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It's a simple, straight forward main dish that can travel well to family reunions, potluck dinners, picnics and Memorial Day or Labor Day and summer outings with friends and family when a dish is requested to bring to the event.
It's an easy dish for Saturday night casual or a busy week night when the family is going in twenty different directions as you can scoop up a serving and reheat it in the microwave with ease...
From Denny: Here is an easy recipe perfect for those busy work days as much as it is for special gatherings like Sunday dinner and the holidays that is a crowd pleaser. This easy long time American favorite comfort food recipe comes from Marti Didier who works full time yet she still creates time to give community service. Didier proudly comments she "come from a family of old-fashioned, traditional, good cooks, and, as a result, has always taken time to embrace the old-fashioned way of cooking." Didier often gives out this recipe for bridal gifts and also shares it at wedding showers in addition to smart cooking tips for new brides. When busy with a career the usual choice for cooking is to start several dishes before you leave the house, turning off the stove, then return hours later after work to finish the cooking. This is where a slow cooker sure comes in handy so you don't have to jump through so many hoops just to get a quality inexpensive meal on the table for your family...
Delivery: 1 fat elf stuffed full of good cheer! Since Santa is such a popular guy this fun design also available: in earrings, bracelets, necklaces, key chains, silver charms, compact mirrors, round jewelry case, greeting cards, 3 sizes of bedding, blankets, pajamas, teapots, mugs, Christmas ornaments for your tree, coasters, throw pillows, aprons, shower curtains, cocktail plates and platters!
From Denny: Looking for a healthier recipe for the Mardi Gras season? While the kids are busy jumping off and on to the porch to grab fistfuls of chips and quick sandwiches and then run back to the parades, the adults might enjoy taking a plate of this crowd pleaser.
This recipe is so easy to make it's kid friendly. The versatility of this meatloaf is that it can be topped with something as simple as a warmed can of cream of mushroom soup or any of the three sauce recipes that follow.
One is a tomato sauce with brown sugar and mustard. Another is a sweet and sour taste. The final one is an Asian flavor using hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and ketchup.
From Denny: Want a low maintenance meal to throw in the oven during the holiday season while you tend to other things? A hearty casserole is always welcome when the weather turns chilly. You might want relief from dining on turkey. Why not try this easy braised sirloin tips recipe?
Besides, it has brain food: mushrooms. During the holiday season it's easy to get frazzled and it sure is fun to know that mushrooms are available to get our overloaded brains back on target. :)
This recipe was featured in our local newspaper last year where local great cooks often share recipes. Try this easy recipe and maybe it will become a holiday favorite:
3 awesome takes on chili recipes from cold weather comfort food to inventive and heart healthy.
From Denny:The Today Show put out the call to all its viewers, asking cooks to compete in a chili cook off. Hundreds of recipes were sent in. Can you imagine testing and tasting all of these chili recipes and trying to narrow it down to just three? That must have been a tough call.
The three finalists they chose really all deserve the prize. Each one is unique and each recipe is quite tasty. It just comes down to personal taste of you and your family. The third recipe is also a healthy chili recipe, using chicken and turkey and spices that are excellent digestives. A digestive sauce or spice helps your metabolism burn the calories faster and more efficient.
Looking at the recipes I'd say the first one, Hog Call Chili, would be especially good in the fall or spring seasons. I like the inventive combinations of unusual ingredients.
Michael's Chili is a heart healthy chili and would be fabulous to enjoy in the hotter summer weather since it is so much lighter than traditional chili, layered with subtle interesting flavors because of the oyster sauce addition. Michael makes it easy to enjoy chili even in the summer months!
The Texas chili recipe, Bayou City Chili, is perfect for a hearty cold winter dish, the ultimate comfort food during this crazy severe snow weather engulfing the nation this season.
The Texas chili, Bayou City Chili, took the top prize from judges Food Network host Sunny Anderson and Travel Channel author Adam Richman.
To be sure, I will be making all three recipes as they are all outstanding. Kudos to all the people who entered this contest. Now I want to know "But who were the runners up?" Bet those are some serious taste treats too. Hey, Today Show, quit holding out on us here in food virtual land! ")
From Denny: While researching for an article concerning women's issues I ran across this site called BellaOnline and they also had a wonderful food section.
From: Sandie Jarrett, Cajun and Creole Editor @ BellaOnline.com
I'm not much of a meatloaf fan but most of the males I know sure are. I adapted this recipe from one I came upon in an old Cajun cookbook. Although somewhat different, (less hot pepper, more garlic, olive oil instead of butter, stock instead of canned milk, no ketchup), the flavors are all there – fresh meat, a little heat, and of course a classic Trinity.
Remember to season to taste. If you enjoy a hot and spicy dish, then you will probably want to double up on the cayenne pepper or even add your favorite Cajun seasoning blend.
Serve with garlic mashed potatoes or my Cajun Roasted Potatoes for a new twist on a Classic American Dish. Serve with gravy or a thin, tangy BBQ sauce.
Makes 6 – 8 servings
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3 tablespoons finely chopped Italian Parsley
3 cloves minced garlic (about 4 teaspoons) or to taste
Stir in the stock and tomato paste. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow mixture to return to room temperature.
Place the ground beef in a large bowl and add the eggs, the cooked vegetable mixture (don't forget to remove the bay leaves) and the bread crumbs. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined. If the mixture is too moist, add a few additional tablespoons of bread crumbs (too many bread crumbs and the meatloaf will be too dry).
Turn out the meatloaf mixture into the center of a 13X9X2 baking pan and shape into a loaf that is about 2" high, 6" wide and 10 -12" long.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, then raise the heat to 400 degrees and continue cooking until done, about 20 - 25 minutes longer or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf is 180 degrees F. Check internal temperature with an instant read meat thermometer at 40 minutes and again at 50 minutes, etc. until it reaches the desired internal temperature.
Remove the cooked meatloaf from the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into 1/2 inch slices.
Tangy Meatloaf Sauce
Although not Cajun, I make a tangy sauce:
1 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Creole mustard a little tomato paste a drizzle of honey a squeeze of lemon juice 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper
I whisk it all together in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until the sauce has been reduced by 1/3. Everything is added to taste – so adjust as necessary.
Cook's Notes
*** Sandy likes the meat finely ground – so she uses her food processor to blend in the ingredients. Work in batches because if the processor bowl is too full, the meat won't grind evenly.
Add about 1/4 of the meat, breadcrumbs, cooked vegetables, and eggs to the bowl of a standard size food processor that has been fitted with the chopping blade. Pulse a few times to distribute ingredients evenly and to grind the meat a bit more. Avoid over processing (mixture will turn to paste!).
Transfer processed mixture to a bowl and continue processing the remaining 3 batches. When all of the mixture has been processed, combine the batches together (hands work great for this), turn out into a 13X9X3 baking pan and continue as directed above.
*** Sandy uses tomato paste but ketchup can be used.
From Denny: Here are a couple of other good recipes! The following meatloaf is made with ground turkey, basil and mozzarella cheese.
Directions: Place roast in a roasting pan or rack and cook at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes to form a nice brown crust. Add the chopped vegetables and the wine and reduce heat to 300 degrees. Cook for about one hour and 15 minutes for medium rare. Remove meat from pan and place the roasting pan over a medium high burner. Add stock and cook vigorously for 3 to 5 minutes to slightly intensify broth. Serve to accompany the roast.
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