Categories
Beef Ground Beef Main Dish Make Ahead

Mini Meatloaves

1 slice whole grain bread
1/3 cup milk
1 3/4 pounds lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 carrot, grated – about 1/2 cup
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 tablespoons onions, grated
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350. Tear bread into small piecs and transfer to a large bowl; add milk. Let bread soak until absorbed, about 1 minute.
Add beef to bread mixture; mix well with a fork. Add egg, carrot, parsleyy, onion, oregano, mustard, salt and pepper; mix until well combined.
Using your hands, form 1/2-3/4 cup meat mixture into a ball; place in an ungreased muffin cup. Repeat for a total of 8 mini meat loaves.
In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, Worstershire sauce and corn syrup; mix well. brush glaze over the top of each meat loaf.
Bake meat loaves until tops are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle each meat loaf with about 1 tablespoon cheddar. Bake meat loaves until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Run a knife around each loaf; remove from muffin cups and serve.

6 Servings

Categories
Ground Beef Make Ahead

Meatballs

Make ahead and freeze cooked meatballs. Thaw and heat in spaghetti sauce or use in other recipes which call for meatballs.

2 pounds ground sirloin
3 slices bread, crumbled
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon ketchup
salt and pepper

Mix together in large bowl. Spread out on a flat baking dish lined with wax paper. Cut into squares, use hands to shape each of these into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. When frozen, place in ziplock bags.
12 Servings

Categories
Casseroles Chicken Italian Main Dish Make Ahead Pasta Poultry Spinach Vegetables

Chicken Lasagna Florentine

From Southern Living

2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (6-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sour cream
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup to 1 cup chopped pecans

Stir together chicken and next 6 ingredients.
Arrange 3 noodles in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish; top with half of chicken mixture. Repeat layers with remaining noodles and chicken mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pecans.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 45 minutes; uncover, and bake 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.

To Make Ahead: Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking; proceed as directed.

To lighten: Substitute reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup, 2% reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, and reduced-fat sour cream.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Categories
Casseroles Chicken Main Dish Make Ahead Poultry Rice

Chicken Casserole D’Iberville

This recipe, from Charlotte Skelton’s book Absolutely a la Carte (A la Carte Alley, $22.95), is named after a community north of Biloxi. When pressed for time, try the Kitchen Express method below. This makes a huge amount – great recipe for freezing.

2 (3-pound) whole chickens
1 cup water
1 cup dry sherry
2 celery stalks
1 onion, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 (6-ounce) packages long-grain and wild rice mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 (8-ounce) packages sliced mushrooms
1 bunch green onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 sleeve round buttery crackers, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 (6-ounce) can French-fried onions, crushed
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Bring first 9 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is done. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Let chicken cool. Pour broth through a fine wire mesh strainer into an 8-cup liquid measuring cup; discard solids.
Cook rice according to package directions, substituting 4 1/4 cups reserved chicken broth for water and omitting butter. (Add water to broth to equal 4 1/4 cups, if necessary.)
Skin, bone, and coarsely chop or shred chicken.
Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add mushrooms and green onions, and sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice, chicken, sour cream, and soup. Spoon mixture into 8 (2-cup) casserole dishes, 8 (5 1/2- x 3 1/2- x 2-inch) mini-loaf pans, 3 (8-inch or 9-inch) square baking dishes, or 1 (4-quart or 15- x 10-inch) casserole dish.
Stir together crushed crackers and fried onions. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, paprika, and garlic powder. Sprinkle casserole evenly with cracker mixture.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until bubbly.

To make ahead: Cover casseroles tightly with foil, and freeze unbaked up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed. (Casserole may also be baked frozen. Plan to double the baking times.)

To microwave one frozen, unbaked 8-inch square casserole: Casserole must be in a microwave-safe dish. Cover dish with wax paper. Microwave at HIGH 15 to 16 minutes or until casserole is bubbly, giving dish a half-turn once.

To microwave one thawed, unbaked 8-inch square casserole: Follow directions to microwave a frozen, unbaked casserole, reducing microwave time to 7 to 8 minutes.

Kitchen Express: Use 2 deli-roasted chickens (about 2 pounds each) in place of boiled chickens. Use 1 cup dry sherry and 3 1/4 cups (26 ounces) canned chicken broth to cook rice.

Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings

Categories
Casseroles Chicken Main Dish Make Ahead Rice

Chicken & Rice Casserole

2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
3 cups diced, cooked chicken
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans green beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (6-ounce) box long-grain wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat butter or oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined.

Pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Categories
Barbecue Beef Casseroles Main Dish Make Ahead Pork

Barbecue Pot Pie with Cheese Grits Crust

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups thick barbecue sauce

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 pound shredded barbecued pork*

Cheese Grits Crust Batter*

Cheese Grits Crust Batter*

2 cups water

2 cups milk

1 cup quick-cooking grits

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten


Preparation:


Bring water and milk to boil in a large saucepan; add grits, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese, salt, and pepper; remove from heat.

Stir about one-fourth of grits mixture gradually into beaten eggs; add to remaining grits mixture, stirring constantly.

Spoon hot grits mixture evenly over hot Barbecue Pot Pie mixture.

Bake at 425° for 15 minutes.

Yield Makes 1 (13X9 inch) crust

Sauté onion in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually stir in barbecue sauce and beef broth; cook, stirring constantly,

3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in pork, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Spoon Cheese Grits Crust Batter evenly over hot barbecue mixture.

Bake at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and set.

*1 pound shredded beef may be substituted for pork.

Yield 8 to 10 servings