So there's this guy I've known for years, but never met. The internet is a funny thing, developing relationships where we know the intimate details of each other, even if we've never met face to face. Anyway this guy I know, he posted constantly about his lovely wife, and their love for each other. He would say things that I would have found embarrassingly sweet if they were about me. And then a few days ago, they were having a normal Sunday in front of the TV, and she has a heart attack. Just like that. It's the most unfair thing in the world but I feel like there's a lesson in there somewhere. Do we really appreciate our loved ones to the embarrassingly sweet degree? Are our hearts open enough to risk everything, fear nothing and cling eternally to someone we love? Have you told them?

I make meatloaves large because I actually enjoy meatloaf sandwiches more than the meatloaf itself! This way there is plenty. You can half this recipe if you don't want so much, and lessen the cooking time a bit.

Ingredients

Mix together and set aside
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal flakes

3 pounds lean ground beef
4 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ground ginger

Topping:

1 cup of ketchup + 2 tsp chili sauce and/or 1/2 cup of brown sugar if you want it sweet. (I don't like it sweet, but I can make it like this for Corey who does, and then just cut off the sweet part.)


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl, mix the last 6 ingredients and then add the softened oatmeal and milk. Shape into a loaf. Pour the ketchup mixture on the top of the loaf.


Bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours or until juices are clear.

Ingredients

4 Honeycrisp apples, sliced thin
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 ounces golden raisins, a handful
1 tsp. fresh ground ginger
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 cup all natural apple juice or cider, plus a splash for pan sauce
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 pork tenderloin, cleaned of fat and sliced thickly
Salt and pepper
splash of white wine or water

Directions

Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium pot placed over medium high heat and cook until softened, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. If sauce begins to spatter as it bubbles, reduce heat back a little, but it should be allowed to reduce and form quickly. Once apples are soft and sauce forms, remove it from the heat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to the pan. Season pork on 1 side with salt and pepper. Using a pair of tongs, add pork to hot skillet seasoned side down. Season the opposite side of the pork with salt and pepper. Brown and caramelize the chops 2 minutes on each side, then reduce heat to medium and cook another 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until juices run clear. Remove pork from heat and let them rest a couple of minutes for juice to redistribute. Deglaze the pan with a splash of wine or water and pour pan sauce over pork. Top the pork slices with generous portions of warm golden apples and sauce.

I served this with brown rice and sugar snap stir fry veggies. It was fabulous, and very inexpensive, the pork tenderloin was $4, and the apples were on sale.

Cider Bacon Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
4 strips bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup (gluten-free) chicken broth
1 cup apple cider
2 tsp brown sugar

Flatten each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat mallet (or, if you're us, a can of beans).

Heat 1 tsbp of oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook until browned on each side and cooked through. Repeat with remaining 1 tbsp oil and 2 chicken breasts. Set chicken aside.

Cook bacon until crispy in the saute pan; remove, crumble, set aside.

Add the onion to the bacon droppings and saute until soft. Add the broth, cider, and brown sugar and simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly.

Return the chicken to the sauce and add the bacon. Serve!



Crockpot-Roasted Root Vegetables
One 2 1/2-3lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1" cubes
1 1/2lbs red potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
2 small or 1 large bunch of beets, scrubbed, trimmed, and peeled
2 medium-sized turnips or rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
2 large carrots, cut into thick rounds, or 20 whole baby carrots
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
2-3tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Turn your large crockpot on high with the insert empty and preheat for 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, put the vegetables in a large bowl, add the oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently. Transfer to crockpot, cover, and cook on high until the vegetables are just tender and still hold their shape - about 3 1/2-4 hours.

Notes: I ended up using beets, butternut and acorn squash, along with carrots. Next time I would try beets, butternut and maybe sweet potatoes or pumpkin with carrots--the acorn squash was too mushy. I used real bacon bits and put them in the pan with the chicken. Also, I just threw the chicken into the finished veggies to serve after browning them.

This is a recipe inspired by a historical one from the Ni'matnama, a book written in the late 1400's. I am not familiar in a scholarly fashion with historical foods from this time and place, but I went to a workshop this past Gulf Wars where this recipe was redacted. I thought the finished flavor was extraordinary, and wanted to play with a modern interpretation to make at home. I dropped the asofoetida because I can't deal with it personally, and I'm making lots of leaps in preparation. It seems like a LOT of spices, but it tastes wonderful, trust me. Happily, my husband loves the flavor, and he is a guy that is hard to swing toward non-American foods.


