Grilled meatloaf with tomato mushroom gravy

 Let's face it: Meatloaf can be boring. But it doesn't have to be if we use a little creativity to jazz it up a bit! I really appreciate the rich flavor of a mixed beef and pork meatloaf, and the interesting blend of seasonings in this recipe also bring some excitement.You might wonder "What? Cocoa powder in meatloaf?". Trust me...the flavor  is rich and inviting, so give it a try! Frying the sliced meatloaf in hot bacon grease (or butter if you prefer) gives each slice a delightfully crispy outer surface. So "goodbye boring dinner...hello fantastic meatloaf!".

Meatloaf ingredients:

2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 pound finely ground pork
2 eggs
2 slices bread, toasted and crumbled into coarse crumbs

1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
3 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. allspice
1 t. ginger powder

Instructions:

Using your hands, mix the meat, eggs, and bread crumbs very well. Mix the spices together and mix through the meat mixture. Press into a 9 inch loaf pan and cover with saran wrap, then foil over the top.  Bake in a pre-heated 300 degree oven for 2 hours.

Sauce ingredients:

8 ounces tomato juice
4 green onions, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1” pieces
½ cup shredded carrot
½ t. salt
½ t. black pepper

1 T. butter
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped white mushrooms
¾ cup chopped sweet yellow onion
3 T. brown sugar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. spicy deli mustard
2/3 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Juices from the baked meatloaf

Instructions:

Simmer tomato juice, green onions, carrots, salt and pepper until the mixture thickens and reduces by half. It should be the consistency of thick tomato sauce.

Saute’ the mushrooms and onion in the butter. Set aside.

Mix together the tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and mustard in a skillet over medium heat.

Mix the cornstarch into the chicken broth and add to the hot tomato sauce mixture. Stir in the juices from the cooked meatloaf pan. Let the tomato mushroom gravy heat til bubbly and thick, about ten minutes

Remove the meatloaf from its pan and chill it. Wrapping it in a plastic bag full of ice cubes will cool it quick enough to be ready to slice. Slice the meatloaf in ½ inch thick slices. Heat a skillet with ½ t. bacon grease (butter works great too, bacon grease just adds flavor). Saute’ the meatloaf on both sides until it has a crispy finish on the outsides. Cool on a rack or towel.

Lay the meatloaf slices in a pan and pour the tomato mushroom gravy over the top. Add another layer of meatloaf, add gravy, until all the meatloaf is in the pan. Cover with a lid or foil and keep warm in a 180 degree oven until serving.

NOT your Grandma's bean soup!

Just about everyone has tasted one version or
another of the classic white bean soup with ham.
Others may prefer more of a spicy Creole version
that uses tomatoes and closely resembles a gumbo.
Still others may have enjoyed a south-of-the-border
version using lots of onions and peppers, and served
with fresh warm tortillas. Well, THIS version is none
of those. Or maybe it's a part of each of those combined.
Either way, it is a unique grouping of flavors and textures
that I think many will enjoy as a break from traditional bean soups or stews. One side note is that this soup begins with a broth made fresh from a previously discarded ham bone...
hopefully with a little meat and fat still clinging. Here we go!

Ingredients:


1 ham bone
3 T. finely chopped fat from the boiled ham bone
1 cup diced sweet yellow onion
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 large carrots, diced
1 pound dried white northern beans, soaked and cooked
1/4 pound dried black beans, soaked and cooked
4 medium sized red potatoes, diced
1 large can diced tomatoes, or use whole tomatoes and cut them up yourself.
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 T. dried basil
2 T. minced garlic
1 t. dried dill weed

Instructions:


Boil the ham bone in 2 quarts of water for two hours. Meanwhile...

Speedsoak the dried beans by covering them with 2 quarts of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for one hour. Drain and rinse the beans, then cover them with 2 fresh quarts of water and boil until they are tender...should be about 30 minutes. **You may be wondering why it is worth it to begin with dried beans rather than using a canned variety. Mainly, the issue is one of nutrition. While one cup of canned navy beans and one cup of cooked dried navy beans are almost identical nutritionally as far as protein, carbohydrates, and fiber count, that cup of canned beans also contains 1,174mg of sodium. The average adult only requires between 180 and 500mg of sodium per day TOTAL.  Meanwhile...

