dew. I wonder where choices like that are going to take us as a nation.
Of course, I live way out in the country where the local Farmer’s Market can barely survive because many folks have their own garden, chickens and cows. Where a small population means the selection at any store is, at best, limited. And the people here are poor. The average income is well under $30k so that means a lot of people here are on food stamps. And I understand that processed and prepackaged foods are just plain cheap and whether or not there is any nutritional value there at least you aren’t going hungry.
But I have to wonder, how much of people eating the crap that huge corporations are pumping out is need, apathy, or just plain ‘ol ignorance. Is it not common sense to cook real food? I’m not talking “organic” this or “naturally grown” that ( although those are all good things) I’m talking being able to identify everything in your cart with one name; carrot, beans, flour, chicken, milk, etc. Instead of potato spuds, Hamburger Helper, Freschetta frozen pizza, Tyson chicken nuggets, etc.
I think people believe that cooking from scratch is hard or somehow so time consuming that you might as well pull out the cow’s head and the wood-fired oven. I recently taught a cooking class with some simple dishes; Butternut Squash soup, Foccacia bread, Braised beef and baked apples. I stood in front of the small gathering of “students” and showed them how to make good, simple, and real food. The reactions were mixed. Many were stunned that good cooking was so easy, a few were skeptical, “who makes there own bread?”. Hopefully though, those few students saw that cooking from scratch is easy and delicious.
And I hope that you also see that cooking wholesome homemade food is the best way to go. Homemade doesn’t have to be an “elite” food. Homemade can be what you make it. It can be cheap. It can be creative. It is certainly delicious.
A pork butt and a bag of beans can ( and probably will) feed you all week. I recommend starting this recipe with leftover smoked pork (made in the smoker/crock pot/oven)  and a bag of dry Northern beans. A little extra planning on the weekend can make your weeknights super easy.
 

Pork and White Bean Chili

Ingredients

For Beans:
• 3 cups dry white beans
• 2 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 1 qt. chicken stock
For Soup:
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-5 cups chicken broth
• 2- (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
• 1 T. ground cumin
• 1 t. oregano
• pinch of red pepper
• 2 cups cooked shredded pork ( or chicken!)
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings:
• sour cream
• cheddar
• diced jalapeno
• chopped cilantro

 

Instructions

1. Rinse and sort beans. Place them in a large pot, cover with water and soak overnight ( or do the quick soak method: Cover with water, bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand for 2 hours covered). Drain the beans, and return to the large pot. Add one quart of chicken stock, bacon and quartered onion to the pot. Add water until the beans are covered by 2 inches. Heat the beans to boiling, then reduce and simmer for 1-2 hours or until the beans are tender. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Saute onion and garlic until onion is tender. Drain the beans and add to the pot with the broth, diced chilies, cumin, oregano, and red pepper. Bring to boiling and simmer for 20 minutes. Mash beans slightly to thicken soup. Add the pork and chopped cilantro. Check seasonings. Top with sour cream, cilantro, cheese, and jalapeno. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe came from - http://eatinonthecheap.com/

Eggplant Lasagna

   Found this recipe while searching Pinterest -- looks so yummy! 

 http://www.carolinagirlcooks.com/eggplant-lasagna/

 

 

Someone asked me not long ago what type of food I like to cook best.  The southerner in me should probably say something like “fried chicken, of course!” but my absolute favorite is probably Italian.  I’m a pasta, cheese and sauce fanatic and there are about a million different things you can do with all three of those and not eat the same thing twice for a while.  Who doesn’t love a big ole pan of lasagna?!  This is missing a few of the standard elements of traditional lasagna, but it’s definitely not lacking in taste.  I replaced the noodles with slices of grilled eggplant and since ya’ll know I’m not much of a meat eater these days, I kept the veggieness going with spinach and mushrooms.  You could always add in other veggies as well to really step it up, but I went pretty basic.  This was absolutely delicious!  And by that I mean I ate it for lunch and dinner until the whole pan was gone.  This is another great dish to make, split and freeze the other half for later.

Enjoy!

Eggplant Lasagna

serves 12

2 large eggplants

1 box of frozen spinach

1 10 oz package of fresh sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

9 slices of swiss cheese (low fat is fine, it’s what I use)

9 slices of provolone cheese

1 1/2 cups of part skim mozzarella

1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1 15 oz container of part skim ricotta cheese

1 cup of cottage cheese, low fat

2 eggs

2 tsp of italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

Thaw the spinach and squeeze most of the liquid out.  In a medium saute pan, heat up a couple teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Brown the mushrooms, remove to a bowl and set aside.  Saute the chopped onion until softened.  Add the garlic and about 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/8 tsp of pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add the mushrooms and spinach and allow the spinach to get hot.  Set this mixture aside.

