Not your mother's meatloaf!!!

Let's just talk about one of my favorite meals for a second... what's that you ask?  Oh I'll tell you!!! It's MEATLOAF!  

MEATLOAF you say??? Really?  MEATLOAF?  That's not good at all!  Alright, well let me tell you this... what if I said try this recipe and I promise you will change your mind?  Yes!  I mean it.  I'm like a salesman right now trying to sell you the best meatloaf of your life... and I'm so sure of it that if I'm wrong... well... you can.... you can... well heck! I don't know you can sky write it in the sky that I gave you the worst meatloaf recipe... but I know I'm not!  This is good... and I call it... you ready for this??? 

Not your mother's meatloaf!!!

1 POUND GROUND BEEF OR GROUND TURKEY

½ RED BELL PEPPER DICED

2 STALKS CELERY DICED

1-2 CARROTS DICED

1 ONION DICED

1 LARGE CLOVE OF GARLIC MINCED

3 TBS HOT SAUCE (NOT TABASCO, USE CRYSTAL OR TAPATIO)

4 TBS WORCESHIRE SAUCE

1/3 CUP KETCHUP

1/4 CUP PLAIN BREADCRUMBS

1/2 CUP MILK

1 OR 2 EGGS (I USUALLY USE 1)

1 tsp. Garlic Salt

Salt & Pepper to taste

MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER WELL- 

 ADD TO A BREAD LOAF PAN THAT HAS BEEN SPRAYED WITH 

NON STICK SPRAY OR COATED WITH OIL. PAT IT IN THERE AND PUSH DOWN THE EDGES SO IT MAKES A LITTLE SLOPE THAT GOES DOWN TOWARDS THE EDGES-

BEFORE IT GOES INTO THE OVEN- MIX ABOUT 1 TSP KETCHUP, A FEW DASHES OF HOTSAUCE AND WORCESHIRE SAUCE TOGETHER AND SPOON IT ON TOP OF THE MEATLOAF- COVER THE WHOLE TOP OF IT WITH THIS MIX- WILL MAKE A GREAT GLAZE ON TOP OF IT- ADDS GOOD COLOR AND FLAVOR

COOK IN OVEN FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS ON THE BACK OF THE MEATLOAF PACKAGE- OR I USUALLY DO 35 OR 40 MIN ON 400

SERVE WITH MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY

EASY MASHED POTATOES:

PEEL, DICE & BOIL POTATOES-

DRAIN- RESERVE A BIT OF WATER

ADD ½ STICK OF BUTTER, ¼ CUP OF MILK OR HEAVY CREAM, 3 TBS SOUR CREAM

MASH WITH A FORK FIRST- THEN USE HAND BLENDER AND MIX ON MEDIUM HIGH SPEED FOR UP TO 5 MINUTES. 

Tater Tots for the tots...

I've never really even thought about this recipe or heard of it until someone had posted it on my website a long time ago that it's one of their favorite comfort food dishes... Then last night I asked the same question on my facebook page, as I always like to know what foods people are into... in any case, someone mentioned this tater tot casserole dish again... so I just had to check it out and see what it was about!  


Tater tots... what's not to love?  It's like a mix between a french fry and a mashed potato or hash brown.  Crispy little rectangle oval looking thingies on the outside... soft and delicious on the inside.  


This recipe came courtesy of Green Eggs & Dirt... which is another website that I think is just really cool... it's all about organic, healthy, green living... which although I might not be able to do or is realistic for me in every aspect of my life... I try to sometimes... but this delicious recipe is adapted from theirs. 


Here's some comfort food for ya!

Tater Tot Casserole 

1 pound ground beef

1 package tater tots (Trader Joes has some Organic ones) 

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup whole milk or half and half

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

Handful of frozen  peas or green beans

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion.

In a separate small saucepan, heat the butter over medium high heat until it’s melted.  Then whisk in the flour and let the butter/flour mixture (technically called a roux) cook for about 30 seconds, whisking as it cooks.  Then whisk in the milk and let this come to a simmer. It should thicken up as it heats.

When the meat is browned, stir in the chicken broth, spices, worcestershire sauce, and the butter/flour/milk mixture.  Let it simmer for a minute and add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the peas/green beans, whichever you like or have on hand.

Pour the meat into a casserole dish and top with frozen tots.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until the tots on top are golden and toasty.

