new meatloaf recipe

So, i have always used the same recipe for meatloaf. I'm talking ALWAYS! My moms, my grams-they both used the same recipe. It calls for saltine crackers. One thing I was out of today. Dang it. i hate trying to make a tasty dinner when I haven't gone grocery shopping in a while :) Out of milk. Out of butter. Out of imagination :) So I got online and did some research. A lot of people use, wait for it......OATMEAL in their meatloaf. Oatmeal is something I have an abundance of currently. I found a few recipes that I liked and decided to combine them together :)

Whatcha need:

1 1/2 lbs of ground beef (ground turkey can be used)

1 envelope of dried onion soup mix

1/2 C oatmeal

1 egg

3/4 C ketchup

about 1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Whatcha Do:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium size bowl, beat the egg. Add burger and mix together (i use my hands heehee) Pour in the oatmeal and soup mix. Mix together WELL. Spoon (unless you use your hands)the mixture into a loaf pan. I use a glass loaf pan and highly recommend it. It makes it easier to tell when the meatloaf is done!! Place in oven and cook for roughly 30 minutes. In separate little bowl (or your handy dandy glass measuring cups) mix together the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. After the meat has cooked for 30 mins. take it out and spread our super flavorful ketchup mixture. Put it back in the oven and cook for another 5 minutes. Wa la! You have a super tasty meatloaf! Even my 3 year old loved it!

Stuffed Pork Chops

So recently, a lovely gal I work with told me about this heavenly dish they have sometimes for Sunday dinner. Her dad broke it down for me. It's a pork tenderloin stuffed with tasty stuff, wrapped in bacon. They serve it with a tasty gravy :) Well....I decided to try this tasty dish. I just changed it alittle :) And the good thing is...it cost me less than $10 to feed my little family of 3 and some :)

Whatcha need:

4 thick cut pork chops

(i get mine at Costco when they're SUPER cheap and they're roughly 3/4" thick)

1 box of cornbread or poultry flavored stuffing mix (gv-$1)

1/4 C butter for the stuffing

enough butter to brown the chops

Whatcha do:

Preheat the oven to 325 or 350 F. Depending on how tender you want your chops. I do 325 for 1 hour and 30-45 minutes. If you do 350, you only need like 40-45 minutes. Brown those lovely chops. You don't have to cook them all the way through. They will bake for a while :) While the chops are browning, start cooking the stuffing. Just follow the directions on the package! Super easy. NOW~if you wanna get creative and make your own stuffing, you can! Just message me and I'll give the recipe for that part. I'm just too lazy during the week :) Once the stuffing is done and the chops are brown, commence stuffing :) Simply slice the chops and create a pita looking pocket! Stuff the chops until they can't take any more and then stuff them again :) If you are a stuffing friendly family, I'd suggest using 2 boxes. Place the chops in a casserole dish. I add 4 tablespoons or so of melted butter to the dish to add some extra flavor and to prevent sticking. Cover the chops with foil and bake. :)

**OPTIONAL**

Now, if you want a creamy kind of dish, use 1 can of cream of mushroom soup mixed with 1/3 C milk. Pour it over the chops prior to baking.

We went for a healthier approach tonight and just used some apple butter on the side. You can also just top with a brown gravy.

oh man

Hello. My name is Mrs B and I am a slacker. I apologize from the bottom of my heart for not keeping up on the recipes. I'm sure that some of you are mommies and wives and know how crazy life can get when everyone's working. But, it's time to calm down, I hope :)

Crock Pot Creamy Ranch Potatoes

Okay folks :) I had a recent request for another crock pot recipe. So, JAY-son, this one's for you :)

Whatcha Need:

2 lbs chopped red taters
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 pkt buttermilk ranch dressing
1 can cream of potato soup

Whatcha Do:
Place taters in crock pot. In separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over taters and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours.

Ta-Da! Done!

**I have been know to add in bacon! :) I take 1 lb of bacon. Cut it into bite size pieces and cook it in a pan until done, but not too crispy. I add the bacon during the last hour or so.**

Nan's Candy Apple Salad

My step-mom Nan makes the best "salad!!" I can only eat like the whole bowl :) She brings a lot to family parties! It's great for reunions and all kinds of fun get-togethers!!

