Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf

I love a good meatloaf. My sister tried this first a year ago, and then I gave it a try. It's really good and really easy.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 package Stove Top Stuffing Chicken Flavored Stuffing Mix
2 large eggs
1 cup ketchup
chopped onion (how much depends on the size of the onion and your taste. I usually use about 1/4-1/2 of an onion.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. The best way to mix meatloaf is with your hands.
3. Place a piece of foil on a glass bakeware dish.
4. Pat down meatloaf in an oval shape. I usually put the meatloaf in two smaller ovals for better cooking.
5. Cook for about 45 minutes.

Of course, I love to make this with mashed potatoes and green beans!

Everyone's Favorite Creole Dressing

O.K.!!!! I just served this tonight and it was fabulous!!! I'm not kidding. It is an H.E.B. recipe and the best part is you can get all the ingredients ready to assemble.

Prep time: 15 minutes, Cood time: 30 to 40 minutes

1 container HEB READY, FRESH, GO DICED ONIONS AND CELERY (or you can cut up your own, about 3/4 cup of each
1 container HEB READY, FRESH, GO DICED 3 COLOR PEPPERS (or you can cut up your own, about 1/2 cup each of red, green and yellow bell peppers)
1 stick unsalted butter
2 cups diced andouille sausage
2 cups diced shrimp
1 32 ounce chicken broth
2 tsp. Tony Chacere's Creole seasoning
1 16 ounce bag corn bread stuffing
2 tsp. poultry seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute vegetables in 2 tablespoons butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium high heat until vegetables start to brown. Add sausage and shrimp and continue to saute until shrimp are cooked. (Shrimp cook quickly, about 2 minutes, they will be pink) Add remaining stick of butter to melt. Once butter is melted add entire carton of chicken broth and turn heat off. In a large bowl empty bag of stuffing and add seasoning. Pour entire pan of broth mixture over stuffing and mix until combined. Pour stuffing into a casserole dish and bake uncovered for 30 to 25 minutes. Makes 6 big servings. YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE!

Two recommendations

One thing I recommend that is not a recipe is a seasoning called Chef Paul Prudhommes's Magic Salmon Seasoning. It is a dry seasoning that you can purchase in the seafood section of your grocery store. It comes in an orange can that stands about 5 inches tall. I sprinkle it liberally on our salmon before I grill it and it is delicious. There is some sodium, 100mg, but no caleries, fat or sugar in it. It is very flavorful and not spicy...my kids even tolerate it.

My second recommendation is www.bakerella.blogspot.com. I saw this lady on Martha, I believe. She makes clever little baking items...some of which are very detailed, but still has very cute and good ideas and tips. You may like to look at it.

Teriyaki Salmon

Robbie Fielder asked me to share this recipe with you. It's one that my mother gave to me while I was visiting her in SF. It's heathly, simple, quick, and delicious. You may half the recipe if serving 2 people.

Ingredients
2 lb salmon
1/4 cup soysauce (light)
1/4 cup dry sherry (the kind you drink, not cooking sherry)
4 Tbsp sugar (my mom uses Splenda)
Chopped green onion (to your taste, about 1 sprig)
Cooking oil (I use olive oil)

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the soysauce, sherry, sugar, and green onion. Set aside.
2. Cut fish into 1 inch strips with the skin on. Leaving the skin on helps when cooking (holds the fish together).
3. Salt and pepper the fish. I prefer to cook with Kosher salt because it can be easily seen and is less "salty" tasting.
4. Place oil in a small frying pan (enough to coat the bottom about 1/4") and heat on medium high.
5. Place a few strips of fish (skin side up) into the hot oil. Oil should sizzle slightly. Cook for about 3-5 minutes per side. Flip over and cook the other side. Try not to over cook the fish. Once it is cooked, take the fish out and set aside on a platter. Continue to cook all the pieces until they are done.
6. Pour out some of oil leaving about 1 Tbsp in the pan.
7. Add the teriyaki sauce mixture to the hot pan. Reduce the sauce until it is slightly thicken.
8. Pour over the fish and serve.

Some people like to eat the crispy fish skin, I prefer to peel it off. I normally serve this with white steamed rice (brown, if I'm feeling healthy) and a side of sauteed green vegetables (like green beans or soybeans). I hope you enjoy it.

Broccoli Cornbread

A few people have asked for the broccoli cornbread recipe from the Shrimp Boil that we had this past Saturday. I must give credit to my co-worker, Loretta, who shared this recipe with me.

Ingredients
2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix
1 purple onion, chopped (I used yellow onion)
1 cup cottage cheese (I used low-fat)
1 box frozen broccoli, thawed
1 stick butter, melted
4 eggs (I used egg substitute)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spray non-stick cooking spray on a 9x13 pan.
3. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and pour into the baking pan.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until done.

Creamed Cauliflower

I served this dish to some guests and it got thumbs up. It is from the Taste of Home test kitchens.

1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets (about 7 cups)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, divided
1 cup half and half cream
1 T. butter
Minced fresh parsley

Place cauliflower in a saucepan; add 1 in. of water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 6 - 7 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Grease the bottom and sides of a 2 - qt baking dish; sprinkle with 2 T. bread crumbs. Add cauliflower. Pour cream over top. Dot with butter; sprinkle with remaining salt and bread crumbs. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Garnish with parsley. Yield: 6 - 8 servings. Enjoy.

Mom's Corn Casserole

1 can of corn
1 can of cream style corn
1 box of Jiffy corn bread
1 egg
1 8 ounce container of sour cream
1 stick of butter
Cheese Whiz
Melt the butter in a 13 X 8 casserole dish. You can use a smaller one for a thicker casserole, but you need to adjust the cooking time. Mix all of the other ingredients together except the cheese whiz. Pour the batter in the melted butter and bake on 350 degrees for an hour. After it is done, spread some cheese whiz on the top. Serve and enjoy. It's a family favorite.

Whole Chicken cooked by the Indirect Method

1.5 to 3 pound broiler-fryer chicken
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Rinse chicken thoroughly with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Lock wings behind back and tie legs together securely. Brush entire outer surface with oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken on cooking grate directly above drip pan. Cook 1 to 1 1/4 hours to an internal temperature of 180 F. This method of cooking on the grill produces a very juicy and tender chicken. If you need more detail about this method of cooking or a picture, you might look on the Weber web site. I got the recipe out of the Weber book that came with my grill.

Indirect Method

For cooking whole meats such as roasts, turkeys, or hams, place equal amounts of charcoal on both sides of the kettle. This way heat rises, reflects off the lid and kettle surface to cook food above, below and all around like a convection oven. Ignite charcoal. Leave lid off until coals have a light coating of grey ash, about 30 minutes. Place drip pan in center of the lower grate. Position cooking grate in kettle with handles directly over coals. Place food on cooking grate directly about the drip pan. Cover kettle. It is important in Indirect Cooking to have the coals burning equally well on each side before beginning to cook. Occasionally when the coals are started, one side will get a better start than the other. If this happens, move the charcoal from one side to the other so the heat is evenly distributed.