First, I use a couple of pounds of lamb bones and a small onion (or 1/2 a large one)to make a stock. You don't have to do this, you could just use the meatballs and it will flavor the broth. I happen to go to a Halal butcher and he gives me the bones from the lamb I buy. So no need to waste it if you buy your meat from a butcher.

Strain the stock well and get rid of the bones and any bottom bits. Add water to the stock until you have about a gallon. No need to measure, just eyeball it. Peel and chop the boiled onion and put it back in the stock. Return to a slow boil. Add to the broth:
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves

Meatballs:
About 2 pounds of lamb, ground
2 tbsp. turmeric
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp.cardamom
1 tbsp. ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp anise seed
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup lime juice

If you do not have these spices, a good curry powder from an international store will probably make a good substitute, but I would buy some turmeric and add extra.

Roll up the meatballs, keeping your hands damp with lime juice as you work. (Do not do this if you have a cut on your finger! Use gloves or phone a friend. hehe)

Drop the meatballs in, and cook at a slow simmer for about a hour. Remove from heat. Add a tablespoon of black pepper and salt, another 1/4 cup of lime juice, 1/4 cup of ghee or butter and a handful of cilantro if that is your fancy (it is mine!)

During the meatball cooking process, you can put in rice or any veggies you have around, it's a good way to clean out the fridge. Today I used basmati rice, some sliced button mushrooms and some celery.

Serve with roti or naan.

Lots of folks swear by Jiffy corn muffin mix to make their corn muffins or cornbread. Now you can make it from scratch anytime.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/2 cup yellow corn meal
* 2/3 cup all purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

This recipe makes the equivalent of one box of Jiffy corn muffin mix.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a bowl, mix all ingredients using a whisk until completely smooth.
2. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

TO MAKE MUFFINS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Add 1 egg and 1/3 cup milk to the mix and stir until combined.
3. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray and fill 1/2 full.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.


Continue reading on Examiner.com: Jiffy corn muffin mix clone recipe - National Budget Meals | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/budget-meals-in-national/jiffy-corn-muffin-mix-clone-recipe#ixzz1CAFwBZvc

Made this up today, and they are yummy.


2 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

3-5 dates, chopped



Heat oven to 350. Place paper baking cups in muffin tin. In large bowl, beat eggs, oil, milk and vanilla with wire whisk until well blended. Add flours, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, stir until moistened. With spoon, stir in bananas and dates. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from muffin cups.

This is the recipe I use for my chicken and dumplings. It is really, really yummy, and makes a lot--it does freeze well.

Jill's Chicken and Dumplings

A large package of chicken thighs or quarters (I use a huge bag of them from Walmart, and freeze half the pulled meat and stock for other things)

A whole onion-skin on
a small bag of baby peeled carrots, peas or whatever (optional)
assorted household spices

Dumplings

2/3 to 1 cup very cold water
a scant teaspoon of salt
2 level teaspoons baking powder
a hunk of butter flavored crisco (about the size of an egg)
1 egg
3 cups or so of plain flour

Boil chicken and entire onion with skin on in seasoned water (I use salt, pepper, garlic, saffron or turmeric for color and rosemary. I have also just used Mrs. Dash. Comes out great either way, experiment!) Boil for about an hour, remove the chicken from stock to cool, strain the stock to remove possible bone bits and return to pot(very important!) After the chicken cools a bit, pull the meat from the bones and put back into the stockpot. Squeeze the onion and chop the innards and return to the pot. Thin the stock with enough water to cover the chicken plus an inch or two. Add veggies if you like them. Return to boiling, then lower to simmer.

Mix all the dumpling ingredients together. add a bit more flour until the right consistency is reached (somewhat stiff - stiff enough to roll out well) is reached. Roll the dough out very thin and cut into strips about 1 inch by 2 inches, but they don't have to be perfect. Add dumplings one at a time to the pot, they will puff a little and float. Let them cook for five minutes or so. If the broth seems too thin, mix about 1/4 cup of flour with a cup of cold water and add it to the pot. Simmer for five more minutes, things should thicken a bit. This dish will also thicken as it cools, and is awesome the next day and makes great leftover lunches.