An Easy Meatloaf Recipe For A Busy Cook

An Easy Meatloaf Recipe For A Busy Cook

There are as many meatloaf recipes are there are cooks. This one is my favorite, an easy meatloaf recipe that can be varied to suit your tastes. Start with the basic recipe and add seasonings from the list below to suit your family. You can vary the meats used and the seasonings.

To keep my meatloaf recipe easy, I use ground beef. Many cooks use a combination of ground beef, ground pork or ground veal. Some use sausage in their mixture. If you desire a mixture of meats, use 1/2 to 3/4 pound of pork, veal or sausage to 1 pound of beef. Using the seasoned Italian style bread crumbs seasons the meatloaf, making this recipe easy and quick to prepare. I don’t actually even measure anything. I just dump the ingredients together using a reasonable amount of each. If the mixture is too moist, add more bread crumbs. If too dry, add more ketchup. It really is an easy meatloaf recipe that is foolproof.

Basic Easy Meat Loaf Recipe

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

3/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder, optional

1/4 cup catsup + more for top if desired

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, optional but good

1. Preheat oven to to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large loaf pan or ovenproof baking dish, mix all ingredients.

3. Shape into loaf shape.

4. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until done.

5. I like to cover the top with more catsup during the last 20 minutes of baking.

You can try additional seasonings such as diced bell pepper, chopped celery leaves, minced parsley and thyme. If using sausage, try adding finely diced apple, and eliminate the garlic, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Small diced vegetables such as potato, carrots, or peas can be added if you like. Some cooks add chopped olives or chopped pickles or hard boiled eggs. You can substitute canned soup for the catsup, pouring more over the top as it bakes. The variations are endless.

If you are blessed with leftovers of this easy meatloaf recipe, this makes a delicious sandwich filling the next day, but don’t count on it. My family eats this up.

How To Make An Old Fashion Cornbread Dressing Recipe

How To Make An Old Fashion Cornbread Dressing Recipe

When making an old fashion cornbread dressing you will need to make the cornbread before you can make the dressing. Some people may choose to use a boxed cornbread mix. This is fine for quick and easy techniques. However, if you want to make a holiday dressing like they did long ago, you will make your cornbread from scratch. It really is not that difficult to do. Simply follow the directions below. After making your cornbread from scratch you will use it to prepare the dressing, as it is an essential ingredient. Here are two recipes that you can make and use to complete your old fashion holiday dressing.

Giblet Gravy is great with Cornbread Dressing

While considering your meal planning for the holidays, you may also want to make some gravy to accompany your cornbread dressing. Giblet gravy is especially good with this type of dressing. However, there are other types of gravy recipes you may wish to make for your holiday feast.

Recipe for Old Fashion Cornbread

What You Need

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup shortening or lard

How to Make It

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using a large mixing bowl add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Mix until thoroughly blended.

Add the egg and milk and then stir until the mixture is moist not too thick and not too runny.

Using a large iron skillet, add the shortening or lard and then place in the preheated oven. Allow a few minutes for the shortening or lard to melt and then remove from oven and swirl the hot grease slightly to cover the bottom and sides of the skillet.

Pour off any extra melted shortening into the cornmeal mixture and then stir to mix well. Pour the cornbread mixture into the hot skillet and then return to oven to bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.

After baking the cornbread remove from oven and allow cooling.

Recipe for Old Fashion Cornbread Dressing

What You Need

  • 1 completed cornbread recipe
  • 4 beaten eggs
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • ½ cup diced onions
  • ¾ teaspoon sage
  • ¾ teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 cup turkey broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using a large mixing bowl crumble cornbread inside and then add the eggs, celery and onions and then fold to mix lightly.

Add the sage, poultry seasoning, soups, turkey broth, salt and pepper and then mix thoroughly. This mixture will have a soupy consistency. If it seems a bit too dry, add some more broth or hot water to the mixture and blend well.

