Stuffed Meatloaf

This meatloaf might look complicated, but it's very simple to do, and very yummy too! You'll look like a pro when you serve this one!


Stuffed Meatloaf

Ingredients:
(yields 5-6 servings)



1.5 lbs ground meat (you can mix any kind that you like, I used 1 lb italian sausage and 1/2 lb ground beef).
4 slices bread (any kind will do)
3 hard boiled eggs (see how to do this here)
2 raw eggs
3/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
1 tsp dill weed
1 tsp salt
3 cups water in a bowl (for soaking bread)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Soak the slices of bread in the bowl of water. Flip the slices a few times to ensure that all the bread gets soaked thoroughly. Gently squeeze excess water out of the bread. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, place all ingredients except for the hard-boiled eggs.

3. Mix this together with your hands, until well blended, like in the photo below:

4. Spread the 1/2 of meatloaf mixture onto a 9x13 glass baking dish. Place the 3 hard-boiled eggs (without the shell) in a row on top of the meatloaf mixture. Then cover the eggs with the remaining 1/2 meatloaf mixture and form into a "loaf".

5. Cover with foil and bake at 350F for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove foil and bake for 15 min uncovered. Slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Tacos and Taco Salad

You can use this recipe to make either Tacos or Taco Salad, or both! I cook the taco meat, cut up the tomatoes, olives, and lettuce, shred some cheese, bring out the sour cream & taco sauce, and from there, we each make our own dinner the way we like it. Alexis (my 5 year old) likes tacos, so she adds the meat and tomatoes and cheese to her taco shell. Tim and I like to crunch up our taco shells on to a plate and then add toppings and veggies on top to make a taco salad. Yumm Yumm!!

Taco Meat

Ingredients:

3.5 Tbsp Homemade Taco Seasoning (Recipe Below)
2/3 cup water
1 lb ground meat of your choice


Directions:

1. Brown the meat, then add the taco seasoning and water. Cook for 5-7 min.

2. Cut up your favorite toppings or additions. example: Tomatoes, Olives, Lettuce. Shred some cheese. Bring out the Sour Cream & taco sauce, and ENJOY!!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade taco seasoning is so much better than any prepackaged taco seasoning. You've got to try this!


Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:



1/4 cup chili powder
2/3 cup cornstarch
2 Tbsp ground cumin
4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp granulated onions
1 tsp ground cayenne red pepper
1 tsp dried oregano


Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, add all ingredients. Mix well. Store in an airtight container.

2. When cooking: Use the ratio of 3.5 Tbsp Taco Seasoning to 1 lb ground meat of your choice. First, brown the meat, then add the 3.5 Tbsp Taco Seasoning and 2/3 cup of water. Cook for 5-7 min.


Enjoy!

Chicken Piccata

If you've never had Chicken Piccata, this is really worth trying! Simple to make, and very delicious. The lemon gives it a nice "zing"!


Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:
(yields 5-6 servings)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs
1 lemon, cut in half
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 cup butter
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 cup boiling water


Directions:

1. In a small bowl, beat the eggs together with the juice of 1/2 of the lemon (minus the seeds!). Set aside.

2. In a shallow bowl or dish, mix together the flour, garlic powder and paprika. Set aside.

3. Cut each chicken breast into thin, round/oval pieces as shown in the photo. You'll get about 4-5 pieces out of each breast.

**TIP: I like to trim off excess fat & veins while I'm cutting the chicken into smaller pieces.

4. Dip the chicken in the egg/lemon mixture, then dip in the seasoned flour.

5. In a large skillet, melt butter and brown the coated chicken pieces. (This smells so good!)

**TIP: You may have to brown the chicken in batches, depending on how big/small your skillet is, and how much chicken you are making. If you are doing this in batches, then set the browned chicken aside on a plate while working on the rest of the chicken.

6. In a small pot, dissolve the bouillon cube in the boiling water, then add the juice of the other 1/2 of the lemon (minus seeds!).

7. After you've browned all the chicken pieces, return them all to the skillet and pour the boiling water mixture into the skillet. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, turning chicken pieces after 10 minutes, until chicken is tender.

**TIP: Clean your kitchen workplace & your utensils as you go, and you'll have less to clean up later! (this one I learned from my mama!)

8. Serve with your choice of side dish. Pictured here with "Laura's Perfect Mashed Potatoes" (recipe below).

Enjoy!

Laura's Perfect Mashed Potatoes

I have come up with the right ingredients to create the perfect mashed potatoes! Enjoy!


Laura's Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
(yields 8 servings)

10 Medium Potatoes
2 tsp Salt - (one to start, and one for later)
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
3/4 cup Butter


Directions:

1. Peel potatoes, leaving no skin behind. Cut the peeled potatoes into cubes.

2. Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water. Add potato cubes to the pot of water.

**TIP: At this point, I like to rinse the potatoes and add new water to them. This makes them less starchy. Fill with water to cover potatoes by 1 inch.

3. Add 1 tsp salt to the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook on medium heat until tender, about 15 min.

**TIP: To check for tenderness, test the potatoes by taking a cube out onto a spoon and pressing down on the potato with a fork. It should mash easily. Do this with several cubes to ensure that the potatoes are evenly cooked through.

4. Drain potatoes. Return to pot. Add 3/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, & 1 tsp salt. Mash with Potato Masher. Then mash some more using electric mixer to make the potatoes really smooth.

Enjoy!