Dice the onion, celery, carrots, and ham fat/meat scrap. Saute' with the garlic until vegetables are just barely soft. Set aside.

No need to remove the bone from the broth…leaving it in will just enhance the flavor of the soup. Add the sautee'd vegetables, cooked beans, tomatoes, and potatoes. Add seasonings and cover with a lid. Simmer for thirty minutes before adjusting seasonings and checking potatoes for doneness.

The soup will thicken as the potatoes cook, so don't worry about it seeming "brothy"...the potatoes will thicken the broth and the beans will absorb broth, evening out the soup nicely.

Serve with fresh crusty bread. This soup freezes very well, so extras can be saved for another day.

Enjoy!

Crab Quiche

Quiche, a classic egg and pastry dish, can be filled with just about anything. This crab version can easily be adapted using other seafoods such as chopped clams, mussels, shrimp, or various white fish. It is important that whichever seafood you choose is well-drained, not wet...adding wet ingredients to a quiche can cause it to bake up soggy. With no further delay...let's make quiche!

Ingredients:

One pie crust, pre-baked for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

4 large eggs

1  12 ounce can evaporated milk. Either whole or 2% milk are suitable.

1 1/2 cups crab meat, well drained

1 dozen small button mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

pinch of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the crust for 5 minutes. When you remove the crust from the oven, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees.

Saute the mushrooms and green onion in a tablespoon of butter until the mushrooms are tender, about five minutes. Drain thoroughly.

In a large bowl, whip together the eggs, milk, and seasonings. 

To assemble the quiche, place 1/2 cup of cheese on the bottom. Next, spread the crab evenly sprinkle with another 1/2 cup of cheese. Now spread the mushrooms evenly, then top with the last 1/2 cup of cheese. Last,  pour the egg mixture over the filling, being sure to leave about 3/4 of an inch for the quiche to expand upward.

Place on center rack in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the quiche 180 degrees. Bake another 10 minutes, then check for doneness by inserting a butter knife into the center. Continue baking in additional 5 minute increments until a knife comes out clean. Average baking time needed is 45-50 minutes.

Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream and/or cocktail sauce!

Chicken and Dumplings

This is a classic "comfort food" dish, perhaps better known as "one of those hot meals that warms you when you're cold and makes you just feel generally happier with life". It is simple, filling, and healthy. I am partial to the breast meat of a chicken, but you could use ANY chicken meat for this tick, gravy-like dish. Use whatever meat you prefer, and above all...Enjoy!

*The simplest method involves roasting the chicken ahead of time. If using a whole chicken, this will take about two hours, while chicken pieces can be cooked quickly in a skillet with a little oil to prevent sticking. I recommend using bone-in, full skin chicken so that the bones and skin can be used to make your own broth for the gravy. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, garlic, and perhaps an herb mix such as Mrs. Dash.

Ingredients:


1-2 pounds chicken meat, make this dish as meaty as you like
1 cup carrots, sliced thick
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/2 cup saute'ed sweet yellow onions
1/2 cup white flour
1 cup milk or cold water
salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of dried rosemary

1 cup white flour
2t. baking powder
2T melted butter
1/2 cup milk


Instructions:


Place your pre-cooked chicken into 2 quarts of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the carrots and saut'e the onions.

Add the carrots, peas and onions to simmering chicken in broth.

Remove chicken from the broth. Remove all the skin and bones, placing both back into the broth to simmer for another fifteen minutes or so.

Add rosemary to the simmering broth. Scoop out the chicken bones and skin...discard.

Mix last four ingredients to make dumpling dough. Bring broth to a hard boil, then drop dough in by rounded teaspoonfuls. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for fifteen minutes.

Scoop dumplings out with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Mix flour and milk or water together, then stir into broth to make a thick gravy. Replace dumplings, maintain heat at a low simmer, and cook for just a few minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve hot.

