Meatloaf With Hidden Veggies

This meatloaf was one of the only ways I could get my daughter to eat her vegetables when she was young. Your kids will have no idea this is good for them! If they can't see it, it isn't there, right?

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup
3/4 cup Italian-seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup pureed vegetables, (food processor or blender) (I use 1/2 cup carrots and 1/2 cup broccoli)
1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onions
dash of salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, 1/4 cup ketchup, bread crumbs, blended vegetables, French-fried onions, salt and pepper.
Shape into loaf and fit into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Bake, covered loosely with foil, at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes.
Remove foil; spread 1/4 cup ketchup over meatloaf and bake additional 15 minutes.

What the kids don't know won't hurt 'em!

Grape and Lemon Make Blue

A layer of blue, another layer of red, topped with white and you have an easy 4th of July dessert.

Ingredients:
1 box (3 ounce) grape gelatin
1 box (3 ounce) lemon jello
2 cups hot water
4 cups strawberries, sliced
8 ounces whipped topping

Directions:
Mix together grape and yellow gelatin with hot water - to make blue.
Pour into a clear glass serving dish.
Refrigerate until firm.
Arrange sliced strawberries over top of gelatin.
Top with whipped topping.

Here's another easy to make 4th of July idea:
4th of July Cupcakes...
Prepare cupcakes using a packaged cake mix.
Mix Wilton blue food coloring paste (end of a toothpick's worth of coloring) into a container of buttercream icing.
Put icing into an icing decorator bag attached with a large star tip and top each cupcake. Sprinkle with red, white and blue candies.

Skillet Noodle Pizza

Kids really love this for dinner!
I've made this skillet dinner from time-to-time for years, but can take no credit for the good taste. The recipe is from Women's Day magazine, 1996. I don't add or take away any ingredients; it's perfect just the way it is. Just wanted to share!

Ingredients:
8 cups water
4 packages Ramen Noodles, any flavor (I use chicken)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup spaghetti sauce
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
17 slices pepperoni, cut into 1/4- inch strips
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:
Heat broiler of oven.
Bring water to boil in a 2 1/2 to 3 1/2- quart pot; add noodles and cook, stirring occasionally (3 minutes or until tender); drain in colander.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
When hot, add noodles and press evenly to cover bottom of pan; cook 2 minutes or until underneath is browned.
Spread sauce over noodles, then sprinkle with cheese, pepperoni and oregano.

(if skillet handle is wood or any material that can't hold up to the heat of broiler, wrap it in a double layer of foil to prevent handle from scorching)

Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat source 2 minutes or until top is bubbly and cheese starts to brown.
Let cool about 5 minutes before cutting in wedges to serve.

source: Woman's Day 3/12/96

Making Whipped Cream

I found a nice, simply explained YouTube video on "how to make whipped cream." If you haven't made homemade whipped cream and would like to give it a try, you need to see this video. The demonstrator tells and shows exactly what stage to add your sugar, cocoa powder or extracts.

I suggest trying colored whipped cream. Add colored sugar crystals and vanilla extract to the whipped cream at the right stage - which you will learn in this YouTube.

To make your own sugar crystals:
In a small plastic container, add granulated sugar and a few drops of liquid food coloring. Cover the container and vigorously shake until the sugar is uniformly colored. Easy! Here is the YouTube link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2fFcjwvTWs

How to Grill Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob tastes great any way you cook it, but my absolute favorite is grilling it over hot coals or on a gas grill. Preparation is easy and there is just something special about corn on the cob hot off the grill!

Ingredients:
8 ears of corn
1/3 cup butter, melted
seasoned salt, or garlic salt, to taste

Directions:
Peel back husks on the ears of corn, but DON'T remove; pull out as much of the corn silk as possible; smooth husks back into starting position:)
Soak ears of corn (husks included) in a kettle of water for approximately 2 hours.
Remove from kettle and let drain a few minutes.
Cook over grill for 30 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
Check corn for tenderness; cook longer if necessary

Just before serving melt the butter with your choice of salt.
Peel back the husks and drizzle butter over.

Nutella Lovers French Toast

If you love french toast and creamy chocolaty Nutella, put them together for scrumptious french toast sandwiches. Top with maple syrup or your favorite fruit and whipped cream. Everyone loves this breakfast. I like it for dinner too!

Ingredients:
6 slices white bread
3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey, warmed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract powdered sugar
Nutella (warm it in microwave to make it easier to drizzle)

Directions: Whisk eggs together with milk; add warmed honey and vanilla extract; whisk again. Melt butter in griddle that has been set to medium heat. Dip each slice of bread (both sides) into the liquid mixture. Fry all six slices of bread on griddle until bottom sides of bread are golden brown. Flip all six slices of bread; drizzle Nutella generously over top of three cooked slices of bread; cover with remaining three cooked slices after all are golden brown underneath.

Now what you have are 3 delicious Nutella French Toast Sandwiches! Mmmm.... top with powdered sugar. If you really want to, you can pour maple syrup over it, or give it a dollop of whipped cream, or spoon sliced strawberries over, but I prefer to drizzle a little extra Nutella over mine.

