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A little blog dedicated to finding creative ways to use things from a box, can or bag.
Welcome
Swedish Meatballs
The next entry in the series “Things Based on Meat Loaf.” Ohhhh, yeah, I’m adding pictures to the blog! Raw meat is a great place to start.
Meatballs Ingredients
1 lb. ground turkey (feel free to substitute beef but I claim no responsibility if it doesn’t work out for you)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tbs. dried onion
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Sauce Ingredients
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Mix all meatball ingredients. Shape into 1″ balls (I have a cookie scooper that works really well so you don’t have to touch any of the nasty). Place on lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 2o minutes. While that is baking mix all sauce ingredients and microwave for 5-10 minutes until boiling. Add cooked meatballs, cover and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. Serve over buttered noodles.
Turkey Meat Loaf
I’ve been neglecting this blog for a while, so I’m starting a new series titled “Things Based on Meat Loaf.” First entry… Meat Loaf!
On a side note, I don’t eat beef. Leftover habit from my obligatory Art History major vegetarianism from undergrad school. I don’t have any problem with it, I just don’t eat it. You can certainly substitute ground beef for any of these recipes. I add a little extra spicing which maybe you’d want to cut down on?? I don’t know, it’s been well over 20 years since I tasted beef.
Ingredients
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 tsp. garlic
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/3 cup ketchup
Topping
Worcestershire sauce & ketchup
Directions
Mix all ingredients, shape into a ball, dump in a baking pan, bake at 350 for about an hour. Voilá, meat loaf. I like to make baked potatoes with it because they take an hour in the oven too. It’s like God is telling you these things belong together isn’t it? My baked potatoes are pretty amazing, rub them in oil and sprinkle kosher salt on both sides. Ten years in restaurants I had to learn something useful. Oh, don’t forget to spread the topping on the meat loaf for the last 5-10 minutes.
Momma Dross’ Jungle Stew
A lovely submission from our friend Jeff Dross.
Ingredients
- 1lb ground beef – I like it best if about 80% lean. The 90%+ beef doesn’t have enough fat and the meal tastes dry (Yes, I am aware that fat is not healthy). Editor’s note: see Fatty Foods and Alcohol for suggestions on counteracting the effects of unheathly eating.
- 1 onion, chopped
- oregano
- black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 28oz can tomatoes (I like the diced, whole can be used, but should be cut up a bit when added to the pan)
- 1 beef bouillon cube (Yes, I know it’s filled with sodium. Just use it!)
Directions
Brown the ground meat in a large pan (that has an accompanying cover) along with the chopped onions, black pepper and oregano. Reduce the heat to low once the pink has disappeared.
Flatten the ground meat in the pan and pour the uncooked elbow macaroni evenly over the top of the ground beef. Spread the can of tomatoes (and any can juice) evenly over the top of the macaroni. DO NOT MIX. DO NOT POUR FAST. You want to trap the dried macaroni between the moist meat and the wet tomatoes. Now, the pièce de résistance, stuff the bouillon cube into the tomatoes at the center top of the assembly.
Cover the pan and cook on the stove top for about 45 minutes. Keep the heat low, or the beef will stick to the bottom of the pan and result in a burnt taste to the completed dish. Mix the ingredients before serving.
Take THAT PTA Mom Weenies
I like this title because it sounds like I’m calling the moms weenies but I’m really not because the recipe is FOR weenies, see how that works? Clever, huh?
Thanks to Eric Lowrey for this link. My 3-year-old happened to be having a friend over when he sent it so I actually made them. Here you go:
Ingredients
Hot Dogs
Spaghetti
Directions
Cut up hot dogs into chunks. Break uncooked spaghetti in half and push pieces into hot dogs. Boil in water until pasta is cooked. I served them with pesto sauce to make them extra freaky-deaky.
Grandma Crouch’s Cranberry Bread
A family member requested this recipe, so I thought I would share it with all of you too. There is a specific unnamed niece that hates cranberries but likes this so much she picks them out so she can eat it. Weird I know.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup cranberries
1 egg, beaten
juice and rind of 1 orange
1/2 cups chopped nuts
3 tbs shortening
Directions
Mix all dry ingredients. Put juice and shortening in a measuring cup and fill with boiling water to 3/4 cup. Add this and the egg to dry ingredients and mix. Add grated orange peel, nuts and cranberries and mix. Poor in a greased loaf pan and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Poor Man’s Egg Salad
Dana and I used to have this for lunch all the time when we were co-workers. It’s probably just plain egg salad, but we thought we invented something special – I don’t know, I’ve never made the real thing. I’m eating it right now, it’s yummy.
Ingredients
1-2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper
Directions
Chop up egg add salt, pepper and mayonnaise to taste. Mix. Slap it on bread, a bagel, crackers, whatever you have on hand.
I Made Some Pretty Good Chicken the Other Night
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup of white wine
- Tablespoon or so of Butter/Margarine
- Teaspoon-ish of Dijon Mustard
- Little bit of Lemon Juice
Directions
Melt butter in pan. Add in wine, mustard, and lemon juice. Once it’s all good and hot and mixed, toss in the chicken and sear over high heat. Then, turn down the heat to medium and cover so it cooks through. Check after 8-10 minutes to make sure it’s not still pink in the middle. If it is, obviously keep cooking. The last step is crank the heat back up to high and take the lid off for just about 2 minutes, just to give the outside some color. Be careful with this last step because the liquid will splatter at high heat. And by be careful, I mean wear something with sleeves. You’ve been warned.
Cabbage Soup
Yeah, I know, “Cabbage SOUP? Where’s the cabbage and noodles recipe?” Soon, I promise. I’m going to blame this on Doug because he wants to post his version. So, this soup I made yesterday was seriously good and even better for lunch today. I made up the recipe all by myself too.
Ingredients
1 tbs olive oil
1 cup onion diced
1 clove garlic
28 oz can diced tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce
6 cups water
6 bouillon cubes (or you could use chicken stock in place of this and the H2O, I didn’t have any on hand)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 small head cabbage chopped
Directions
Sauté onion and garlic. Add all other ingredients except cabbage. Bring to a boil. Add cabbage. Simmer until cabbage is well cooked (probably an hour or so?? I didn’t time it). Again, this is a really big pot. It’s the way I cook, sorry. I did freeze some, I’ll report back if it turns out okay.
Corn Drop Biscuits
I made this one up too. It goes really well with the cabbage soup and it’s super easy (or souper easy, I’m so funny).
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups bisquick
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 15 oz can corn with juice
Optional
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese ( I haven’t tried this so I can’t take responsibility if it doesn’t work out, but I think it would be really good)
Directions
Mix all ingredients. Drop spoonfulls on a lightly greased baking sheet (I have a large cookie scoop which makes this super duper fast). Bake at 450 for about 15 minutes or until brown on top.
Easter at the Blog
If you think you would like to host a family holiday but are a little intimidated, Easter is the way to go. Seriously easy. Make the ham and when your guests ask the obligatory, “What can I bring?” assign them a side dish… “Oh, and do you mind bringing a bottle of wine too.” Done. You look like a hero and you’ll have a bunch of wine leftover because families don’t drink much (at least mine doesn’t).
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try one of the other Easter recipes we have posted. I would especially like to point out Dana’s “Smeeps.” A delicious desert made with peeps. Make this and it will give you something other than the weather to talk about with Aunt Matilda.
Stacie
Dana Ross
Stacie Ross
Doug Crouch