Pour into a large baking pan and place in preheated oven and allow to bake for approximately 30 minutes or until it is firmly set yet moist.

Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta – The Recipe That Makes YOU!

Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta – The Recipe That Makes YOU!

This Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe clone is going to make you one celebrated cook!

Whether you’re contributing to a potluck or outdoor barbecue event… or simply making an amazing evening meal for your family, your new Chilis Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe will have everyone asking you just how you did it! There will be smiles. Many, many approving, delighted smiles!

One of those smiles will definitely be yours!

Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta – The Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • 4 tsp. cajun seasoning
  • 4 tbsp. butter or margarine
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 8 oz. cooked penne pasta (drained)
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced
  • fresh shredded parmesan, to taste

Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta – The Process:

  1. Slightly moisten chicken with water.
  2. In a large resealable plastic bag, shake chicken and cajun seasoning until chicken is thoroughly coated.
  3. In large skillet, saute chicken in 2 tbsp. butter, over medium heat, turning whenever necessary.
  4. When chicken is about half-way done, grab a second skillet and combine heavy cream, 2 tbsp. butter, and remainder of seasonings over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  5. When cream mixture begins to bubble, add the pasta and turn off heat. Stir well.
  6. When chicken is cooked through, place on cutting board and slice into strips.
  7. Spoon pasta and sauce onto large serving plates (2) and top with chicken, diced tomatoes, and parmesan.
  8. Throw a thick, garlicky slice of Texas toast on that bad boy and enjoy!

If you would like to sprinkle some additional cajun spice on top of your Cajun Chicken Pasta, I doubt anyone will hold it against you!

Shrimp and Scallop Recipe

Shrimp and Scallop Recipe

The shrimp and scallop recipe is one of the tastiest recipes that you can make with shrimp and is usually easy to prepare because there aren’t many ingredients involved in making it. This is a good delicious recipe to serve to at least four people at a time.

The essential ingredients for making this recipe include, three cana of shrimp that needs too be well boiled and peeled as well as the bay scallops for the recipe. You require one teaspoon of olive oil with that of two-table spoon of garlic powder, and a half tablespoon crushed red pepper. You also require four-tablespoons of chicken broth, add to that fresh limejuice of one-tablespoon and finally, you have a half-cup pf fresh, chopped parsley and small quantity of salt and pepper for good taste. These are the main ingredients in order to make the delicious recipe.

The preparation of making the recipe includes, heating the oil in the large fry pan to a medium heat. Then, you need to fry the garlic in the pan until it becomes light brown, remove it from the pan and keep it aside. Then, you add other ingredients in the pan like pepper, shrimp, one scallop, and paprika.

Stir these things continuously and fry then for to about 3 to 4 min. Then, you add the chicken broth, cook for one minute. After, which you remove the shrimp as well as the scallop from the pan and keep it aside. Now, you add limejuice, salt, pepper as well as the parsley and heat it lightly. Finally, pour the sauce at the top of the shrimp and scallops and serve it immediately.

This shrimp and scallop recipe will typically serve a small family so it’s not best to make for only a couple people. However, f creating this as a main meal you might be able to get away with it.

Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Secret Recipe For Fried Chicken

Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Secret Recipe For Fried Chicken

Kentucky Fried Chicken is a favorite restaurant of ours. Unfortunately it isn’t cheap, so we started looking to see if we could start cooking some of this food at home. “America’s Most Wanted Recipes” is an ingenious book. It contains a wide collection of recipes from famous, American restaurants (Ones like Kentucky Fried Chicken, Olive Garden, Applebee’s, The Cheesecake Factory, Carl’s Jr., Coney Island, Hard Rock Café, IHOP, Denny’s, The Cracker Barrel and The Boston Market.) This book is something every American wished they had. No more recipe trial flumps. All of the recipes are cook-friendly to prepare. Trying to find a good recipe online is like finding a needle in a haystack. The Kentucky Fried Chickens Secret Recipe is great recipe for dinner at home. It would be comfortable for you to be able to provide an interesting dinner for the family at a small increment of what it would cost to go out and eat at a restaurant. The Kentucky Fried Chickens Secret Recipe is below.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp dry mustard

4 tbsp paprika

2 tsp garlic salt

1 tbsp celery salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp ground ginger

3 tbsp MSG (Accent)

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp thyme

Eggs (1 for every 3 pieces of chicken)

Bread Crumbs

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Roll chicken pieces in beaten eggs.