Roasted Vegetable chowder

Chowders are a great way to use up extra vegetables, and many can be served either hot or chilled. This makes them a convenient warm weather dish as well as a comforting meal on a cold winter day. Roasting the vegetables beforehand gives this chowder a distinctive flavor that is sure to please. Serve with a crusty French bread or folded flat bread and enjoy! This chowder also freezes very well, so go ahead and split it into containers to pull out of the freezer on a busy day when you don't have time to cook.

Ingredients:

3 small zucchini, chopped small
1 sweet red bell pepper, chopped small
1 large yam, chopped small
2 stalks celery, chopped small
3 carrots, shredded
3 roma tomatoes, chopped small
3 white potatoes, chopped small
1 cup frozen yellow corn
1 cup frozen green beans, finely chopped
1 medium-sized sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves freshly pressed garlic
1  4 ounce Italian sausage link
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/3 cup white flour

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Combine all of the vegetables, olive oil, and seasonings, tossing to coat the vegetables thoroughly.

Place in 9x13 baking pan and roast uncovered in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove casing from the sausage and brown the meat in a skillet until thoroughly cooked. Set aside until vegetables are finished roasting.

Add roasted vegetables, sausage, and chicken broth to a large pot and simmer together for 45 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Mix flour thoroughly into the milk and stir into soup mixture. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn down to lowest simmer and allow to cook for another 15 minutes before serving.

Roasted Vegetable Chowder

Pork Chops with Apple Cashew Stuffing

My Mother really enjoys the flavors of fruits with meat dishes, and I wanted to dress up some simple pork chops...so these stuffed pork loin chops evolved. They keep very well in the refrigerator, so can be prepared ahead of time and re-warmed for a convenient meal at a time when prep time may be short.


Ingredients:

2 boneless, thick-cut pork loin chops
2 slices whole wheat toast, crumbled fine
2 medium sized tart apples, chopped small
½ cup cashew nuts, chopped
¼ cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion
1 teaspoon butter
1/3 cup chicken broth
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to sprinkle

Directions:

In a medium sized skillet, sauté the yellow onion and cashews in the teaspoon of butter over medium heat.

Add the chopped apples, crumbled toast, and chicken broth.

Season lightly with salt and pepper, cook over low heat until apples become soft, about ten minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

Using a very sharp knife (a filet knife works very well), slice a pocket into the pork chops by cutting into the center of each chop lengthwise, being careful to only cut in from one side.

Fill each pork chop with stuffing, pressing it in tightly to a thickness of about 2 inches.

Place stuffed chops into a shallow baking dish, sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and cover with a lid or foil.

Bake covered in a 325 degree oven for 40 minutes, basting occasionally as juices form in the pan.

Technically this recipe serves two, but stuffed pork chops are quite large and so could be split in half to serve two per pork chop.

Pork Chops With Apple Cashew Stuffing

Chicken Tenders with Yam Medallions

Ingredients:

2 inch large boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1 thick tenders
2 large pre-baked yams
2 Tablespoons butter
1 can pineapple chunks in natural juice
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon garlic powder


Directions:


First, bake the yams for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven and cool completely.

Peel the yams carefully, then slice them into 3/4 inch thick rounds.

In a saucepan, heat the pineapple with the juice, and the brown brown sugar until nearly boiling.

Mix the cornstarch with the vinegar until well-blended, then add to the hot liquid in the saucepan, stirring briskly as it thickens. Set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the chicken tenders in 1 tablespoon the butter, sprinkling with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. When thoroughly cooked, set the chicken aside on a plate.

Using the same skillet, brown the yam medallions on both sides in the 2nd Tablespoon of butter.

Lay the chicken tenders on top of the yam medallions and pour the sauce over all. Cover and reduce heat to lowest setting for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Chicken Tenders With Yam Medallions

Pork chops and asparagus with onion pear sauce

Ingredients:


2 thick-cut, boneless pork chops
1 large pear
½ of a large sweet yellow onion
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
Dash of salt and pepper
1 cup chicken broth
½ pound fresh asparagus spears


Directions:


Finely chop the onion.