See recipes for desserts made with fresh lemons!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1830925/summer_desserts_made_with_fresh_lemons.html

Blue Roast Beef Sandwiches

This is an easy to assemble, make-and-take sandwich, perfect for a picnic in the park!

Ingredients: (4 sandwiches)
8 slices whole wheat bread
mayonnaise
1 pound deli roast beef, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 slices mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Spread each slice of bread with mayonnaise. I like about 2 tablespoons on each slice (I'm a condiment lover).
Separate the roast beef and crumbled blue cheese into fourths.
Layer with roast beef - crumbled blue cheese - mozzarella cheese.
Now taste your new favorite sandwich!

Make the Blue Roast Beef Sandwich even better with caramelized onions
http://www.ehow.com/how_5097085_caramelize-onion.html

Fruit Lovers Smoothie

Begin your morning right with this vitamin packed delicious fruit smoothie! Made with a hint of tangy with added orange juice. See variations at end of recipe.

Ingredients:
1 banana, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup ice cubes
1 (8 ounce) container vanilla flavored yogurt

Directions:
In blender, add all ingredients except for yogurt; blend on high speed until smooth; add vanilla yogurt; blend on low speed approximately 10 seconds.
Pour immediately into small individual glasses.

Variations: Substitute orange juice with pineapple-banana blend juice - Substitute strawberries for raspberries. It's all good:)

Meat Sauce for Hots

Meat sauce made a little spicy and tangy with chili powder and horseradish is the best topping for your grilled hot dogs... before spooning on the sauce, spread each side of the bun with prepared mustard!

Ingredients:
8 ounces ground beef
4 ounces ground pork
1/2 cup onion, diced
4 tablespoons horseradish
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can tomato soup
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (add extra if you like your sauce hot)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs

Directions:
In a large non-stick skillet, add ground beef, ground pork and onion. Over medium-high heat, fry until meat (breaking up until fine) is thoroughly cooked.
Reduce heat to low and add remaining ingredients; simmer for 30 minutes.

Low Fat Dip for Veggies

Make this guilt-free, low-fat dip and enjoy with a variety of vegetables. A good way to get kids to eat raw veggies!

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cucumber, peeled and diced small
4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened
4 ounces fat-free sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 small onion, diced small
1 tablespoon chives
pepper to taste

Directions:
30 minutes before preparing dip, lay the diced cucumbers on paper towels and sprinkle with the salt to draw out excess liquid.
In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients and stir until well combined and smooth.
Refrigerate one hour before serving.
Serve with assorted veggies

Old Fashioned Lemonade

Take time to make homemade lemonade this summer. Sure, it isn't as quick as opening a can of concentrated or tearing a package open of a powdered mix, but sometimes you just want the real stuff, right?

Ingredients: 3/4 cup granulated sugar (add 1/4 cup more if you like yours sweeter) 5 cups water 1 cup lemon juice

Directions: Heat the sugar and ONE cup water in a saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Meanwhile, using a juicer, extract juice from enough lemons to get 1 cup of juice (5 or 6 lemons).

Add the dissolved sugar water and lemon juice into a pitcher.

Add the remaining 4 cups cold water; refrigerate one hour.

Pour into glasses filled with ice.

Lemon Cheese Bars

This lemon cheese bar recipe has a bottom crust made with a cake mix. It's creamy taste is so good, yet easy to prepare. Either top with the remaining crumbs used for the crust or dust with confectioners' sugar.

Ingredients:

1 box lemon cake mix with pudding

2 eggs, divided

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix cake mix, 1 egg and oil; work until crumbly; reserve one cup.

Pat remaining mixture lightly into ungreased 13 x 9 x 2- inch baking pan.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and 1 egg until light and smooth; spread over crust.

Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over top - or omit this step if you choose to dust confectioners' sugar over cooled bars.

Bake for 15 minutes; cool; cut into 16 bars.

What Can A Radish Do For You?

Radishes are known to help regulate the process of digestion. It is also believed to improve efficiency of the gallbladder and liver. Studies are also being done to prove what many scientist believe... that the ingestion of radishes help to prevent against certain cancers, including colon cancer. And they are also an aphrodisiac! So throw a few radishes on your green salad.
Don't care for them plain? Here is a tasty recipe for you to try...

Seasoned Baked Radish Chips

10 radishes, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Steam the sliced radishes in microwave for 4 minutes.
Place radishes in large zip lock bag; shake to coat well.
Lightly coat baking sheet with olive oil.
Bake for 10 minutes; turn and bake additional 10 minutes.

Polish Sausage Potato Skillet

This polish sausage and potato skillet is an easy to prepare complete meal. I sometimes add french style green beans to mine in place of bell peppers, but you can substitute with any veggie of your liking. You'll love this dish!

Ingredients:
1 pound Polish sausage, sliced 1/4- inch thick or cubed
2 pounds potatoes, cooked and cubed (cool first - to keep potatoes from falling apart while stirring in skillet)
1 cup cooked red bell peppers, sliced
1 cup cooked yellow bell peppers, sliced
1/2 cup bottled Italian dressing
1/8 cup dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sliced Polish sausage.
Reduce heat; add remaining ingredients; allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve hot

• 
  
•