Roll them in regular bread crumbs.

Roll them in mixture of spices.

Fry in Deep Fryer according to Manufacturer’s instructions for chicken.

Make one night a week family night and use a famous recipe to make it a famous night.

Enjoy!

Chicken Kebab Recipe

Chicken Kebab Recipe

These are the traditional kebabs from South Asian cuisine and are generally known as “Shami Kebabs”. They are also made from beef and fish with the same method. These chicken kebabs take a little more time as compare to other kebabs but are very tasty and can be used in making burgers and sandwiches. You can make as much kebabs as you want and freeze it for months and fry whenever you want. You can easily prepare 30 chicken kebabs from this recipe in just 60 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast

100 gm gram lentils (chana daal)

15-20 dry red chili

2 tbspn cumin seeds

1 tbspn coriander seeds

1 tbspn black pepper powder

1/2 cup coriander leaves chopped

1/2 cup mint leaves chopped

8-10 green chilies chopped

2 medium size onion finely chopped

1 egg

1 tbspn hot mix spice powder (garam masala)

Salt as required

Oil for shallow frying

Procedure:

1. In a deep sauce pan, boil gram lentils in water with red chili, cumin seeds, coriander leaves and salt. The quantity of water should enough to cover all the lentils. Boil the lentils for 20-30 minutes until they would become soft.

2. After that add chicken breast in the boiled lentils and add 1-2 cup of water if required (when all the previous water has been dried) and let it cook until chicken become tender and soft.

3. Now switch off the flame and let it cool for 5 minutes so that all the steam escape out, then in a chopper put the mixture and chop so that the chicken and lentils would mix together with the spices. Don’t chop them too much otherwise you kebabs would break after frying.

4. Take out the chopped mixture in a wide mixing bowl, now its time to add the remaining herbs and spices i.e. coriander and mint leaves, green chilies, black pepper, hot mix spice and egg. Mix all of them together to make smooth dough of kebab.

5. Now take small piece from the mixture and first make a ball just like meat ball and then press it by using your palm and make flat circular kebab. Similarly, make rest of the kebabs.

6. Take a frying pan and heat oil to shallow fry the kebabs, Put the kebabs in the pan and fry till they become brown in color from both sides. If the kebabs are too soft to handle while frying then coat them in egg before frying.

Serving:

Delicious chicken kebab is ready to serve with paratha or you can also use in bun to make burger.

Tandoori Chicken Recipe – Learn How to Make This Wonderful Indian Dish

Tandoori Chicken Recipe – Learn How to Make This Wonderful Indian Dish

Tandoori Chicken, along with the equally delicious Butter Chicken, is often called the national dish of India. It is ubiquitous throughout North India. In every city, every town, there are dozens of restaurants serving succulent pieces of tender chicken grilled to perfection in clay ovens or ‘tandoors.’ This dish is to India what vodka is to Russians and hamburgers to Americans.

The unique taste of tandoori chicken can be attributed greatly to the tandoor in which it is cooked. This cylindrical clay oven, which is typically about 3-4 feet high, imparts its own flavor to the meat. The heat is provided through coal or charcoal burnt at the bottom. The meat is skewered through and placed in the oven for about 7-10 minutes. It is usually served with a spicy mint and yogurt ‘chutney’, onions, and a thin bread called ‘romali roti.’

