South of the Border Meatloaf with Homemade Refried Beans

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So, wow...this meal was delicious.  Seriously.  Oh my goodness, please make this, the entire family loved it!

I prepped a bit of the recipe again last night because I knew I'd have to start part of it in the slow cooker today and I wanted to be prepared!  So I pre-chopped the veggies for both the meatloaf and the beans last night and when I woke up this morning I got the beans going.  So the original recipe stated to let the beans cook in the slow cooker on high for eight hours but this immediately worried me because I knew I'd be at work all day and unable to check the water levels.  If you've ever made homemade beans, it's stressful!  The water always went down way too fast on me!

So I dumped the pre-chopped onion, jalapeno pepper and garlic into the slow cooker, along with my dry pinto beans and some salt, black pepper and cumin.  Then I topped it all with 9 cups of water and set it to low and went to work!

When I came home, I actually decided to throw the slow cooker on high (because the beans felt a little hard still) and went about getting the meatloaf in the oven!

I preheat my oven to 350 degrees and, in a medium bowl, mixed part ground beef and ground turkey with salsa, bread crumbs, the pre-chopped onions and garlic, as well as some corn, chili powder, cumin, pepper and salt.  When that was mixed, I put it into my loaf pan and made the ketchup topping.  This consisted of tomato sauce, ketchup and some sugar.  I put that on top of the meatloaf, covered it with foil and threw it into the oven for about 1 hour.

When my meatloaf had about 15 minutes left, I took the beans out of the slow cooker (with a strainer, but I saved the liquid) and dumped it into a blender with some of the liquid.  UNFORTUNATELY, I'm not exactly sure how much liquid I put in there.  Just eyeball it and, depending on how well the beans blend, you can always add more.  Also, depending on the consistency you want your beans to turn out like.  I made them extra smooth and HOLY BEANS, it was delicious!

When that was done, I set it aside and, with five minutes left on the timer, I took the foil off of the meatloaf and let it cook uncovered.  Then I let the meatloaf sit for an additional 10 minutes and voila!!  Dinner was served!  So, I'm saddened to say the loaf 'pieces' didn't work out so well and turned into more of what looked like a chili, so I'm using the 'before serving' photos.  I hope that works!!  The meatloaf had 8 servings at only 149.7 calories/serving (so you KNOW my boys all went back for more) and the beans made 15 servings with only 139 calories/serving!!  The best part???  All of this was only $2.74/serving...seriously!

Here's the recipes!

South of the Border Meatloaf

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

8 ounces ground turkey

3/4 cup salsa

3/4 cup soft bread crumbs

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup whole kernel corn

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon sugar

Homemade Refried Beans

1 onion, peeled and halved

3 cup dry pinto beans

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

5 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

9 cups water

Happy cooking everyone!!!!!!

Cuban Picadillo

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Oh yes, two in one day!!  What exactly are you going to do with yourself and so many food options?  :)

Okay, so this meal was DEEEEEEElicious!  I also knew we'd be home a bit later when I made this tonight, so I chopped the veggies last night and put everything else out in order to assist me!

So first thing's first: I chopped 1/2 of a large onion, minced 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 tomato, finely chopped 1/2 of a green bell pepper, and took 2 tablespoons of cilantro and washed it.  I put all of that in a tupperware for the next day but if you have time, just do it right then!

Then I took 1 1/2 pounds of extra lean ground beef and cooked it over medium heat, seasoning it with kosher salt and pepper.  Once the meat was done cooking, I drained it and added the veggie mix, which is called 'sofrito'.  I cooked it on low heat and added 2 tablespoons capers and 2 tablespoons of the brine from the capers.  I also added 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 bay leaves and a bit more salt for flavor.  Once that was all mixed, I added 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, along with 1/4 cup water and mixed well.  Then I covered it and allowed it to simmer for 15-20 minutes (again, I took it out right at the 17 1/2 minute mark).

While it was cooking, I also started to cook some white rice to serve with it.  Guess what?  Once it had simmered, voila!!!  Dinner was served!!  The meal made 6 servings at only $1.48/serving and was also only 170 calories/serving!!!  With the rice (each of us had about 1/4 cup of rice) it was only another 55 calories more.  I know, right?!?

All of my guys kept making the 'mmmm' noises during this meal, it was silly!  :)

Here's the recipe:

1/2 large chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro

1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef

1/2 cup tomato sauce

kosher salt

pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons capers (along with 2 tablespoons of the brine from the capers)

Happy cooking everyone!!

BLT with Avocado and Asian-Style Oven-Fried Sweet Potatoes

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Hello fellow chef-fery friends!!  It has been some time (what else is new!) but I have a delicious meal that you'll want to try, you just wait and see!!

This is actually two different recipes because I needed a side.  Plus it's sweet potatoes.  I mean...come on.  I think it HAS to be made if it's a sweet potato, at least in this house!

