Muffin Pan Meatloaves/Mini Meatloaves

Meatloaves:
1 Egg
2 pounds Ground Beef
¾ C. Ketchup
1 C. Italian Style Bread Crumbs
2 T. Parsley
2 T. Minced Onion
1 t. Ground Mustard
½ t. Seasoning Salt
Topping:
½ t. Basil
½ t. Oregano
¼ C. Ketchup

Combine ingredients for Meatloaves. Shape into 8 small loaves and place in a greased 9×13 pan. Combine ingredients for Topping and spoon over loaves. Bake in a 375º oven for 35 minutes, thawed.

 

*I shaped them into muffin pan sized meatballs, lightly sprayed the muffin pan with Pam to prevent sticking. I had to adjust the baking time slightly. I baked them for about 27 minutes.

Kid Friendly Chimichangas

1 pd Hamburger

1 Taco Seasoning Packet

1 20oz Salsa

15.25 can of refried beans

16 oz cheese

Brown ground beef and add taco seasoning per instructions on package. mix ground beef with salsa, refried beans and cheese. Using tortilla shells, wrap mixture like a burrito and flash freeze on cookie sheets in freezer. Store in gallon size bag.

Defrost for a minute or two in microwave. Place on cookie sheets and place in oven at 350 for 30-35 minutes. you can also fry them in a skillet.

Sides: Spanish rice or corn. You can also buy Mexican cheese to serve over the top of the chimichangas!

Carne Empanada

Ingredients:

cubed steak (or thin cut of steak)

Adobo Seasoning

White vinegar

Saltine Crackers

eggs

vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

you need to tenderize the meat with a meat tenderizer (looks like a hammer with a bunch of spikes) and pound it to get the meat really thin.

Next, you sprinkle both sides with adobo and then sprinkle with white vinegar and set the meat aside.

You will need to take the saltine crackers, starting with a pack of them, and make them into VERY fine crumbs (i use a gallon-sized sip-lock bag and put the crackers inside and seal it up and then use the flat side of the meat tenderizer to pound the crackers until very fine) Put the crumbs into a shallow dish.

you will need to scramble the eggs (start with 4) and put them into another separate shallow  dish or bowl.

Dip each piece of meat into the eggs making sure both sides are covered and then dip into the cracker crumbs making sure both sides are breaded. (at this point you can either fry them or wrap them in wax paper to freeze for later)

Fry in medium/high heat in a frying pan (you don’t want to deep fry them) and then as soon as you see it browning then you flip and cook the other side until browned. takes approx. 10 minutes total.

 

*To prepare from frozen: you don’t need to thaw the meat before frying…..however, you might need to let it sit out at room temp for a few minutes so that you can get them separated and the breading doesn’t fall off. Another tip: make sure not to fry at too high a temperature so that the breading doesn’t burn before its cooked completely. Plus, the meat will be more tender.

*The amount of crackers, eggs, and oil will depend on how many steaks you make. I sometimes add a little olive oil to the vegetable oil when frying.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

This is a recipe from several months back. It was given to us by Thelma King.

1 lb. broccoli florets (cut in small pieces) or use bag of frozen broccoli

2 chicken breasts (cut up)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 soup can of milk

1/4 cup of sour cream

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

2 cups shredded cheese

1 box cornbread stuffing (prepared)

1 small onion (cut up) or 1 Tbsp minced onion

Boil chicken and then cut up in small chunks. Steam broccoli until firm and crunchy, then cut in pieces. Put chicken and broccoli in bottom of pan (9×13). in separate pan, saute onion in tsp. butter. Add soup, milk, sour cream, and mayonnaise to onions. Cook over low heat until ingredients are well blended. Prepare stuffing by box directions. Pour soup mixture over broccoli and chicken; spread shredded cheese on broccoli and chicken. Crumble prepared cornbread stuffing on top to finish off your casserole. Bake 325 degrees for 45 minutes or hot and bubbly.

Easy Chicken Cacciatore

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken

1 Tbs. oil

2 cloves fresh garlic, diced

8 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

Italian Seasoning (to taste)

26 oz. Chunky Spaghetti Sauce (i prefer the garden vegetable or Garlic and Herb)

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms, optional

1 onion, (optional) diced

Brown chicken in oil over medium-high heat about 5-7 minutes. Add into skillet chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper, and cook about 3-5 minutes, stir in chopped tomatoes and cook  till they have wilted. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning (if needed). Cover and cook over medium heat for approx 15-20 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook an additional 5 minutes (covered), or until chicken in done.

Serve with Pasta or rice.

Beef Tips!

1 1/2 pound beef tips

1 packet onion soup mix

1 can cream of mushroom /or

Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff

1 lb ground beef

1 med onion chopped

2T all-purp flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Can of cream of mushroom soup (can use other cream of’s….)

8 ounces Sour Cream

optional 4 oz can of sliced mushrooms

Box of Noodles (egg noodles) Cooked and drained.

 

Brown Beef and onion. Drain. Stif in flour. Stir in salt and pepper. Blend together well. Stir in Soup. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sour cream and heat thouroughly. You may need to wisk in a little water to get to desired consitency.

 

Serve over noodles.

 

To cook from frozen: defrost. Stir to mix ingredients back together. Microwave, covered, stirring occasionally until hot!

That Chicken Dish

We call it “that chicken dish” because for the longest time we’d refer to it as “that chicken dish” the neighbors brought us when kayleigh was born!

Lightly spray 8×13 dish with Pam. Put 1 cup of Minute Rice on bottom of pan. Spreading evenly. Layer with chicken breasts/tenders on top of rice. Put a slice of swiss cheese on top of each piece of chicken. Mix one can of cream of mushroom(chicken), one can of cream of chicken, and a can full of milk and pour soup/milk mixture over the chicken and rice. Sprinkle  with Suffing and dot with butter. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees.  Make sure chicken is done.

For the Freezer:  You can assemble and freeze uncooked. To cook raw, from frozen, bake at 350 for 2hours. Checking to make sure chicken is done. If stuffing begins to burn, cover with foil.

You can also bake, then freeze the meal. Follow original directions, perhaps slightly undercooking.  To reheat from frozen: cover and bake at 350 for  1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake for approx 20-30 mintues till warm throughout and stuffing is crisp.

 

 

Asian Honey Chicken and Fried Rice

Asian Honey Chicken
1/8 cup sesame oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup soy sauce
3 pressed garlic cloves
2 lbs chicken, cubed
1Tbsp vegetable oil
5 green onions
½ red bell pepper, chopped
½ yellow bell pepper, chopped
½ onion, chopped
 
Marinate the meat in the first 4 ingredients overnight.  Heat vegetable oil in large skillet.  Cook meat until no longer pink then add the vegetables.  Cook about 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender. 

De-thaw vegetables and chicken.  Place chicken and vegetables in a large skillet and cook until veggies are tender.   
Fried Rice
6 cups cooked rice, chilled
¼ cup chopped carrots
¼ cup frozen petite peas
¼ – ½ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
 
Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add rice and vegetables.  Cook over medium high heat until veggies are tender.  Add soy sauce and mix well. 
 
De-Thaw rice.  Heat in Microwave about 5 minutes.  Add more Soy Sauce if needed.
 

Hopkins Chicken

Hopkins Chicken
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup honey
1 tsp ginger
8 cloves garlic
2 cups green onions
½ cup olive oil
2 tsp sesame oil
2 lbs chicken tenders
Skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes
 
Mix all ingredients and marinate the meat overnight.  Place chicken on skewers and grill.