Recipes

These are some of my favorite recipes to make with my boyfriend. If you have any you'd like to share, send them my way and I'll post them here.

Manda's Meatloaf

1 1/2- 2 lbs ground beef                       1 c. bread crumbs(seasoned is best)                    

1 egg                                                    salt and pepper to taste

1 onion, chopped                                 2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 c. milk                                               2 tbsp. mustard (I use Dijon.)

1/3 c. ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine beef, egg, onion, milk and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in lightly greased 5x9 loaf pan. Or, form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. (I form 2 loaves and put in 9x13 dish. That way, if we don't eat the second one, it can be frozen.) In separate small bowl, combine brown sugar, mustard and ketchup. Mix well and baste over meatloaf. Bake @ 350 for one hour, or until cooked through. It should be around 150-160 degrees on the inside. (This will be the moistest meatloaf you will ever have. It's delicious.)

Baked French Toast

1/4 c. melted butter            6 pcs. French or Italian bread

4 eggs                                2/3 c. orange juice

1/4 c. sugar                        1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. nutmeg                   1/2 c chopped pecans (or nut of your choice.)

Coat bottom of 9x13 dish with melted butter. Arrange bread in single layer in dish. Whisk eggs, OJ, vanilla, sugar and nutmeg until well blended. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle nuts on top and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with orange syrup. (Recipe below.)

Orange Syrup

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. orange juice

1/4 c. sugar

1 tsp orange liqueur

Combine ingredients in sauce pan on medium heat until warm and sugar is dissolved. Do not boil.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Picante

4 c. white rice

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 c. Picante sauce (or salsa)

3 tbsp. packed light brown sugar

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Prepare rice according to package. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in 2 qt shallow baking dish. Mix picante sauce, brown sugar and mustard in small bowl. Pour over chicken. Bake for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve chicken and sauce over rice. ( I like using pineapple or mange salsa.)

Taco Pie

1 lb ground beef                    1 pkg crescent rolls

1 pkg. taco seasoning             1 bag Doritos

8 oz. sour cream                   1 c. shredded cheese (cheddar or a Mexican blend works best)

Brown ground beef and drain. Mix with taco seasoning according to package directions. Arrange crescent rolls in glass pie dish or square baking dish, pressing together to make a crust. Spread 1/2c. crushed Doritos in bottom. Add ground beef mixture. Spread sour cream over beef. Sprinkle cheese on top. Finish with 1/2 c. crushed Doritos. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. ( I also put some cheese on the bottom, before the ground beef.)

RD's Famous Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs ground beef                             1/2 tsp parsley

1/4 onion (chopped very fine)                1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic                                             1 tsp salt

1 tsp basil                                              2 eggs

1 tsp oregano                                        1 c bread crumbs

In large bowl, combine all ingredients. You may not want to add both eggs at once. Only add second egg if mixture seems dry. Form into balls, slightly smaller than a golf ball. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil. Cook meatballs in skillet until brown on all sides. Place on a wire rack in a baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cooked through. Do not place in sauce until right before serving. (These are the best meatballs you will ever have. Everyone raves about them. Do not cut out any of the spices, or they will not taste right. We use dried, but fresh would taste even better.)

Demi Chocolate Souffle

Butter (for ramekins)

1/2 c. sugar, plus extra to coat ramekins

4 eggs, separated

2 tbsp Grand Marnier (or any orange-flavored liqueur. Grand Marnier is VERY expensive to just use once.)

6 oz. chocolate (melted)

Confectioner's sugar (for dusting. AKA powdered sugar)

1/2 c. chocolate sauce (for serving)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush 4 small ramekins with butter, making sure to coat thoroughly, including rims. Coat completely with sugar, gently tapping out any excess. In a mixing bowl whisk yolks, 1/4 c. sugar and liqueur until thoroughly mixed. Stir in melted chocolate. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks, add remaining sugar and beat until just stiff. Fold half of eggs whites into chocolate mixture, incorporating completely. Fold in remaining whites, keeping batter as light as you can. Some white streaks may remain. Spoon batter into prepared ramekins. Bake 8-10 minutes until puffed. Serve immediately, dusted with confectioner's sugar and pass warm chocolate sauce at table. (This is surprisingly easy to make.)