Brown Sugar Meatloaf

I probably make this at least once or twice a month. It is always a comfort food hit for the boys. It's quick and easy to prepare, all you need to do is pop it in the oven about one hour before serving. It's also great to make ahead of time and freeze.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds lean ground meat (I switch between beef and turkey)
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 envelope onion soup mix
crushed saltine crackers, about 25 squares
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly ground meat, milk, eggs, onion soup mix, and crackers.

In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar and ketchup. Divide into two equal parts. Add one part to meat mixture, and save other part for topping.

Place meat mixture in loaf pan into even shape. Spread the leftover brown sugar and ketchup mixture on top of the loaf.

Bake in preheated oven for one hour or until juices are clear.

tawny's usual chicken

i make this chicken dish at least 2-3 times a week. i know, sounds repetitive, but the boys really like it, and it's so easy to make. i don't have measurements, but there aren't too many ingredients anyway. just go by taste :)

4 chicken breasts or thighs
whole cloves of garlic
salt
pepper
sugar
dried rosemary
olive oil
butter (optional)

heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. add whole garlic cloves and allow to roast. on a plate, season chicken with salt, pepper, sugar, and dried rosemary on one side. place seasoned side down in pan, then season the rest of the chicken with the same seasoning. here's where you will add the butter if you want it to be richer. cook for about 10 minutes on each side or until fully cooked. done!

i usually accompany this dish with roasted green beans.

Verike's Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

OK, so here is one of those recipes that DOESN'T have measurements! Sorry :( I sort of just do it all by taste, and if you don't have all the exact ingredients, you can sometimes improvise a bit too. But I would try to include as many as possible. Ryan even thinks these are super tasty (even w/o meat). And I'm sure they could be made with meat if you changed a few things...

Filling:

Wok-Seared Extra-Super-Duper-Firm Tofu (I used the Thai tofu from Trader Joe's)

Red Onions

Water Chestnuts

Mint (not too much, or it's over-powering)

Lime

Cilantro

Green Onions (just the green parts)

Rice Sticks (just a little bit for a little crunch)

Sesame Oil

Chinese 5 Spice

Bean Curds

Shitake Mushrooms (Trader Joe's sells these raw/fresh)

Garlic

**Iceberg Lettuce Cups (if you can find the mini ones those are the best...I think Safeway sometimes sells those)**

For the sauce:

Hoisin

Soy Sauce

Dry Sherry

Oyster Sauce (I don't always use this)

Water

Sesame Oil

Sugar

I also serve them with a spicy Chinese Mustard.

Just taste as you go along, and you'll eventually get the taste/texture you're looking for. Basically you should cook the mushrooms first (in the sauce), then add everything else (except mint & cilantro) in over super low heat. You don't want it to be too soupy, so slowly add in the amount of sauce you need. The tofu should go in last because otherwise it gets too crumbly. Remove from heat and stir in mint & cilantro. Put filling into a lettuce wrap. So delish!

Black bean and veggie burritos

4 9- to 10-inch-diameter flour tortillas

3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
2/3 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
1 2/3 cups canned black beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup drained canned Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalepeño chile

8 tablespoons grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)
4 tablespoons nonfat sour cream
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
pickled jalepenos

preparation


Combine onion, garlic and oil in large nonstick skillet. Stir over medium-high heat until onion is golden, about 6 minutes. Add cumin and chili powder; stir 20 seconds. Add bell pepper, corn and carrot; sauté until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and jalapeño; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. remove from heat.

Fill tortillas with mixture and garnish, wrap and eat!

Chicken breast stuffed with cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes

1 12-ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained, coarsely chopped
1 cup grated Fontina or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup (packed) drained, coarsely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried basil
4 5-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil
preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix artichokes, cheese, tomatoes, and basil in medium bowl. Using small sharp knife and working with 1 chicken breast at a time, cut 2-inch-long slit horizontally into 1 side of chicken breast. Move knife back and forth in slit to form pocket. Divide 1 cup cheese mixture among chicken pockets (reserve remainder for frittata). Press edges to seal. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes. Turn chicken over; transfer skillet to oven. Bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Swiss Veggie Casserole

This dish is great as a side dish or just by itself. The more cheese, the better :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly butter a 1-quart casserole dish.

Ingredients:

16 oz. frozen broccoli-carrot-cauliflower mix, thawed & drained (CA Veggie Mix)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 1/4 cup shredded Swiss Cheese (save about a 1/4 cup for the topping)

1/3 cup of sour cream

1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

2.8 oz. can of Durkee French-Fried Onions (save some for topping)

Mix, pour into casserole dish, and bake for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle on toppings and bake for another 5 minutes.

Allow casserole to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

So delicious! Super easy to make. This recipe can be doubled also if you're serving a crowd.

quick and easy lentil soup

this will serve about four adults:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup lentils, rinsed and drained
water, in 1-cup parts
1 tomato, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
salt, to taste

place a deep saucepan on low-medium heat. once heated, add olive oil and garlic. cook garlic until lightly brown. add the onion and cook until it is translucent. add the lentils and let it toast a bit, about 2-3 minutes. next, add all of the vegetables - tomatoes, zucchini, and mushrooms.

last comes water! you will need to add water in parts, one cup at a time at intervals. it depends on the brand of lentils you get, so the amount of water varies. add one cup of water and let it simmer, covered. the lentils should absorb the water in 5-7 minutes. add another cup of water to the soupy consistency you desire. continue to do so until the lentils no longer absorb water and it is at the consistency you like, around 20 minutes. season with salt to taste. serve with crusty bread.

note: i usually use whatever vegetables i have on hand. i even sometimes keep it as simple as garlic, onion, and tomatoes.

this recipe was given to me by my good friend.