Whatcha Need:

1 12oz can crushed pineapple
1 TB flour
1 egg
2 TB vinegar
3/4 C sugar
4-5 Granny Smith apples
1 12 oz container Cool Whip
3/4 C dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Whatcha Do:
Cook pineapple, flour, egg, vinegar, and sugar over low heat until thickened. Let cool COMPLETELY! Cut apples into bite size pieces. Combine apples, peanuts, cooled mixture and Cool Whip. Refrigerate until chill, roughly 2-3 hours.

easy dinner!

I have tasty pork chops in our freezer. I wish I was in our freezer! LOL I did not wanna slave over a hot stove or bake today! So, here we go...the simplest tastiest dinner :)

Whatcha need:

3 fairly thick pork chops-you can choose boneless, I did :)

salsa verde-we got La Victoria on sale for $1.95 so I used half a jar.

Just use how ever much you'd like! :)

2 chicken bullion with tomato cubes-you can find these in the

"Hispanic" ethic section of most local grocers

3 Cs water

1 1/2 C rice

Whatcha do:

Slice the pork chops into strips. Brown the chops and then pour in the salsa verde. Cover with lid and simmer. While you're browning the chops, start the rice :) Combine the bullion cubes, rice and water in one pot. Bring to boil and then cover and simmer until rice is done. Once the rice is done, serve the pork chops over rice with the salsa verde! DONE :) I serve them with mais fritters :)

Poor Man's Cheesecake!

Anyone else having a hard time coming up with recipe ideas? I stood in my kitchen tonight, my hands on my hips, staring at my cupboards. There were plenty of items in the those blasted things but my brain wasn't just making any connections :) Until WHAM!!! I figured out what to make!! I had some raspberries in the fridge that were fixin' to go bad if I didn't hurry it up. I was craving cheesecake something fierce. But alas! It's Sunday and I had NO cream cheese. To, I decided to do a poor man's cheesecake! :) :) If you close your eyes while you eat it, it IS cheesecake!

Whatcha Need:

1 1/2 c finely crushed graham crackers

3-4 TBS melted butter

1/4-1/3 C sugar

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

2 packages vanilla pudding

milk to make pudding :)

fresh raspberries

roughly 1/4 C raspberry jam NOT jelly

Whatcha do:

To prepare the crust, simply combine the graham crackers, butter, sugar and cinnamon. Press into pie plate. Set aside :) Combine milk and pudding. Whisk until almost set. Pour into pie crust. Top with raspberry jam and fresh raspberries. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

**If you're lucky, you have the best raspberry jam in the world-my father in laws homemade!! Homemade works best!**

This is a fabulous recipe that I'm making this Friday! I thought I would just post the recipe ahead of time before I got too busy with this week :) It's a super easy recipe! I found it at one of my favorite sites and tweaked it a little to jive with my family :)

Whatcha need:

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 C water
1/3 c lemon juice
2 tsps of minced garlic (i get mine at costco for cheap)
1 chicken bullion cube

**optional a few sliced fresh mushrooms**

Whatcha do:
In a bowl, mix the oregano, salt, and pepper. Now, I sliced my chicken into smaller strips because I get the HUGE breasts from the store :) Rub the mixture into chicken. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in butter for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in a slow cooker. In the same skillet, mix the water, lemon juice, garlic, and bouillon. Bring the mixture to boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on High for 3 hours, or Low for 6 hours. Add the parsley to the slow cooker 15 to 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.

You can serve it over cooked rice or your favorite whole wheat pasta :) If you chose to do rice, make the rice with chicken broth :) Super tasty :)

chicken puff thingys :)

Hey guys! I know it's been a while! it's been a crazy few couple of weeks :) But my nights are starting to "slow" down! Josh is back in school, so 6 nights a week its just me and the Bugga :)

I got this recipe from my dear friend Cylista! I think she said her sister-in-law gave her the recipe! it's the easiest recipe EVER! i've made very little changes to it to suit my family :)

Whatcha need:

2-4 chicken breasts, diced and cooked.

