Song of the Day - Hozier - Take me to church

"Scarecrow" by the Alex & Sierra

This is a good old-fashioned love song:  sickeningly sweet, ridiculously naive lyrics that are filled with cliches and that have vague references to an old iconic movie.  The song is terribly derivative (the video features muppets in a park) and is totally unoriginal, but it has some redeeming features also - if you can get over the sentimentalism and 'cute-ness'.

The beat is contagious and I really like the chorus:  "I just want to believe in you and me."

Give it a listen.

Understanding and Valuing People

"Sometimes it snows at late as May, but Summer always comes eventually."

Recipe: World's Best Meatloaf

This is the best meatloaf ever.  I mean, bacon really makes anything good, amazing anyway.  But, just the combination of the sweet and salty flavors is fantastic.  I alsolove howevery recipe brigs up the memories of when you tried it first, or a time when you especially enjoyed it. This was adapted from a cookbook that a roommate had in college. We tried it out one day and LOVED it.

• 4 strips bacon
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar, optional
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 medium onion, finely choppe
• 2/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasonings
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk or whole milk
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Preparation:

Cut bacon strips in half crosswise and coat with the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. In a large skillet, cook the sugared bacon for about 2 minutes to render some of the excess fat. Or, cook on a paper plate in the microwave for about 1 minute.

Saute onions in saucepan until turning brown.

Heat oven to 350°. Line a baking pan with foil and lightly oil the foil or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, onion, bread crumbs, egg, cheese, Cajun seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and milk. Put the mixture on the prepared foil-lined baking pan and shape into a loaf.

Mix together ketchup and brown sugar.   Spread over the loaf and arrange the bacon strips over the top.  Save leftover sauce to be served with the finished meatloaf.

Bake until bacon is crispy and meat loaf is firm, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing or moving to a serving platter.
Serves 6.

Recipe: Enchiladas

We tried a new enchilada recipe last night.  It was really good, but I think I may just modify our normal recipe instead of following this one.

But, I liked the black beans, and the sour cream in it, those were great, also I'm still thinking, but making it layered might be a little easier than the rolls we usually do, so that worked too.  So, here is a delicious recipe.

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1 onion
• 1/4 cup Italian Dressing
• 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning
• 1 cup salsa
• 8 oz sour cream
• 6 flour tortillas (10 inch)
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• Tomato
• Lettuce

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in Italian dressing, taco seasoning, and salsa; set aside.
• Place two tortillas, overlapping as necessary, in the bottom of a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover with one-third of the meat mixture; top with sour cream; sprinkle with 1-1/3 cups cheese. Repeat layers once, then top with remaining tortillas, meat and cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 6-8 servings.
• Serve with freshly chopped tomatoes and lettuce.

Comfort Food: Lasagna

If you are my daughter, winter means eating lasagna sandwiches.  Ok, I don't get the sandwich part, but lasagna is a great food.

This week we devoured another pan of the stuff.  

1 lb. ground beef
1 32 oz  jar of spaghetti sauce
1 16 oz container of cottage cheese
1 12 oz container of ricotta cheese
2 eggs
4 cups of mozzarella cheese
9 Cooked lasagna noodles

In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef. Drain the grease. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, eggs, salt and ground black pepper.To assemble, in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish evenly spread 3/4 cup of the sauce mixture. 

Cover with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles, 1 3/4 cup of the cheese mixture, and 1/4 cup sauce. and 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat layers. Top with 3 noodles, remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella. 

Cover with aluminum foil.Bake in a preheated 350 degree F(175 degrees C) oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Soup!

It's the time of year when warming up with a nice bowl of soup feels so good.  Tomato soup with grilled cheese, vegetable soup, or the ever popular bowl of chili with fritos and cheese.  What is your favorite kind of soup?

One of our favorite chili recipes is:

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion
1 12 oz can of hot chili beans
1 12 oz can of diced tomatoes

Brown beef and onions in pan.  Drain grease.  Add beans and tomatoes.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Pink - Try

Because this song id stuck in my head, I'm posting it...

 

Making Pies

I spent the afternoon making pies for the FEAST tomorrow.  There is something so special about taking the time to make a special meal for your family.  It connects you, not only to the food, and to your family, but also to your memories of the people who taught you this particular dish.

And SMELL, oh man, smell has an amazing power to bring back the memories and feelings of the past.  The smell of apple pie baking reminds me of my dad and the way he would love to make them for us.

But, cooking is also an act of love, and I look forward to seeing everyone digging in and enjoying the food tomorrow.

What did you make today?  What memories do food bring to you?