Let's Share Recipes

Mondays are my days to plan out the meals for the week. Normally I’m very good at completing this task, but lately I’ve found myself opening the refrigerator two hours before dinner and searching for something to serve. I can feel the fear building inside knowing that my family will be home in a few hours, starving and demanding to be fed.

I thought it might be fun to share recipes that we can make on short notice. I have a few old standby recipes that I use in a pinch, but I’m always looking for new ones.

A hearty meal, to me, engages the taste buds and fills the stomach.  One of my family’s favorites is meatloaf. I make it two different ways for variety and savings. 

Thanksgiving Meatloaf                                                        

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

(shopping list: ground turkey, boxed stuffing mix, 2 cans turkey gravy, 1 egg & 1 can cranberry sauce)                                                                                                  

 Mix:   1 pound of ground turkey

           1 box of stuffing mix

           1 jar of turkey gravy

           1 scrambled egg

            Seasonings to taste

Bake for 25 minutes until the meatloaf starts to brown. You can use a traditional bread loaf pan to make the shape or make it free form. About 5 minutes before it’s cooked, glaze the top of the meatloaf with cranberry sauce and return to the oven. 

Let it cool before slicing and if desired, make additional gravy to put out with the meal. 

Stuffed Italian Meatloaf                                                       

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

(shopping list: ground beef, veal & pork, 2 eggs, seasoned bread crumbs, instant mashed potatoes, sliced mozzarella, tomato paste & non-stick aluminum foil)                                                                                               

Mix:  1 lb ground beef

         ½  lb ground veal

         ½   lb ground pork

          2 eggs

          ½ cup of seasoned bread crumbs

         salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients well and divide the mixture in half. Put half down on a covered cookie sheet and make a valley in the mixture. 

Fill the valley with slices of mozzarella cheese and mashed potatoes. (use as much or as little as you wish) Top the mashed potatoes with another layer of sliced mozzarella cheese.

Put the remainder of the meat mixture on top of and make sure you cover all the potatoes & cheese. The filling of the meatloaf may overflow onto your covered cookie sheet (I find non-stick aluminum foil works great here)

Bake for 30 minutes until brown. During the last 10 minutes, remove from the oven and frost the top of the meatloaf with tomato paste and a thick layer of mozzarella cheese.

Let the meatloaf rest approximately 10 minutes before slicing.

What’s your favorite recipe to make in a pinch?