Brush a grill pan with with olive oil and heat to medium high.  Slice the eggplant longways.  Grill each slice for a minute or two on each side.

In another bowl, combine the ricotta, cottage cheese, eggs, Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper together.

In a 9×13 baking dish, spread a little sauce on the bottom.  Line the bottom with eggplant slices, top with a little of the ricotta mixture, add a veggie layer, sauce layer and then swiss, provolone and mozzarella.  Repeat until all ingredients are used ending with a sauce layer.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and fresh parmesan.

Bake at 375 for about 30-45 minutes until the cheese is gold and bubbly.

BANANA PUDDING CAKE

Ingredients
 
1 box yellow cake mix (& ingredients to make cake)
2 box (small) instant banana pudding
4 c milk
8 oz whipped topping
20 vanilla wafers, crushed
sliced bananas - use your own judgment

Directions

1. Prepare cake in 9 x 13 pan according to directions on box. When golden, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.
2. When just slightly cooled, use the handle end of a wooden spoon to poke holes into the baked cake. Don't be shy; make the holes big enough for the pudding to seep into and go deep enough with the spoon that you hit the bottom of the pan.
3. Next, prepare pudding mixture. Combine 4 cups of milk and pudding mix; whisk until fully combined and there are no lumps.
 4 Now it's time to fill those holes! Pour the pudding mixture ver the entire cake, taking care to get it into all your holes. Use the spoon to help really get it into the cake and spread evenly.
5 Refrigerate for about two hours... or until set. Top with whipped topping, crushed vanilla wafers and sliced banana!

Salisbury Steak

Another great recipe from The Virtuous Wife... thank you Amanda!!

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup, undiluted
1 Tbl Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 ts prepared horseradish
1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1/2 cup water
Oil for browning the patties

Step 1

In a bowl, combine the soup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish; blend well. Set aside.

Step 2

In another bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs, onion, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of the soup mixture. Add beef and mix well.

Step 3

Divide meat into six patties. Brown the patties on both sides in the oil. Drain any grease.

Step 4

Combine remaining soup mixture with the water. Pour over patties. Cover and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink.

Step 5

Serve over cooked noodles, hot rice, or mashed potatoes.

Mama's Morning Casserole

Mama's Morning Casserole

Adapted from Gooseberry Patch Old-Fashioned Country Christmas .   I modified the recipe by using Dijon mustard instead of mustard powder and adding more cheese.  I prefer sharp cheddar  in this dish.   Makes 6 to 8 servings.  

6 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup biscuit baking mix (I use Bisquick)

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 pound bulk pork sausage, browned, drained and cooled (I prefer Jimmy Dean Original)

To beaten eggs, add milk, mustard and oregano.   Whisk until blended.

  Add in baking mix, cheese and sausage.  Mix well with a heavy wooden spoon.

 Pour into a greased 9×13 casserole dish.   Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for  60 minutes or until browned.  Serve warm.

Shrimp Creole

Shrimp Creole over brown rice

Shrimp Creole

• 1 pound of medium (peeled and deveined) shrimp
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 ribs of  celery, diced
• 2 TB Watskins Parsley or chopped 1/2 cup parsley
• 1 sweet bell peppers, diced ( I prefer red bell pepper)
• 2 cups water
• 1 TB Watkins Garlic Powder or 2 small cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
• 2 cups of diced tomatoes
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp Habenero Hot Sauce (or your choice of any hot sauce)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp Watkins Black Pepper
• 3 cups cooked rice

1. In a large skillet, sauté onions, celery, parsley and bell peppers until tender, approximately 4 minutes.
2. Add water, garlic, tomatoes and tomato juice and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Season mixture with Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, and hot pepper flakes and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Add shrimp and cook an additional 20 minutes, or until shrimp are curled, pink and tender. Mixture should be of a thick consistency. Serve over steamed white or brown rice.

Yield: 4 Serving

Chicken Tortilla Soup!

Fiesta of Flavor: Chicken Tortilla Soup

I’m a sincere lover of Mexican food – find this easy recipe!
All the flavor of a delicious taco, in a bowl, but healthier and lower in calories!! Sign me up, señor. 
On a cold winter day, there’s nothing I want more than a hot bowl of soup  And a nap..  Here’s my recipe for ‘taco in a bowl’.  It’s yummy yummy to your tummy.  Muy bueno.  Enjoy.

Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup

Pantry (Dry) Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Four 14 oz. cans chicken broth (or equivalent with bullion)

1 package taco seasoning

1 tbsp red taco sauce (mild or medium)*

4 oz. can diced green chiles (mild or medium)

6 oz. can tomato paste

8 oz. petite diced tomatoes – half the can and completely optional

3/4 tsp ground cumin

*add another tbsp taco sauce if you like it spicy

Fresh Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

14 oz. water

1 medium onion – finely diced

1.5 cups diced celery

1.5 cups diced carrots

1.5 cups roasted or frozen kernel corn

4 corn tortillas

1 cup shredded jack cheese

Sliced avocado (optional, if available)

Fresh cilantro (optional)

Start by dicing your onion, celery, and carrot.  In a large pot or dutch oven, soften your onion, celery and chiles in 1 tbsp vegetable oil for 3 – 4 minutes on medium low heat.

Add chicken broth, and then fill one can with 14 more ounces of water and add to pot.

Add carrots, corn, tomato paste, taco sauce, and cumin.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce heat to low. 

Meanwhile, coat your chicken breasts in taco seasoning.

Grill chicken breasts on an indoor grill or a panini maker for 6 to 8 minutes.  You can also broil in your oven for the same amount of time, but to me, the grilled chicken tastes better.

Once cooked, dice your chicken into chunks, then toss into soup pot.

Cook soup on low for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ten minutes before your soup is done (or before you intend to serve) thinly slice your corn tortillas.

Toss in pan with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, and stir on medium heat until lightly browned.

Soup can be made one day in advance, stored in fridge and reheated.  Serve hot by garnishing with fresh corn tortilla strips, shredded jack cheese and fresh avocado slices (if available).

Other optional garnishes: fresh chopped cilantro, squeeze of lime, sour cream, or diced fresh tomatoes.
One note on ingredients:  If celery, or diced tomatoes, or corn is not your thing, then simply leave it out.  No worries, amiga.  The great ‘taco’ flavor comes from the combination of the liquid ingredients and the dry seasonings.

This recipe serves six.  Total calories per serving: 300 including garnish of cheese and tortilla strips.  Add another 60 calories per serving for the avocado. 

Pizza Margherita

A Taste of Summer

A bouquet of fresh basil has an especially summery fragrance during the winter months.

Southwestern Tomato Sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 chopped green pepper
1/2 chopped onion
1 tbs fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp Natural Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend
1 tbsp Watkins Chili Powder
1-1/2 tsp Watkins Garlic Liquid Spice
3/ 4 to 1 tsp hot pepper sauce
Freshly ground, to taste Watkins Sea Salt
Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Serve over hot cooked pasta. Makes 4 servings

One of our favorite meals to make is Southwestern Tomato Sauce is Pizza Margherita. 

For the sauce, simmer all seasonings with diced tomatoes to preferred thickness. 

Pizza dough recipe :

Whole-Wheat Thin Pizza Crust Mix

Our delicious, fast-rising mixes make homemade pizza quicker and easier.
Save money and get a better pizza, made just the way you like it.
Makes one fantastically wholesome 14-inch crust.

Remove from oven and drizzle with Garlic & Parsley Grapeseed Oil 

or your favorite olive oil over crust and top with fresh tomato sauce. 

You may use fresh basil or add Watkins excellent All-Natural Gourmet Basil

Top with shredded Italian cheeses

Bake at 425 until done

Crockpot Lasagna

This is one of those easy meals for busy days!

1-2 jars Spaghetti Sauce

6-8 Lasagna Noodles

32 ounces Cottage cheese
1 1/2 Cup. Mozzarella Cheese
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

In a bowl mix cottage cottage cheese, 1 C. mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning.

In bottom of crockpot, place a thin layer of sauce.

Next, place a layer of uncooked noodles.  Break noodles to fit and cover as much sauce as possible.

Cover noodles with 1/2 of cottage cheese mixture.

Repeat layers and top with remaining 1/2 C. mozzarella cheese.

If your sauce is really thick, pour 1/2 cup of water around edges.
Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours or high 2-3 hours.
Serves 6.

You can adjust the amounts for your family size, add an extra layer or make a half batch for a small family.  Your measurements do not have to be exact--add extra cheese if you like it really cheesy!

Serve with garlic bread and salad!