Peel and core the pear, and cut it into thin slices.


Over moderately high heat, brown the pork chops in the olive oil, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Cook them only partially, then remove them from the pan.


Add the onion and pear to the pan and brown well.


Add the Balsamic vinegar and heat through.


Push the mixture aside and replace the pork chops in the pan. Scoop the pear and onion mixture over the top of the pork chops.


Lay the asparagus spears on top of the pork chops.


Pour the chicken broth into the pan and cover with a tight lid. Simmer on a low temperature until the pork chops are completely cooked.


Pork Chops and Asparagus With Onion Pear Sauce

Lorrie's Savory Fried Chicken

Some folks might not wish to cook 5 pounds of chicken all at one time, but I have always thought that the effort involved in making a top-notch batch of fried chicken is much more worthwhile if I make a large batch at once. This chicken holds over very well in the refrigerator and is wonderful eaten cold. It also freezes well, so you can serve dinner and then bag the rest for future days when a meal must be produced more quickly. I like to fry the chicken in slices so that it cooks quickly and stays moist, which also makes it excellent for dipping. Try a variety of sauces: honey mustard, barbecue, or Ranch, just to name a few possibilities. Several years ago at Christmas time, I made 40 pounds of this fried chicken for a holiday open-house party that I catered. It was such a hit that every year after that, I was asked to cater that Christmas party…and every year the one specific request for the menu is that I include the fried chicken!

Ingredients:
5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

For the marinade:
1 quart buttermilk OR soured milk (One cup milk with 2 T. replaced with vinegar = 1 cup buttermilk)
1 medium sized sweet yellow onion, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the coating:
4 cups unbleached white flour
1 ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoon paprika

Plenty of canola oil for frying

Directions:
Pour the buttermilk into a large mixing bowl and stir in the sliced onion, salt and cayenne pepper.
Slice the chicken breasts into strips about 1 ½ inches wide. Place the chicken in the buttermilk and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. If you do not have the time to marinate overnight, a few hours will suffice…but the result is definitely better with about 8 hours of soaking.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and seasonings.

In a deep cast iron skillet, heat oil to 350 degrees. Your skillet should be halfway full of oil.
**Correct temperature is important, so use a deep fryer thermometer or candy thermometer.

Place chicken a few pieces at a time directly from the buttermilk bath into the seasoned flour. Roll around to coat the chicken quite thoroughly, then use tongs to gently lower the chicken into the hot oil.
**I usually fry no more than ten pieces at once, or the oil temperature drops and the chicken comes out soggy and greasy.

The chicken is done when the outer coating is a nice golden brown. It is a good idea to check a piece of every batch that comes out of the skillet to be sure it is cooking clear through. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes easy to tell when your chicken is perfect.

Drain on a rack to allow excess oil to drain away.

Serve hot, store in the refrigerator, or package for freezing. To re-heat later on, simply arrange on a shallow baking sheet and place in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes. To re-heat from frozen, place in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. You can keep whole trays of the chicken warm in a 180 degree oven if you need to replenish serving trays for a party or larger gathering.

Lorrie's Savory Fried Chicken

Chicken and Artichoke Hearts

This is one of those great "one dish meals" that is quite easy to put together, quick to cook, and requires minimal cleanup. A perfect dinner at the end of a workday, or when there just isn't time for a more elaborate production!

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can artichoke hearts
1tablespoon butter or olive oil
10 cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped sweet yellow onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
A few dashes of salt

Directions:

Slice the chicken breasts in half to make two thinner meat portions. Brown on one side in a hot skillet with butter or olive oil.

Cut the artichokes in half, slice the tomatoes in half, and chop the onion medium-fine.

Brown the onions in a small pat of butter, then add the artichokes and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Pour in ¼ cup of the liquid from the can of artichokes, and stew together, uncovered, for several minutes.

Turn the chicken breasts over to brown the second side. 

While browning  the second side, pour the artichoke blend over the chicken breasts, cover, and cook on low heat for about twenty minutes so that the flavors blend.

Serve with rice and/or a fresh green salad on the side.

Chicken Breast With Artichoke Hearts