Meatloaf with Onion Gravy

When we're hungry for a change from my traditional meatloaf, I make this gravy-covered meatloaf and baked potatoes.

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs or crushed crackers
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup catsup
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

GRAVY
2 cups water
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
4 to 6 tbsp. flour
1 cup water.

1. In a large bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, milk, catsup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. In a shallow baking pan, shape into loaf. Bake at 350º for 1 hour, draining off fat half way through cooking.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil; stir in soup mix. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Combine flour with 1 cup water and gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve with meatloaf. Yield: 6 servings.

Pepper Steak for Crockpot

1 lb. round steak, sliced thin (see note)
3 Tbl. soy sauce
½ tsp. ground ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
4 oz. can of sliced mushrooms, drained, or 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 onion, thinly sliced
Put steak, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and red pepper in quart sized freezer bag. Freeze flat.

To cook, thaw steak mixture overnight in refrigerator. Place in crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. One hour before serving, turn crockpot up to HIGH and add green pepper,mushrooms, and onions. Stir once and cook for the remaining hour. Serve over cooked rice.(Adapted from the Fix It and Forget It cookbook)

Pork with Apples and Dressing

Pork with Apples and Dressing

3-4 pork chops, boneless, about 3/4 inch or thicker
1 can apple pie filling *
1 box pork or sage stuffing mix
oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Spread the pie filling in the bottom of a casserole dish. In a saucepan, over medium-high, heat about 2 tbsp oil. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops. Brown both sides in oil, do not cook all the way through. While pork is browning, prepare the stuffing according to package directions. Lay the pork chops on top of the apples, spread the stuffing over the top of the porkchops.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the thickness of your porkchops.

* I highly recommend Lucky Leaf brand pie filling. Out of all the ones I have tried, that one turned out the best. The apples are not mushy, and there isn’t more filling than apples. It is not quite as sweet as some either.

Triple Chocolate Mess

We have made this several times and it gets better and better LOL. A good dessert for the chocoholic!
SERVES 8 -10 (change servings and units)

Ingredients
1 (18 1/2 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1 (4 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
3/4 cup oil
1 cup water
4 eggs
1 (6 ounce) bag chocolate chips
1 pint sour cream

Directions: Spray crock pot with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients and place in crock pot. Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours. Try not to lift the lid. Serve with ice cream.

Corn Chowder -a family favorite

This is my favorite Corn Chowder recipe.

3 slices bacon
1 medium onion, thinly sliced & separated in rings
2 medium potatoes, peeled & diced
1/2 cup water
17 oz can cream-style corn
2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
2 tbl butter or margarine (optional)

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon, crumble & set aside. Reserve 2 TBL of the drippings in the pan & discard the remainder.

Add the onions & cook until lightly browned. Add the potatoes & water & cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Add the corn, milk, salt & pepper & cook until heated through. Do not boil.

Pour into warmed bowls & top each serving with the crumbled bacon & a bit of butter, if using.

Mom's Banana Bread

Very rarely do you visit my mom and she doesn't serve this banana bread. 

Moist, light and yummy.  I promise you will love it as much as we do!

6 very ripe bananas
1 3/4 cup Sugar
1 cup veg. oil
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Milk
4 cups Flour
4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder*
add 1/2 cup raisins or nuts if desired

Blend bananas, oil & sugar… add eggs.. blend again. Mix flour, salt, soda and baking powder and fold into banana mixture. Small amount at a time..alternately add milk… Do not beat

Add raisins or nuts if using

Lightly spray pans and fill with mixture little higher than 1/2 way.
Bake at 350 degrees, approx 30-40 minutes. Use toothpick test to determine doneness.