Simple BBQ Meatloaf, by Cheryl

So Jon and I are in the midst of craziness right now with our impending move to Italy, so I haven't been able to squeeze in a new meal to cook. But I am trying to use all of the meat in our freezer and had NO IDEA what to make with all of the ground beef! When you're extremely short on time and have pounds of meat to use for only 2 people then what else to make besides meatloaf to slowly get rid of it? This barbeque meatloaf recipe is very simple to make and was delicious to eat! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
panko bread crumbs, maybe 1 cup.. I didn't measure
2 eggs
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
bbq sauce
1/2 onion, chopped (I used a full onion and it was WAY too much)
dried thyme, dried marjoram, dried parsely, dried oregano, salt, pepper (pinch to a tablespoon)
olive oil

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Saute onions in olive oil in a pan.

3) Mix meat, bread crumbs and spices in a bowl. Add onions and mix.

4) Add worcestershire sauce to the eggs and mix together. Add to the bowl. Using your hands, knead everything together. You may have to add more bread crumbs depending on how squishy it is.

5) If you have a bread pan then form the meat to fit into it. If not, then form the meat into a loaf on a pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Afterward, put some bbq sauce on the loaf and then bake for another 10 minutes.

Fresh and Healthy Hummus, by Diane

I've listed this recipe before for a hummus wrap, but I wanted to elaborate here. So I can't take credit for this recipe, it came from my cousin's daugther's volleyball coach's wife....but said cousin made it at a recent family party and it was SO good. I asked for the recipe, and she gave it to me..but with a secret- swapping 3/4 of the EVOO for the liquid from the can of chickpeas (which is just water and salt). The result is a creamy, smooth hummus that is significantly lower in fat and calories, and imo- is significantly more flavorful than traditional hummus.

The other reason for my posting this recipe again is the unusual pairing that was served with the hummus that I had not mentioned. My cousin chose an assortment of unusual veggies (asparagus, french string beans, sugar snap peas, zucchini, and carrots) to make it more interesting. But the best part was that she had blanched them all first (drop them into boiling water for 3-4 minutes) and then shocked them (drop them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process) to get a get a soft but crunchy texture that was way better than raw veggies. I did this here with carrots, yellow squash, and snap peas.

Ingredients:

1 14 oz. can of chickpeas (reserve liquid; add to desired consistency)
1/3 cup tahini
1/4 of 1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp cayenne

Makes 2 cups


Directions:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until creamy, adding chickpea liquid in small amounts until you reach a desired consistency.

Spaghetti Squash Primavera, by Diane

Tonight's dinner was inspired by the show Diner's, Drive-In's, and Dives. It was for a baked spaghetti squash that was filled with all sorts of veggies along with ground beef, marinara, and cheese. It looked really delicious, and it definitely was. I opted to put ground turkey instead of beef to make it healthier, and changed around the veggies to fit my family. We were low on fresh veggies so I only used onions and bell peppers, while the original recipe used those along with broccoli, mushrooms, and other types of squash. But you can really put any type of meat, veggies, or sauce in here and the outcome will still be great.


Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash
2 tbsp. EVOO
1 lb. ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green and red bell pepper, choppped
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp. each basil and oregano
1 jar marinara sauce
1/2 bag mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup + 4 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out/discard center with seeds. Then with a fork scrape down the insides of the squash and collect as much as possible in a bowl for later. Place the squash inside up in a baking dish.

3. In a large saucepan heat EVOO over medium high heat. Add turkey and cook until almost white. Add in remaining veggies, seasonings, and squash insides and cook for about 5-7 minutes until veggies begin to soften.

4. Add in marinara and cheese (save the 4 tbsp. of parmesan for later) and stir to combine.

5. Remove from heat and pour mixture into shells. You can pile these fairly high- they'll stay during baking. You can refrigerate any leftover mixture to eat for later.

6. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

7. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese, and bake uncovered for 15-25 more minutes until squash is fork tender.

Cast Iron Roasted Chicken with Shallots and Mushrooms, by Diane

This week I wanted to see what kind of flavors my cast iron skillet could add to a roasted chicken dish. Since no one in my house is a fan of dark meat, I opted for 4 chicken breasts instead of an entire chicken- but I do think that a whole chicken would probably have come out juicier. Overall it was a good, simple recipe!

If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can use any oven proof pan, or just start in a stovetop pan and transfer to an oven proof dish.

Ingredients:


4 chicken breasts, skinned and cleaned
Kosher salt and pepper
2 tbsp. EVOO
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 container button mushrooms, halved
2 shallots, halved
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 cup water
The juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high and add EVOO.

2. Sprinkle one side of chicken with salt and pepper and place seasoned side down into hot oil. Sprinkle the other side of the chicken and let brown for about 3-5 minutes.

3. Flip the chicken over, add in mushrooms, shallots, and rosemary to the pan and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until the mushrooms and shallots soften.

4. Remove the pan from the oven and return to the stovetop. Remove the chicken, setting aside in a covered dish so it doesn't cool, and heat the remaining contents to medium high. Add in water and lemon juice and scrape the sides to get all the flavor into the mixture.

5. After 2 minutes remove the mushrooms, shallots, and rosemary from the pan and add to the dish with the chicken. Cook the remaining sauce in the pan until it condenses into a syrup, approximately 3 minutes.

6. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Kale Chips, by Diane

Okay, so I was skeptical of this recipe at first, but am now hooked on this amazingly addictive yet super healthy snack. I've heard about kale chips for a while now, but this week I saw Gwyneth Paltrow of all people on Ellen cooking them- she claimed that you should make them for your kids because they are just like potato chips. Having never tried kale (I thought it was bitter) and not really buying the whole 'just like potato chip' idea, I decided to see what all the fuss was about this week. I've made four batches in the last two days- my whole family is hooked too. I'll admit that my first bite was not the most pleasant- it tastes really earthy, then you get the hit of salty olive oil. But I found myself strangely drawn back to the pan, and before I knew it they were gone. Some call them kale crack, but I'm just excited to say that I am snacking healthy and cheaply (one giant bag can be as little as 3 bucks, and will last you many, many batches). It is also super easy and quick to make- you're snacking in 15 minutes. This also makes it easier to make 2 batches in quick succession like I do and OD on them :) You can change this recipe up in so many ways too and still keep it healthy- smoky (cumin and paprika), spicy (cayenne and chili powder), garlic and lemon, or even cheesy (sprinkle parmesan over top instead of salt). You can also dip in ranch or other fun dressings. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
Kale (get a bag that's been pre-rinsed)
Light drizzle EVOO
Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Fill a large bowl with kale (don't rinse or the oil won't stick), drizzle lightly with olive oil (less is more) and toss to coat all leaves.

3. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, and sprinkle with kosher salt.

4. Bake 15 minutes. Devour.