Mozzarella Meat Loaf

Ever get tired of making the same old meat loaf? This spin on meatloaf is so delicious! It makes you think: are you having Italian for dinner or a classic dinner?

1 eggs
1/2 C saltine egg crumbs (substitution: 1/4 C bread crumbs)
1/2 C milk
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C chopped onion
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 lbs ground beef
1 Can (8 oz) pizza sauce. You can substitute here any red(dish) spaghetti sauce or you can make your own: 1 can tomato sauce heated in a saucepan. Add any Italian spices and herbs you like.
1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese, or a few slices of mozzarella cheese
Optional: 1 sliced green pepper and sliced mushrooms, 2 T butter

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

In a bowl combine egg, crumbs, milk, Parmesan cheese, onion, salt, and oregano. Add beef and mix well. Shape into loaf or place in your greased meatloaf pan. Bake for 1-1 1/4 hour or until meat is no longer pink. Temperature should read 160. Drain fat.

Spoon pizza sauce over loaf; top with mozzarella cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, if desired, saute green peppers and mushrooms in butter. Arrange vegetables on top of loaf.

Cheesey Chicken with Broccoli

To my friend who also hates dry chicken! I am sorry - this one does take a lot of pans.....

Chicken breast - 1 for each person eating, let's say 4

1 C cooked rice

4 oz velveeta cheese

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

Broccoli - enough for 4 people

Seasonings - what do you like? Hopefully something with onion and garlic and herbs. I'll explain later...

Season your chicken the way you like it. You can cook it any way. BBQ on the grill, S&P pan fried... I have a couple different seasonings I use. I have this one from Pampered Chef that is a dill mix with onion, garlic, and other seasonings. I put butter in the pan and fry my seasoned chicken. A secret I have personally learned from a chef is that meats do not like to be touched while cooking. Put your chicken on the pan. LEAVE IT ALONE until you're ready to flip it to the other side. You want your pan to be hot before you put your chicken on. You want to seal in the flavor by searing it (not burning it). If you are fearful, sear it, then turn down the temp a little. May take some time, but try around medium heat. Flip to other side. I believe chicken is done when it's a little bouncy to the fork- not lots-a-bouncy though. You should flip your meat a max of 2 times. Cook the rest of the meal while the chicken is cooking:

Start the rice. 2 C water to a boil, add 1 C rice. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Bam!

While that is cooking you can also start your broccoli. Bring some water to a boil - about an inch, add broccoli. Bring back to boil. Cover, simmer -eh - 10 min or however crunchy/soft you want your broccoli. (ask if you're confused) Or microwave the frozen bag.

In a pot add cream of chicken, cheese, and again - any seasoning to taste (a good few shakes!). If in doubt try a Mrs. Dash blend. I'm a garlic and onion mix with other herbs fan but you can try almost anything. See what's in your pantry. The cool thing about cooking is that you can try anything and add to taste - unlike baking. Mix this over medium heat. Your're going to have to stir almost constantly to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Most liquids say to stir constantly for this reason. The consistency you're looking for is smooth, creamy like. You want no lumps in it. This is the last to start because you're going to be stirring while everything else is cooking.

Time to plate! Place your chicken on the plate. Next to it a spoonful of rice. Next to (or even on top of) that your broccoli. Time for the cheese.....yum...... pour the cheese over the broccoli. I like the cheese so much I put the cheese mix over everything. I can't have enough. It also helps having the cheese over the chicken if you've over cooked your chicken and it came out a little dry. I LOVE sauces. They can help the meal sometimes if it didn't come out right.

I've written this one in a rush so I hope it came out right. If it didn't please let me know and I'll explain better.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

If you like chicken cordon bleu - but hate how your chicken never stays closed, your cheese runs out, or just don't want to deal with it - this is for you! It is also a great potluck pleaser. You can chop up the meat or shred it for little ones. Serve with a vegetable side dish.

3 C chicken cubes, cooked (or turkey)

2 C ham cubes, cooked (I use a ham steak and cube it)

1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 Med onion, chopped

1 stick of butter, divided

1/3 C flour

2 C half-and-half cream

1 tsp dill

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1 C dried bread crumbs

1//4 C chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350 deg F.