In terms of spices, it incorporates all the spices typical to Indian cuisine: red pepper, cumin, dried coriander, turmeric, and ‘garam masala’. The best thing about tandoori chicken is its versatility. It is often used in other dishes like Butter chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, etc.

Here’s a simple tandoori chicken recipe:

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken – 800gms

Red chilly powder – 2 teaspoons (you can find it at Indian stores)

Lemon juice – 2-3 tablespoons

Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Yogurt – 1.5 cups

Ginger paste – 1.5 tablespoons

Garlic paste – 2 tablespoons

Garam masala powder – 1/2 teaspoon (you can find it at Indian stores)

Olive oil – 2 tablespoons (for better results, use mustard oil)

Butter – 2 tablespoons

Chat masala – 1 teaspoon (find it at Indian specialty stores)

Cooking Method:

1. Make small cuts in the chicken. This is to allow the marinade mixture to go deep inside the meat.

2. Rub a mixture of salt, lemon juice, salt and a hint of black pepper over the chicken. Set aside for half an hour.

3. For the marinade mixture, combine the yogurt (make sure to remove all excess water) with all the ingredients mentioned above: red chilly powder, ginger and garlic paste, garam masala, cumin, and oil.

4. Rub this marinade mixture into the chicken. Cover and keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (the more, the better).

5. Take out the chicken and allow it to come down to room temperature. Then, skewer the chicken and place it inside a preheated tandoor. If using an oven, keep the temperature to 200°C/400°F.

6. Cook for at least 8-10 minutes. Use an oven glove to take it out of the oven and baste the chicken with butter. Place in the oven again until done.

7. Serve hot with sliced onions, thin bread (romali roti) and mint chutney. Sprinkle with a hint of chat masala if you want.

So there you have it: a simple tandoori chicken recipe. While cooking it in a normal grill or oven won’t be the same as cooking in a tandoor, this will still taste wonderful. Guaranteed.

Best Fresh Salsa Recipe

Best Fresh Salsa Recipe

Here is the best salsa recipe I have ever made.

My family does not even like regular jar or store bought salsa anymore. I use to make salsa and cook the ingredients on the stove but once was in a hurry and just used everything straight from the garden, after a little washing. The result was a flavor burst in my mouth with all the wonderful flavors that were not toned down by cooking them away.

Hope you enjoy and give me your comments.

8 tomatoes

3 green peppers

4 jalapeno peppers (you can remove some or add some depending on your taste)

1 small onion

Garlic cloves or minced garlic

salt

Olive Oil

Parsley

Lemon or lime juice

Cut off the tops of the green peppers and remove seeds. Cut off the tops of the jalapenos but do not remove seeds. Cut the outer skin off the onion and cut in four sections.

Place these items in a food processor and run until everything is small. I usually do not leave big chunks of the jalapeno as small chopped bits blend better and give flavor throughout the salsa.

Drop in 1 teaspoon on minced garlic. You can use the stuff out of the jar from the store or put in 2 whole cloves.

Wash the tomatoes and cut off the tops and cut them in half our fourths and put them in the food processor on top of the already chopped up peppers and onions.

Process these until the tomatoes are well chopped. Open the food process and remove the container and put a strainer in your sink and pour the mixture from the processor into the strainer and let strain all the excess liquid from the tomatoes. I usually use my well washed hand in their to stir up the salsa and speed up the process but you can use a big spoon. When Most of the excess liquid is gone dump the strainer mixture into a bowl or container.

Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon or lime juice. I prefer lime juice but once ran out and used lemon juice and it worked just as well. I use the bottled juice but it you have fresh it would be even better. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Stir everything together with a spoon and quickly get out your chips and get some because as soon as your family knows you have homemade salsa made it will not be around for very long.