So, the first thing I did was start to prep the potatoes, as the chopping took the longest (of course!).  I first preheated my oven to 400 degrees and then  I took one large sweet potato and peeled it, and then cut it in half and then into 3x3/4-inch wedges.  Okay, let's be honest, I didn't MEASURE the dang potatoes to make sure they matched what this recipe stated, but I'm positive I eyed it efficiently!  :)  Once that was done, I mixed 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs with 1/4 teaspoon (each) of kosher salt, garlic powder and ground ginger in a small bowl.  In another bowl I placed my pre-cut potatoes and coated it with 1 tablespoon of canola oil and 1/8 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.  Once the potatoes were sufficiently coated, I poured the bread crumb mixture over the potatoes and tossed it to coat.

I then took a cookie sheet, covered it with some foil and sprayed it, lightly, with cooking spray.  The potatoes went on this prepped sheet in a single layer and any additional crumb mixture I had I sprinkled over the top of the potatoes.  Then I let that cook in the oven for about 25-30 minutes (I think it was just right at the 27 1/2 mark).

While that was cooking, I started to fry the center cut bacon strips for the BLT.  I also sliced some tomatoes, ripped off some lettuce and sliced 1 avocado.

Once the potatoes were done cooking, I put them on the side and toasted some 8-grain whole wheat bread and put the BLT's together.  I put a side of the potatoes with each sandwich and voila!!  Dinner was served!!  This meal, minus the slicing, was obviously easy yet surprisingly filling (must be the bread and potatoes!).  Each recipe made four servings total and was a total of only 422 calories!  The BLT sandwich by itself was 292 calories and one serving of the potatoes was only 130 calories!  Yowza!!  The best part?  It was only $2.16/serving!  Whoop whoop!

Here are the recipes:

BLT with Avocado

12 sliced center cut bacon

8 slices 8-grain whole wheat bread, toasted

1 cup lettuce of your choice (I used Romaine)

8 thin slices tomato

1 haas avocado, sliced

Asian-Style Oven-Fried Sweet Potatoes

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut in half and cut into 3x3/4-inch wedges

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Happy cooking everyone!!

Herb-Crusted Chicken and Parsley Orzo

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One more for today and that's all you get!!  So this meal was something I was able to make with what I had lying around the house and it was SOOOOOOO delicious!  My hubs said the chicken was cooked perfectly!  Yay!!

So I originally got this recipe from the Cooking Light website.  So first thing's first: I cooked my orzo in boiling water for about 10 minutes.  Make sure not to put salt in the water as it comes later!!  While it was cooking, I took 4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts and sprinkled them with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and the recipe called for 4 teaspoons of dried fine herbs.  I wasn't entirely too sure what that was, so I just used dried basil and it worked great!

In a nonstick skillet I put 4 teaspoons of butter and allowed it to melt over medium heat.  Then I added 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirled to coat.  Then I added the chicken breasts and allowed them to start cooking.

While the chickens were cooking, I removed the orzo and drained it (good luck if you've never cooked and tried to drain orzo, it's a pain in the katookus!  I had to have my hubs find the smallest strainer we had so we didn't lose anymore pasta!), and then added 2 teaspoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/5 teaspoon black pepper and 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley that I had previously chopped.  I put that back onto the stove on low to keep it warm until my chicken was done cooking.  Make sure to cook it for about 5 minutes on the first side and about 7 on the other.

Once that was done I served the orzo onto the plates and topped it with the chicken and voila!!  Dinner was served!  The chicken was so moist and juicy and the flavors were delicious!  The meal made 4 servings at $1.39/serving and was only 342 calories per serving!  Whoa!

Here's the recipe:

3/4 cup cooked orzo

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided

4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

4 teaspoons dried fine herbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

Happy cooking everyone!!

Slow Cooker Hoisin Pork Wraps

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Hello friends and welcome back!!  I would welcome myself back, but that seems weird and redundant.  :)  Anyway, this meal I originally got from the Pillsbury site and it was soooooo flavorful!  It was a slow cooker meal (obviously) and I've posted a photo above of the cutest gift my hubs just got me.  He knows how much I love the color green and when we decided to paint our house he made sure to make my kitchen green for me!  Ever since then he has made it his mission to try and find items to match for my kitchen (he really is a romantic guy and I'm so very lucky).  Just last night we had stopped at the store to grab some dessert and he saw a small slow cooker that, as you can see, matches my kitchen identically!  I told him it was unnecessary to buy it as we already had one, but he insisted!  Cutest thing ever, so now I have two slow cookers, which should definitely come in handy when we have company!

So back to this meal!  I made this last week and I always tend to be a bit weary when my savory meals involve fruit, but this one pleasantly  surprised myself and all of my boys.

So first thing's first: I placed a 2 pound boneless pork roast into my slow cooker (this was my larger one, not pictured!) and then, in a separate bowl, I mixed 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce (one of my hubs' favorite sauces!), 1 tablespoon of grated ginger root, , 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (one of MY favorite spices), and 2 cloves of garlic that I had previously minced.  You can certainly used the jarred ones, however, I tend to like to use fresh herbs, but whatever is easiest for you!  Once that was mixed I spread it over the pork and let it cook on low for about 8 hours.