roughly 12-14 ozs cream cheese, softened

2-4 celery stalks, diced

1 box of chicken stuffing

2 rolls of crescent rolls

melted butter

Whatcha do:

Preheat oven to directions on crescent package. After you've cooked the chicken and it's coolin' a bit, separate the seasoning from the bread crumbs in the stuffing box. It's not the easiest job, but it's worth it. Save the bread crumbs for laters. You're gonna need 'em. In separate bowl, combine the celery with the seasoning and cream cheese. Add the chicken. Mix all together. Open your rolls. I lay them on the cookie sheet I'm going to cook them on. Crush your bread crumbs. Now here's the tricky part. You dropped a tablespoon or more of the chicken mixture onto the rolls and then roll 'em up like a pizza pocket. Roll in melted butter and then the bread crumbs. Put 'em back on the cookie sheet. Repeat :) When you've got 'em all buttered and crumby :) bake according to the package of rolls. I served ours with steamed broccoli. Next time we're going to do asparagus :) Stevey LOVED them. I was shocked when he downed 2 of them.

**I add a dash of sage to my chicken and some green onions, diced**

crock

Yet another crock pot recipe :) :) This is super easy too! If you guys have any requests, lemme know ;) I'm here to serve LOL

Whatcha need:

2 lb. stew meat

10 oz. mushrooms, halved (or 1 can of 'shrooms)
1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced (i get my garlic from Costco, already minced)
1 cup beef broth (1 bullion cube and 1 C of water)

2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt

1 cup Sour Cream
2 TB. flour

1 TB Dijon Mustard (I LOVE Dijon Mustard)
1 pkg. (16 oz.) egg noodles, uncooked

Whatcha do:
BROWN meat and then place meat, mushrooms, onions and garlic in slow cooker. Add broth, paprika and salt. Cover with lid. Cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours (or on HIGH for 5 hours). Mix sour cream, flour and mustard. Add to meat mixture in slow cooker; stir until well blended. Cover and cook on LOW for 15 min. Meanwhile, cook noodles as directed on package. Drain noodles; place in serving bowl. Add meat mixture; mix lightly.

**Now if you're not feeling the pasta vibe, this is also SUPER tasty over rice :)**

Crock Pot Sweet & Sour Pork

Since it's starting to get warmer and no one really LIKES staying in a hot kitchen, I've decided to post some of my favorite crockpot recipes :) So here is a super easy NO FAIL one :)

Whatcha need:

1-1/2 lb. boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces

**you can used pork chops cut into pieces or a pork roast**
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cup Barbecue Sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) chicken broth
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice, drained
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cups instant white rice, uncooked

Whatcha do:
Place meat in slow cooker; top with onions. Add barbecue sauce and broth; cover with lid. Cook on LOW 6 to 7 hours (or on HIGH 4 hours). Make sure you check it every hour or so. You wanna make sure everything is going along smoothly :) Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover your lovely pork and cook on LOW 30 min. or until rice is tender.

Now!! if you're not feeling the added taste the BBQ sauce adds, you can use 1 bottle (10 oz.) Sweet 'N Sour Sauce instead.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

Okay folks! It's getting closer! Summer time and garden fun is right around the corner! At least, I think that if I keep telling myself that it will happen! Anyone else sick of this icky weather!??!! Snow?? In APRIL?! Anyways! I digress LOL Here's a fun recipe to help use up all that extra zucchini you'll have laying around :)

Whatcha need:

2 C sugar

1 C vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 grated zucchini

3 tsp vanilla

3 C whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon

Whatcha Do:

Preheat your oven to 350. Grease and flour 2(two) loaf pans. Combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and zucchini. In separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Slowly combine mixtures and then pour into pans. Bake for 45-60 mins, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes before removing from pan to cool on wire rack. If you'd like, you can always add your favorite nuts or raisins. I'm going to try some craisins in it today when I make some :)

lemon cookies

So, we're in B-town this weekend! My mother in law made the bestest lemon cookies :) :) SO I just HAVE to share :) She got the recipe from Sharon Dance, a woman here in the Btown :) So super tasty!!!

