A few tips from the Swedish Chef
Meal time has always been a big family time gathering at our house. Everyone pitches in and does their something or other, especially for the holidays... like birthdays, fishing season, Saturday, Sunday, full moons, etc. <grin> My Dad loved to cook his dishes once he retired, too. He would tape all the cooking shows on Justin Wilson, and Julia, and sometimes come up with a concoction that was a combination of the videos, his own flair, and some guys (Cajuns) from the Barber Shop. It always came out good though! :P We weren't any of us wanting for food. I remember many times we would sit out in the back yard watching the roast, or whatever, cook on the grill with him basting or just taking a look at it every hour or two until late in the night. Then it would be the special meal of the next day... or sometimes as soon as they were done if we had drooled over it long enough to ignite a monstrous appetite. Of course, once I became a teenager, I learned to appreciate the "finer" meals of fast food - nothing was better than a hamburger and fries! :Þ˜
I followed The DASH Diet (Dietary Apporaches to Stop Hypertension) from the Mayo Clinic. I was on it several years, and it worked for me. My blood pressure went from the 190s and 200s over 99 and 110s, for about 5 years, with none of the 7 BP pills a day helping much, to now be 107 over 70! If you have high blood pressure, I really recommend you try it.
I will keep adding my recipes online, and here's a few places I've found some interesting ideas.
I do many types of experiments with Meatloaf... here's my best recipe:
2 lbs ground round or chuck (or part beef & part ground turkey or sausage)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
3 Tbsp Mrs Dash (I use Mrs Dash Garlic & Herbs.)
1 Tbsp Mustard
2 tsp pepper
1 egg
1 diced med onion
1 can diced tomatoes, (or 1 small can tomato sauce, or 1 cup V-8 juice or 1 cup milk)
1 cup of herb or Italian flavored bread crumbs (or about 17 crumbled crackers). Go by the texture. It should stick together easily, but still feel wet.
Mix thoroughly... yes, with your hands. (If you don't like yucky on your hands, you can use medical gloves; from the pharmacy section.)
I use a big iron skillet, but anything it fits in will work. Bake at 350, 1 hour 30 mins.
(To make it Italian: use part bulk Italian sausage, in above recipe, adding 3 Tbsp Italian Seasoning, 1 handfull parmesan cheese & 3 cloves garlic, minced.)
Lightly cover top with catsup, then 4 strips of bacon. (This keeps it moist.)
I use this same recipe (Italian) to make meatballs for my spaghetti sauce.
(Some more experiments include adding - all diced small: 1/2 red bell pepper, red onion, 10 chopped baby portobello mushrooms; and variations of adding 1/2 can cream of mushroom soup to mixture & remainder of soup to top, instead of tomato sauce & catsup; 1 pkg beefy onion soup mix with, or instead of onion)
My quicky favs: Get out the deep iron skillet, or a big pot, spray with Pam, or use 2 Tablespoons oil (extra virgin olive oil is healthy).
Brown 1 lb of your favorite meat - cut up in bytes, with 1 chopped onion
Add 2 cups macaroni, noodles, or 1 cup rice (add 4 cups water, if using raw)
Bring to boil, then cover, reducing heat to low, 20 mins
(I usually add the left-overs from homemade Macaroni and cheese, or you can make the box mix, whatever you like.) Spice to taste. (I use Mrs. Dash garlic & herbs.)
Variations: add a pkg of fresh mushrooms (or 1 can, drained) , 1 can cream of mushroom soup, and/or 1 can tomatoes & 1 can rotels, (If using a can tomatoes, only add 2 cups of water to raw rice, noodles or macaroni.)
More possible additives: 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce, 2 Tbsp Heinz 57, 1/2 cup parsley, swiss cheese, cream of broccoli soup, cream of celery soup, cream cheese, creamed peas. (Follow condensed soup with 3/4 can of milk or water.)
I had over half of my grilled T-bone steak left after a grill night, so I cut it up in small bites.
added cooked noodles with a can of cream of mushroom (& 3/4 can milk)
1/3 of an 8oz pkg of fat-free philly cream cheese
3 Tbsp fat-free sour cream
2 Tbsp Mrs. Dash
Heated on med-low until cheese melted, about 20 mins.
Yumm-er-ish-us!... but probably still on some of my food "experts" list of "no-nos." The more I like it, the worse it seems to be for me health-wise.
If using chicken or shrimp, I add 1 can cream of chicken soup along with the cream of mushroom. (Add shrimp the last 15 mins, so they don't get tough.)
I've made it adding broccoli, corn, or peas. You could also try adding celery, squash, any veggies you like... even bell pepper. (Try red, orange, or yellow, if the green ones don't like you either... They don't like me at all.)
My Dirty Rice: There are zyzillions of ways depending on your favorite meats. I do it several ways. It's quick and easy.
2 lbs diced pork chops, browned (any meat will do)
1 bunch of chopped green onions (any onion will do)
3 cloves very fine chopped garlic (or a sprinkling of garlic powder)
2 tsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (any favorite seasoning, or dash of cayenne pepper and black pepper)
1 cup rice, 2 cups broth or water
I brown the meat and toss in the onion, garlic and spices. Add the rice and 2 cups of broth, or water and 2 boullion cubes. Boil about 10 mins, then cover and simmer very low 10-15 more minutes, until liquid is gone. (salt to taste)