Simple Italian Mushroom Penne Pasta – Recipe

Simple Italian Mushroom Penne Pasta – Recipe

Using your imagination

It is common for Italians to sit down to a large bowl of pasta for lunch or as a starter. For quick dinners or lunch, I enjoy mixing up various types of pasta dishes (I cannot make it long without a pasta fix). The recipe below has endless varieties. First try the recipe and then the next time you make it, add any number of other delights including sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, fresh mozzarella, meatballs or Italian sausage, etc.

Ingredients (4 to 5 servings):

  • 1 pound fresh button mushrooms sliced (could use portabella mushrooms)
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pound penne (fresh if you can make or find it)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound grated parmesan cheese
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh basil (you can substitute an equal amount of dry if you don’t have fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano (you can substitute an equal amount of dry if you don’t have fresh)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Rinse the mushrooms and place them in a frying pan. Add the wine and butter and cook on high until all the liquid is gone – about 20 minutes. Set them aside. Meanwhile, cook the penne in a Dutch oven containing a few quarts of boiling salt water for about 10 minutes. Drain through a colander once the penne has cooked and make sure most of the water is gone but the pasta is still hot. Put the pasta back in the Dutch oven along with the olive oil, parmesan, garlic, basil, oregano, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and mix. Now if you would like, try some of the other ingredients I mention in the introductory paragraph. My family and I will eat this as a main course for dinner sometimes we like it so much.

Enjoy.

Jack Botticelli

Easy Lemon Chicken Recipe

Easy Lemon Chicken Recipe

If you haven’t tried cooking lemon chicken yet, then it’s high time for you to give this mouth-watering dish a try. This is a recipe created by a Chinese chef which has a delicious taste with the twist of lemon.

Lemon chicken is a recipe that is famous throughout the world. There are several ways on how you can cook lemon chicken. For the Canadian recipe, the chicken is deep-fried or sautéed and then a coating of sweet and thick lemon-flavored sauce are applied. In Australasia, there are two ways on how they make lemon chicken. The first one is to coat chicken pieces with bread crumbs, baste it with lemon juice and then bake it in the oven. The other method is to coat the chicken with batter, deep fry it and then cover with lemon sauce. For Italians, what they do is to roast the whole chicken with fresh lemon juice, mirepoix, white wine and fresh thyme. The Spanish do the same as what they do in Italy but with different seasonings.

There are different recipes of lemon chicken but for this time, try the baked version. What you will need for this recipe are:

- 4 pounds of chicken thighs and legs,

- 2 tablespoons of lemon zest,

- 1/3 cup of lemon juice,

- 2 cloves of crushed garlic,

- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme,

- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary,

- 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper,

- 3 tablespoons of melted butter, and

- lemon slices.

For the chicken parts, do not remove the skin and the bones but you will need to trim off the excess fat. You can also use chicken breasts if you do not want to use thighs or legs.

For the preparation, you will first need to marinate the chicken. To do that, mix well the lemon juice, lemon peel, rosemary, thyme, salt, black pepper and garlic in a bowl. If you want the marinade to penetrate well into the chicken, you will have to cut into the parts one or two times by half an inch. Place the chicken and the marinade inside a freezer bag and rotate the bag for the chicken to be coated well. Place the bag in a bowl and refrigerate for about two hours.

When the marinade is done, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish, forming a single layer with the skin facing up. Set aside the marinade. Brush the melted butter on the chicken using a pastry brush. Bake the chicken for about an hour or until the chicken skin is already golden brown and the juices are already clear. For the remaining marinade, use that half-way during the baking, basting it on the chicken. When the chicken is already done, remove from the oven and cover with foil for about 10 minutes before you serve. Garnish with the lemon slices and pour lemon juice on top or on the side depending on your preference. Lemon chicken is best eaten with rice so be sure that you have some when you are preparing this delectable dish.

Lemon chicken is easily prepared but it surely is a delicious meal that you will enjoy every minute of eating it. You will not regret cooking lemon chicken so prepare now your ingredients for a luscious meal.