WHATCHA NEED:

1 1/4 C sugar

3/4 C shortening

1tsp salt

1 egg

2 tsp lemon extract

1/4 tsp yellow food coloring

2 C flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 C evaporated milk

WHATCHA DO:

Mix sugar & shortening and egg. Mix dry ingredients alternating with milk until blended. Make in to 1" balls and roll in sugar. Cook at 350 on ungreased pan for 12-13 mins

whole wheat banana bread

I'm trying to do better at eating better. So, I've been playing around with making some of my comfort foods a tad bit healthier. I haven't perfected this recipe just yet, but it's pretty darn close :) Please oh please, if any of you kiddies try this recipe and find something that's super tasty, let me know!!! I'm going to experiment some more when I get some time next week, but I HAD to share this today :)

Whatcha need:

3 LARGE bananas, mashed PDG (pretty dang good)

2 eggs,

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 C melted butter (i used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)

3/4 C granulated sugar

1 3/4 C wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp nutmeg

Whatcha do

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, combine bananas, eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Mix well. And sugar and mix well again :) In separate bowl (or if you have AWESOME glass measuring cups from an even more AWESOME hubby, use those :) combine the remaining ingredients. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet and mix well yet again :) Pour into greased/floured 9*13 loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes at 350. Pull out and let cook in pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to finish cooling.

I thought about adding some nuts, but I didn't have any on hand. But please, let me know if any of y'all come up with any variations :)

I will post pictures as soon as my little demon, ur, i mean ANGEL tells me when he hid the camera. Mr. Steven decided he's going to be a photographer I guess and Mom was wasting his memory space on the camera :)

Stay tuned for some more fun recipes this week and a super duper special linkin' up with a special site :)

"Mormon" Taters

So, my step mom grew up LDS. She's been inactive since she was, gosh, 16. The other day a while back we were chatting about food and stuff we grew up with. She made the comment about missing those mormon funeral cheesy potatoes things. She asked me if I knew how to make them. I was like heck yes!!! She light up like a Christmas tree and politely requested I make them. So!! She's now addicted!!! And I love it :) :) Our son Stevey is more than addicted. These things are full of calories, so he's allowed to eat them as much as he wants :) There's tons of different versions out there. I thought I would share mine :)

Whatcha need:

1 2lb bag of frozen hashbrowns*

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

2 cups of sour cream

2 1/2 cups of shredded cheese (medium or sharp cheddar is A-mazing)

1/2 cup melted butter

1 small onion diced (or 1/2 cup dehydrated onion)*

**optional**

2 TB melted butter

2 cups crushed corn flakes or wheaties

Whatcha do:

Preheat your oven to 350. Spray a 9*13 pan with cooking spray. Mix soup, sour cream, 1/2 c melted butter, onion and cheese. Fold in the hashbrowns, gently. If you wanna add the corn flakes, mix the corn flakes and butter and sprinkle on top. Bake for 30-40 mins.

*if you don't have frozen hashbrowns, you can use "fresh" taters. Just peel and boil and then shred them in your food processor. The cooking time will vary.

*I LOVE using green onions, but don't always them available. If you have them, then by all means, USE THEM :) 1/2-3/4 cup chopped green onions.

super easy TURKEY-esque dinner

Hey kiddies!! I feel like the biggest jerk. I have not updated this blog like I said I would. Who would've known that life could get busier?! :) But, after a freakin' amazing Sunday dinner with my family, parents included, I have some free time :)

For our Sunday dinner, I decided to use a turkey roast we had in our freezer. Sundays, I really LOVE to use my crock pot. It's all about being easy cheesy :) We have church at 11am and that's right in the middle of the day for us. I don't like spending all my time after church preparing dinner. So....i stumbled across this "recipe" for a turkey breast in the crock pot. Ready for it?

Whatcha need:

1 Turkey Breast Roast

1 pkt of dry onion soup mix

1 crock pot

Whatcha do:

Rub the turkey with the dry onion soup mix. Cook in the crock on high for 3-4 hours and the low for 1-2. Wall lah! You have a super tasty turkey :) I served ours with mormon taters (recipe to follow) and a veggie :)

YAY!!

And my lap top is fixed!! Thanks hubby :) So....check

back on Monday! There will be a plethora of recipes!!

Gotta make up for lost time!!!

so watch out kiddies :)