Meatloaf

Economical especially if you use the gr. Turkey at Super Walmart. In Boise it was only $.99 per pound. Here in Utah is it $1.37 per pound. It is an easy recipe and cooked with baked potatoes make it a filling meal.

1 1/2 lb. gr. beef or turkey

3/4 c. oats, uncooked

1/4 c chopped onion

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 t pepper

1 c tomato juice

1 egg, beaten

Combine thoroughly. Place in ungreased bread loaf pan. Cook 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 8 servings.

We serve it with Ketchup but it would be good with this yummy gravy...

2 tsp worchestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. Ketchup

1 can. Campbells GOLDEN Mushroom soup

Mix and pour over meatloaf for the last 15 minutes of cooking!

Impossible Cheeseburger Pie

This is EASY with a capital E!!! If you like hamburgers you will like this and it is a fast meal. Easy, fast, economical and good, the only problem I have is to not be tempted to serve it too often so that we get sick of it. Too much of anything is not good. The balance for me is the challenge.

1 lb. gr. beef/turkey

1 c chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1 c shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 c bisquick

1 c milk

2 eggs

Pre-heat oven 400 degrees. Grease 9" pie plate. Cook gr. beef and onion until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate; sprinkle with cheese.

Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate.

Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 6 servings.

High Altitude: Bake 30-35 minutes.

Serve with any toppings you would serve on a hamburger. We only go as far as Ketchup though.

PS The picture looks as though it has not been cooked yet. Mine turns out golden brown.

Gnocchi- Italian Potatoe Pasta

Here is a yummy dish that in inexpensive. I love this and you can eat it like pasta with red sauce, Alfredo sauce, pesto sauce, or just butter and Parmesan cheese. We love this, even my son who turns his head up to many foods eats this one. The best thing about this dish is the price very economical!

6 large potatoes, peeled, hot and cooked (I boil them)

4 T. butter

3 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tsp. baking powder

4 c. flour

Mash potatoes. Beat in butter, eggs and baking powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Sift in flour, making a stiff dough. Mix and knead until dough is smooth. Shape dough into long rolls (remember the play dough days make the super long snakes we use to make) about as thick as a finger and cut into 1" pieces. Press each piece with you thumb to make a crescent shape (I don't bother with the crescent but it is in the directions). Cook gnocchi a few (I do more than a few)at a time in a large pot of boiling salted water until they rise to the surface. Arrange in a heated baking dish and sprinkle with melted butter and Parmesan cheese. Set dish in a 350 degree oven til cheese is melted. Salt and pepper to taste.

If you are serving with a sauce omit the sprinkling of butter and Parmesan cheese. Although it still would be excellent with it just a lot more fattening.

Crock Pot Refried Beans

I made this for our dinner to go in our burritos. The neighbor kids who are from Mexico, were here and I gave them each some. Talk about feeling insecure. I am not sure how it compares to their mom's beans but we loved them. Especially compared to the Walmart Great Value beans from a can.

The recipe is from http://www.recipezaar.com/. Here it is...

Ingredients
1(8ounce)bag dried pinto beans
1/4 yellow onion or white onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Directions
1Soak beans overnight or for 8 hours. Discard floating beans and beans that are cracked.
2Rinse beans thoroughly under cold water. Add beans to Crockpot, cover with 1" of water.
3Add salt - approximately 1 tablespoon.
4Add approximately 1 teaspoon of garlic & chili powders.
5Add 1 1/2 (approx) of cumin.
6Sprinkle red pepper flakes.
7Cook on low 4-6 hours or until beans are tender.
8Once beans are done transfer some of your beans to the Cuisnart. Add some of your cooking water. Mix until blended.

Greek-Style Skillet Supper

I have had this recipe in my recipe box for a LONG time and I finally tried it for the first time tonight. Talk about easy and yummy! Pierce had two large helpings! This is going to become a regular. It calls for Cinnamon which I hesitated to put in but decided to try it. The scent did not convince me this was a keeper but the taste sure did.

This recipe is from http://www.mccormick.com/ which I have added to my links. I did check out the site and there are more recipes that I will HAVE to try. I hope the others are as fast and easy as this. I think you could have this made in 30-45 minutes but you can easily do other things while it is cooking.

1/2 pound gr. beef (again I used gr. turkey and it was fabulous. I like gr. turkey because it is cheaper and healthier)

1/2 c chopped onion

1 can (14 1/2 oz) beef broth (I used two c. water and 2 boullion cubes)

1 1/2 c. penne pasta, uncooked (I think I will use more next time)

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes

1 1/2 c frozen cut green beans (I used french style from the can)

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 c crumbled feta cheese, divided

1. In large skillet, brown beef with onion over medium-high heat. Drain fat.

2. Add broth; bring to boil. Stir in pasta, Return to boil and simmer, covered, 8 min.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese. Return to boil. Stir in 1/2 c. feta cheese. Simmer, uncovered, 7-10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Sprinkle with remaining feta. Makes 4 GENEROUS servings.

Vegetable Kabobs

This is one of my all time favorite recipes. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it for the summer with the garden produce. We love to BBQ and this adds to the typical meat dish. I use this often. I made it last night for our fondue and raclette grill night and it made me even more excited for spring/summer!

I do like the veggies to marinade for much longer than the 15 minutes they suggest. The veggies marinade better if you wait to put them on the skewers but it is very messy if you do this plus time consuming right before BBQ time.

1 garlic clove, peeled
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 medium fresh mushrooms
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 small onions, cut into six wedges
8 cherry tomatoes

In a small bowl, mash garlic with salt to form a paste. Stir in the oil, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and pepper. Thread vegetables alternately onto metal or soaked wooden skewers; place in a shallow pan. Pour garlic mixture over kabobs; let stand for 15 minutes. Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or just until vegetables are tender, turning frequently. Carefully unwrap foil Yield: 4 servings

I love sauces that you eat with meats. I never had them growing up and have only recently been introduced to them via restaurants.

David did suggests we make a ham sauce when we were first married. I thought how disgusting but did not say a word. Instead I called my mom and asked her. She said they were wonderful and that she never made them because of the extra time it took. I was convinced and tried on and WOW! I discovered a new love.

the problem is finding the recipes but LOOKIE LOOKIE LOOKIE what I just found...

http://recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Category:White_or_Cream_Sauce_Recipes

I am so excited! I must be in heaven! Or just living right?