Italian Mini Meat Loaves

This is a great twist on meatloaf. (I don't like meatloaf all that much, but it's cheap and easy, so it does appeal to me in those aspects.) It's a Rachael Ray recipe that I've modified a bit. It reminds me a lot of my meatballs, so maybe that's why I like it so much. The key to the excellent flavor is the tomato paste instead of ketchup, like a traditional meatloaf has. And I love that she suggests to make mini loaves instead of one big loaf, because the edges are the best part of a meat loaf. This way everyone gets lots of edges and it cooks a lot faster! It can be halved, but I like to have leftovers, so the following is the amount I make most of the time. This time when I made it I decided to have some fun and shape the meat loaves using a heart shaped cookie cutter. Some turned out better than others. Oh well. It keeps it interesting, I guess.

Ingredients:
2lb lean ground sirloin
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 c bread crumbs
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese (Racheal uses Parmigiano Reggiano, but I always forget to buy a package and just end up using the Kraft brand cheese in my fridge)
4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
6 tbsp tomato paste
sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper

Ingredients listed in her recipe that I don't include because I/we don't like them:
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 small green bell pepper, chopped

Sometimes I do add about 2 tbsp parsley if I think about it, even though Rachael's recipe doesn't call for it.


Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix everything together and form mini loaves 1 inch thick. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. (Why spend time cleaning when you don't have to?!) Rachael's recipe says to drizzle with EVOO, but I think that's just unnecessary because they brown up just fine without it and the extra fat just makes it too greasy for my taste. Cook for about 18-20 minutes. I like to serve it with a pasta dish or yellow beans and garlic bread. Maybe I'll post a homemade mac 'n cheese recipe next...

Slow Cooker Apple-Cinnamon Pork Roast

Well, this recipe I received via email from Parents.com. Just tried it tonight and we loved it! It had a great flavor and was really tender. The only thing I didn't do according to the recipe is add the lemon juice to the slaw. (Partly because I forgot until the end and partly because I liked it without an extra layer of flavor.) I love when a crockpot meal is a hit- hooray for not having to cook dinner in the oven when it's 108 degrees outside!

Ingredients

• 1 2.5 to 3 pound boneless pork-loin roast

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 medium sweet onion, cut into thin wedges

• 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice

• 2 Jonagold or McIntosh apples, cored and thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 bag (16 ounces) coleslaw mix

Directions

1. If the roast won't fit in your 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, trim it and save the pieces for stir-fry later in the week. Then sprinkle the roast with thyme, salt, and pepper. In a large skillet, brown meat on all sides in hot oil.

2. Layer the onion on the bottom of your slow cooker. Place roast on top and pour on the apple cider- we prefer cider because it has a bit more fiber. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Toss apples with lemon juice and cinnamon. Add them and the coleslaw mix to your slow cooker. Cover and heat 10 minutes more.

3. Remove the roast and place it on a platter. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables and apple slices to the platter. Drizzle any remaining cooking juices over meat and vegetables.

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe: 6 to 8 servings, Calories 368, Total Fat (g) 15, Sodium (mg) 273, Carbohydrate (g) 12, Fiber (g) 3, Protein (g) 43,

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Yellow Beans

These are a staple in my house. And super easy to make. Whenever I go grocery shopping I pick up at least two cans of beans for this recipe, regardless of how many cans are in my pantry. I first tasted them at a Sunday dinner at my Grandma's house when I was in college. At least I think that's when it was. Anyhow- may grandmother is a great cook and has always seemed to find a way to make veggies taste way better than my mother or I can. (Sorry, Mom.) I've come to realize she cheats, though. As an adult I began asking her about her recipes and watched her cook before our meals...and that's when I realized the veggies were so good because she uses a plentiful amount of butter/ margarine. In an attempt make this dish a little bit lighter I substituted the butter for EVOO (that's extra virgin olive oil for those of you who have never followed a Rachael Ray recipe.) It was good, but I had already been ruined having eaten it the great way, so I gave in and only substituted half the butter/ margarine. That seems to be the happy medium. I also let them get a little bit more color than Grandma does. This happened on accident once when I walked away from the stove for too long. Trav raved about how much better they tasted, so that's the way I cook them every time now. I love it when a flub turns out to be fabulous! Oh and the can in the store will say "wax beans," but that just grosses me out. I don't want to eat anything waxy. Yuck! I affectionately refer to them as yellow beans so that I can continue to love them. And love them we do. There is never any leftovers of this, no matter how many cans I make. It's one of those side dishes that I have served to adults and children and all of them loved it.


Yellow Beans
2 cans yellow beans
1 1/2 Tbsp EVOO
1 1/2 Tbsp margarine
1 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning (table blend)

Melt the margarine in the EVOO, then add beans. Toss to coat. Cook for around 5-7 minutes on [just over] medium heat and add the Mrs. Dash. Stir and cook and stir and cook until there's enough carmelization for your liking. For me that's when the bottom of the pan looks like it will be a total pain in the rear to clean. But the cook doesn't clean in my house, so I don't worry about it. (Note: Medium isn't high enough, but medium-high is too high. At least on my crappy range. Be sure to use a stainless steel pan because you can't get the same affect with a non-stick surface. Believe me- I've tried.)

As I was typing this out I realized that I have never actually measured all the ingredients, so it's a bit of an approximation. One of those recipes I just make by sight. Sorry. I guess that's not very helpful. But it leaves room for your own interpretation, so your family can enjoy it whatever way they like.