Mix chicken, ham, and 1 Cup of cheese in a bowl. Set aside. Melt 1/3 C butter in a saucepan. Add onions and saute until soft. Add flour and mix to form a paste. Slowly add half and half, stirring constantly. Let it bubble and stir until thickened. Add dill, nutmeg and ground mustard. Pour mixture over chicken and mix well. Pour into rectangle baking dish.

For topping:

Melt remaining butter, should be 2 T. Mix butter and bread crumbs in a bowl. Add 1/2 C cheese and walnuts. Spread topping over chicken mixture in dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Cilantro Chicken

This is one of Dave's favorite meals and one simple enough for him to make! This recipe has some secrets you may be able to add to some of your Mexican dishes.

2 T Lime Juice
2 T Vegetable Oil (or whatever oil)
1 T Honey
Crushed up tortilla chips - at least a cup
4 Chicken Breasts
16 oz Jar of Salsa
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped (It is VERY important you use fresh cilantro!)
2 C shredded cheese (Mexican or cheddar)
1 C Brown rice (or white)

Pre-heat oven to 350 deg. Combine Lime Juice, Veg Oil, and Honey together in a shallow container (to dip chicken into). Place crushed tortillas in another shallow container. Dip chicken breast into Juice mixture then coat with chips. Place in baking dish and sprinkle remaining chips onto chicken. Bake chicken for 25 minutes, or until juices run clear.

While chicken is baking chop cilantro. Fresh cilantro is what makes this meal pop! There really can be no substitute for this. Trust me, it's worth it! Mix cilantro with salsa. When chicken is ready, pour salsa over chicken and then top with cheese. Bake for another 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with rice.

Good side dishes or a substitute for rice might be corn, refried beans, pineapple.

Crock Pot Blues

This is for all of you who use your crock-pot!

There are those who bake and those who cook. Most of the time they do not go hand in hand - just like English and Math majors. Is this the same for crock-pot cookers? Are they a third option?

It seems that 98% of the dishes I make in my crock-pot always come out the same. The sauce tastes burnt and so does whatever I'm cooking in the pot. I do not like burnt sauce and I don't like my food tasting like that! Or, my meat comes out dry because I'm not there to keep an eye on the water level. I'm sorry, I use a crock-pot so dinner can cook while I'm at work.

This is to you, my avid 5 readers - and anyone reading by. What are your takes on the crock-pot? I think it's great to keep my chip dip or meatballs warm and that's it. Please change my mind.

Almost a cupcake meal

I recently tried a recipe I found on food network to make with your kids. Here's how it goes:
In a cupcake pan place cooked noodles of choice. Sprinkle cooked ground meat and veggies and top with cheese. Bake until cheese melts.

Well, when I went to take it out of the pan it all fell apart! So much for that recipe! But I will not be discouraged. It's all in how it's prepared. I will always follow the recipe to the T the first time around. I want to know how it's "supposed" to taste. Let's just say I'll tweak this one. Next time I'll cook the noodles al forno. Then I'll mix that with the uncooked ground meat, veggies, and an egg and mix-in the cheese (whatever cheese you have on hand will work). That should give me the texture I'm looking for and hold I want in the dish.

This could turn into a fun dish with your kids. Have them mix everything up for you and squish it in the pan. Just make sure you wash their hands after you're done.

Cheesecake Dip

Thank you to my friend, Jennie, for making this dish at my first (hopefully annual) Dip into Spring party. I would suggest using one of those little knifes to spread this onto your cookie/cracker.

2 Packages of cream cheese (softened – whipped might be good too)
1 Can crushed pineapple, Drained

2 Packs of cheesecake pudding mix

1 Pack of graham cracker crust (or crushed graham crackers...whatever is cheaper or what you already have)
Vanilla Wafers
Honey Butter Ritz crackers

Take 3/4 cup of crushed pineapple and thoroughly mix in with cream cheese. (hands might be easier to use) Then add a pack and a half of pudding mix in with the mixture and mix well. Form in to a ball and roll in graham cracker crust. Serve with honey butter Ritz crackers and vanilla wafers