Avocado Hummus

A few months back I went to this fantastic Tapas restaurant where my friend kept going on and on about this incredible Avocado Hummus that this restaurant had... at first I thought... eeew... green hummus, that just sounds gross... then they brought it to our table.  I must say it was LOVE AT FIRST BITE!!!! Oh my goodness... the goodness that this had was insane!  

So here I am a few months later and I've moved into a new home... I couldn't be happier and I couldn't stop thinking about that avocado hummus!  Well... low and behold I have this ginormous avocado tree in my backyard now that produces these humungous fresh delicious creamy buttery avocados!  So... what did I do today??? You guessed it... I made this tasty dip!  

I know it all sounds weird, but the chick peas, the avocados, the lemon, the cumin... it all just works!  Serve it with some pita bread or even pita crisps... HEEEAAAAVVVENNNN!!!! (yes, that's me singing in an angelic voice!) ha ha ha! 

Avocado Hummus

1 large avocado pitted 

1 can chick-peas (drained)

1 large clove garlic minced

2 to 3 tbs lemon juice

pinch of cayenne

pinch of paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

2 tbs. tahini (sesame paste) 

1/4 of an onion chopped

1 tbs olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients except the avocado into a blender.  Blend untill smooth.  Add the avocado and blend for another few seconds to well combine.  

Place in a bowl, cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill. 

Serve cold with your favorite chips or pita bread!  

Penne a'la Vodka

Now this is comfort food to me.   I'm keeping it simple... because this dish speaks for itself.  It's warm. It's hearty. It's EASY. It's good. 

Penne a'la Vodka 

1 large can (28 oz. size) crushed tomatoes or pureed tomatoes

1 clove of garlic minced

3 tbs butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Vodka

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (you can add more if you like more heat)

1/2 tsp salt

Fresh basil

1 pound penne rigate or rigatoni

Boil your pasts al dente, or according to the time on the box. 

In a saute pan, melt the butter and add the garlic- be very careful not to burn it, you just want to get the raw taste of the garlic out.  Add the tomatoes, pepper flakes & salt.  Let cook for about 10 minutes.  

When the sauce reduced a bit and is simmering, add the heavy cream & vodka.   Allow it to cook for another 10 minutes.  Throw in your pasta and give it a good toss in the sauce.  

Serve immediately... garnish with the basil leaves and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. 

This has to be my favorite Italian dish!  Enjoy this any night of the week! 

**You can omit the Vodka in this dish if you don't want the alcohol... it will still be equally as delicious. 

A pushover for a Popover.

Popovers... what's not to love.  Light fluffy crisp dough that's got to be just perfect.  Sometimes they'll pop and sometimes they won't... but when you get them just right... ahhh... I can't say that I like something more than a good popover.  I'd say I'm a pushover for a popover... if that's possible. 

Oh and did I mention how super easy they are to make... and super impressive! Yeah... good stuff. 

Popovers

2 Eggs

3/4 Cup Milk

3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour (sifted)

1/4 tsp. Salt

2 tbs. melted butter

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

It's important that your eggs and milk are both at room temperature... don't ask me why, but this is the recipe that I've always used and it's always come out perfectly this way... so I've learned not to question it! :) 

Alright, so lightly beat in your eggs and then start whisking in 1/4 of your milk... then whisk in the rest of your dry ingredients and then follow with the rest of the milk and butter.  You want to make sure there are no lumps and it's a smooth batter... 

Now... walk away... go grab a magazine, turn on the t.v... go for a nice long walk.  Come back in at least 45 minutes.  You want your dough to be light and fluffy and not dense and doughy... this helps all the ingredients absorb. 

Butter your tin pan... Pour your batter into the tins... I've never used muffin tins, although I am sure they would work just fine... I use my popover tins that I bought from William Sonoma... aka the overpriced "gourmet" store.  (yes, yes, there are some good finds there!) 

So pour them in just about 1/2 way in to the tin. 

Put in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a nice golden brown.

About 4  or 5 minutes before they are set to be done- make sure you go in there with a skewer and prick the popover all around a few times... this will help them not explode. 

Trust me... that's a mess! 

Remove from the oven and serve immediately... raspberry jam is my favorite with these! 

I'm a pushover for a popover what can I say?!