Now on the recipe it stated 15 minutes before the meat was cooked to heat the tortillas in foil in the oven.  Upon inspecting my drawer I realized I had no foil!  I know, GASP right?  Anyway, so I just heat it up in the microwave like I normally do and it worked fine.  Perhaps next time I'll try that and see if it changes the flavor or anything!  :)

I took the pork out of the crock pot during the time the tortillas were heating and shred it with two forks.  Before putting the meat back into the crock pot I placed another tablespoon of hoisin sauce into the sauce and then mixed everything together.

After that I put 1/2 cup of the meat mixture into each tortilla and then topped them with lettuce, green onions and mandarin orange segments and rolled them up (my my super awesome burrito rolling skills).  I served it with a side of rice and voila!!  Dinner was served!  This meal was surprisingly filling as I expected all of us to go back for seconds but we were all stuffed!  It was 395 calories per wrap and, even with the rice, was only a total of 453 calories!  Whoop!!  It was also only $0.68/serving and it made 10 servings!!  WHAT?!?!  I know!!

Here's the recipe!!

1 - 2 pound boneless pork roast

5 tablespoons of hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon of grated ginger root

1 teaspoon of Chinese five-spice powder

2 garlic cloves, minced

10 - 10 inch flour tortillas

3 cups shredded lettuce

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 - 15 ounce can mandarin orange segments, drained

Happy cooking everyone!!!!

Impossibly Easy Chicken Taco Pie

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Hello again!  So this meal was one I made a while ago now, but it definitely was, as the recipe name states, impossibly easy!  I got the original recipe from Betty Crocker and made the usual changes, which will be discussed!

So, first thing's first: the recipe called for 2 cups of 'cooked' chicken but didn't discuss how to cook it, so make sure you cook yours!  I threw my chicken breasts into the oven (that already needed to be preheated to 400 degrees) and allowed that to bake until cooked.  Once it was, I removed the chicken and diced them and set it aside while I continued with the rest of the items.

I sprayed a pie plate with cooking spray and then set it aside.  Then I mixed the previously cooked and diced chicken, 1/2 cup of chopped onion and 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning (I use my own but you can use the pre-made kind, whichever works for you!).  Once that was mixed, I poured it into the pie plate and set it aside.  Then, in a separate bowl, I mixed 1 cup of Bisquick, 1 cup of milk (I used almond milk for my youngest and his allergies) and two eggs with a fork until blended.  When it was blended, I poured it over the chicken mixture and baked it for about 35 minutes, until it was cooked.  Once that was done, I sprinkled it with 1 cup of shredded cheese (the usual GO! Veggie veggie shreds brand I use for the dairy free cheese) and then baked it for an additional 2 minutes and voila!  Dinner was served!

This meal made 8 servings and was only 215 calories/serving, so everyone had two servings!  Yum!  It was also only $1.61/serving (this is based on having two servings, each serving at 8 servings is only $0.80!).  Woo!

Here's the recipe!!

2 cups diced, cooked chicken

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

1 cup Bisquick mix

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Happy cooking everyone!!!

Slow Cooker Kalua Pig with Cabbage

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Hello my fine-feathered friends!!!  I realize I've been gone for nearly month and let me tell you...what a busy month it has been!  Our oldest son just turned 13 (yikes, I know), a friend passed away, we had family come into town, we went out of town, we've gone out ON the town, etc.  A very busy/happy/sad/crazy month this has been.  However, I'm back and will get some yummies your way!

So this meal was one I made when our family was in town.  They're on my husband's side and I thought it would be a great idea to let them try something from my side, and they loved it!  The even went back home and made it immediately afterwards!

So, first thing's first: get a three pound pork shoulder or pork butt roast (for this time I used a pork shoulder), place it into a slow cooker and add one tablespoon of sea salt.  You can also use the red Hawaiian salt (that's what my dad uses) however, at the time I made this I didn't have access to that kind of salt!

Once that's done, make sure to add enough water to cover the roast, and then add 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke per pound (so in this case it was three tablespoons).  My dad said that if you choose to use the red salt that the liquid smoke is unnecessary but he still uses it!  :)

After that, make sure to set your slow cooker to the low setting and allow the pork to cook for 8-10 hours.  Once it cooked for about 9 hours (the times will vary for your slow cooker, so make sure to keep an eye on it at that eight hour mark), remove the roast and shred it with two forks.

Once that's completed, take one head of cabbage and slice it, adding it to the water, and then adding the shredded pork to it, as well.  Cover and continue to cook on low until the cabbage is cooked.  For me, it was about another hour as everyone agreed they liked their cabbage a little crunchy still.  If you want the cabbage softer, cook it for longer, checking every once in a while to see when it reaches the desired way you want it cooked.

Then voila!!  Dinner was served!!!!  This meal was a hit with the family and brought back fond memories of my childhood.  The best part?  It was only 178 calories per serving, making six servings!  It was also only $1.44/serving!  Yay!!

Here's the recipe!!

3 pounds pork shoulder/butt roast

1 tablespoon sea salt or Hawaiian red salt

1 tablespoon liquid smoke per pound of the roast

1 head cabbage

Happy cooking everyone!!