Meatloaf

I just made a really yummy meatloaf I thought I would share even though I know mom has a good recipe. This one has veggies so it is healthy!

1lb hamburger or turkey burger
any mixture of fresh veggies minced or put in a food processor (I used carrots, onions and celery)
1 box Stove Top stuffing
1 egg
1 cup milk or water
top with mom's special topping

bake at 375* for 45 minutes.

BBQ Meat Balls

I don't know if this is a holiday recipe or not, but it is good for parties or large family gatherings. You could have it for dinner with some sides too, I suppose. Anyway, this is a recipe I stole from the Muir family. They are delicious! Tyler and I always go to town on them at family gatherings :).

Mix together in bowl:

13 oz canned milk

2 lbs ground beef

2 cups oatmeal

2 eggs

1 cup chopped onions

½ tsp garlic powder

2 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp chili powder

Make into small balls on cookie sheet. (Karen puts the balls really close together  because it is MUCH easier to put the sauce on, and I think they taste better that way.)

Mix in separate bowl:

2 cups ketchup

1 ½ cups brown sugar

2 T liquid smoke

½ tsp garlic powder

½ cup chopped onions

Poor sauce over meatballs.

Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

As for a Christmas memory....

I remember a Christmas soon after we moved to Washington where I found out mom's present stash in her closet. The presents had notes on them saying whose gifts were whose. (I suppose it would be hard to remember with all those girls!) Anyway, after I looked at several gifts I came out and found Kristin in the kitchen. I told her she was getting some kind of barbie for Christmas and she was so mad at me for telling her what she was getting. I remember thinking, why doesn't she want to know? Ha ha! Kids.

Classic Meat Loaf

This is Mom's Meat Loaf recipe, it's pretty much the classic recipe but with a small twist.

Classic Meat Loaf:

Ingredients:

1lb. of extra lean ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup quick cooking Oats
1tsp of salt
pepper to taste
1 onion (optional :)
3/4cup of shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)

Topping: 1/3 cup Katsup
               1/4 cup Brown sugar
               1 1/2 tsp mustard


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix all ingredients together (except topping) in a large bowl. Use a Kitchen aid to mix well or use your hands, this helps especially with the cheese. Press meat mixture in a loaf pan and place in the oven. In a small bowl make topping by mixing together the three ingredients. Pour topping on top of meat after it has cooked in the oven for 5-10mins or until the top does not look all pink. Cook the loaf for another 45-50 minutes or until there is no pink inside. (total cooking time about an hour)

Side notes:
I use extra lean ground beef because I add cheese and that has a lot of grease in it. If you don't add cheese you don't need such a lean beef.
For a faster cooking time separate into tiny loafs and place on a cookie sheet covered in tin foil. I usually do this and make about 5 small loafs/patties. I cook them for 5 mins then add the sauce on top of each individual one then I cook for another 25-30 minutes or until I can see no pink inside (I cut open the biggest loaf and check it that way)

Serve with mashed potatoes and a green veggie for a classic home cooked meal.

Baked Beans (Tyler's favorite :)

Okay Kim has literally asked me for this recipe three times now :)

This is my baked bean recipe, or we call it sweet chilli (Actually Marty gave this recipe to me). My kids love it and we usually serve it with corn bread.

Baked beans (Sweet Chilli):

Ingredients:

~1 large can of Bush's Bake Beans (original recipe)
~Add any other can of beans you like ( up to five cans)
          I usually use: 1 can of red kidney beans, 2 cans of black beans,
                               2 cans of Great Norther beans (If you cant find these
                               use another type of white beans), and 1 other can of
                               beans of my choice something I have in my cupboard.
~1lb. of lean ground beef (cooked)
~1/2 package of bacon (cooked and crumbled)
~3/4 cup Brown sugar
~1/2 cup Katsup
~1 tsp of salt
~2 tsp of vinegar
~1Tb of mustard (I usually don't add this, but that's my preference)

Directions:

First, Brown the ground beef and cook the bacon.
Second, drain and rinse all beans (yes, rinse them all very well) except the Bush's Baked beans.
Third, throw in all the beans and meat into the crock pot.
Fourth, add remaining ingredients in the crock pot and mix together.
Fifth, bake in crock pot on low for 9 hrs. or High for 4 hours.

Serve as a side at a BBQ or for a main dish with a side of corn bread.

Side notes: If I serve it as a side dish I omit the ground bee and just add the bacon.This can be vegetarian if you omit the ground beef and bacon and uses Bush's baked beans w/o bacon in it.

Work in Progress

Here is the recipe blog...we are working on it! Please give suggestions for the title. Thanks!