Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Ingredients

1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1/2 C. ketchup

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

3/4 C. milk

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 C. finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 5 x 9 in. loaf pan.

2) Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan & spread the ketchup over the sugar. (can be put on top instead).

3) In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients  and shape into a loaf. Place on top of ketchup.

4) Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 1 hour

Serves: 5-6

Alterations: Use 1/2 C milk instead, add garlic & 1 tbsp. Worcestershire to beef. Use 1/4 C. brown sugar, ketchup & a tbsp. of Worcestershire to glaze.

Tender 'N' Tangy Ribs

Ingredients

3/4 to 1 C. white vinegar

1/2 C. ketchup

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. ground mustard

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 to 1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 lbs. pork spareribs

1 tbsp. canola oil

Directions

1) Combine the first nine ingredients in a 3-qt slow cooker. Cut ribs into serving-size pieces; brown in a skillet in oil. Transfer to slow cooker. Cover & cook on low for 4-6 hours or until tender.

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 6 hours

Serves: 6-8

Easy Minute Pizza

Ingredients

2 loaves Baked Garlic Bread Spread with garlic & butter

Pizza Sauce of choice (add tomato sauce to stretch if needed)

1 pkg. Cheddar or mozzarella cheese

1 lb. hamburger, sausage or pepperoni

Jalapenos, black olives or onions, to taste

Directions

1) Cook all meats for pizza. Spread the pizza sauce over the bread to taste. Add toppings & smother with cheese. Lay pizza on fil & bake until the cheese has melted in a 350 degree oven. Slice & serve.

Prep: 5  minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

You can use whatever toppings you choose to make it your own.

Garlic Parsley Spaghetti

Ingredients

1 pkg. (16oz) thin spaghetti

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 C. olive or vegetable oil

1/2 C. minced fresh parsley

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1) Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile in a large skillet, lightly brown garlic in oil over medium heat. Drain spaghetti; add to the skillet. Sprinkle with parsley, salt & pepper; toss to coat.

Prep: 5 minced

Cook: 10 minutes

Serves: 8-10

Slow Cooker Bacon Wrapped Apple BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 slices bacon

1/2 C BBQ Sauce (any flavor / type you want)

2 large apples, peeled & cut into small pieces

2 tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

1) Wrap each chicken breast in 2 slices of bacon and place in a slow cooker.

2) Mix the BBQ sauce, apples & lemon juice & pour it over the chicken.

3) Cook on low 8 hours.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 8 hours

Serves: 2

This is something you may want to double if feeding more people.

Orange & Cumin Glazed Chicken

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, skin removed

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. sherry vinegar or cider vinegar

1 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. grated orange peel

1 small garlic clove, minced

Directions

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil, folding it over edge of pan; spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place, meaty-side down on baking sheet; bake 15 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, whisk all remaining ingredients in small bowl.

3) Turn chicken; brush with orange juice mixture. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and no longer pink in center.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Easy Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

1 green pepper, chopped

1/4 C. chopped onions

3/4 C. Original BBQ Sauce

4 hamburger buns

4 cheese singles

Directions

1) Brown meat in large skillet; drain. Add vegetables; cook and stir 5 minutes or until crisp tender.

2) Stir in BBQ Sauce; cook 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

3) Fill buns with meat mixture and cheese.

Prep: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Drunkin Pork Chops

Ingredients

5-6 pork chops (bone-in or boneless)

salt & pepper

1 bottle of beer (the darker the better)

1/2 C. brown sugar

1/3 ketchup

Directions

1) Put a little bit of xtra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a skillet. Season the chops with salt & pepper and brown both sides. While pork chops are browning, combine beer, ketchup, & brown sugar in a bowl. Pour sauce mixture over the pork chops & simmer for 40-45 minutes. Remove pork chops & thicken the sauce a bit. In a small cup, combine 1 tbsp. of cornstarch in 1/4 C. of water. Stir to combine & add to boiling sauce, whisk so no lumps form. Put pork chops back in the thickened sauce, flip to coat. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Serves: 3-6

Cheese-Stuffed BBQ Dogs

Ingredients

3/4 C. ketchup

1/4 C. packed light brown sugar

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp. Cider Vinegar

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

4 (1oz) slices Cheddar, each cut into 6 strips

2 1/4 C. lightly crushed potato chips (optional)

hot dogs

Directions

1) Whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika & 1/4 C. water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, turn down heat & simmer, stirring, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

2) Before grilling, make a slit lengthwise in each hot dog. Halfway through grilling, stuff each slit with a few pieces of cheese. Finish grilling, cheese side up, until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

3) Place hot dogs in buns & top with bbq sauce & potato chips , if desired.

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 30 mintes

Serves: 4-8 (or more, depending on how many hot dogs used)

Traditional Meatloaf

Ingredients

3 slices bread

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2/3 C. 2% milk

1 C. (4oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 C. finely shredded carrot

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/2lbs ground beef

Glaze:

1/4 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. ketchup

1 tbsp. mustard

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear bread into 2 in. pieces; place in a blender. Cover & pulse to form coarse crumbs; transfer to a large bowl. Stir in egg, milk, cheese, onion, carrot, salt & pepper. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Transfer to a greased 9 x 5in. loaf pan.

2) In a small bowl, mix glaze ingredients; spread over loaf. Bake 60-75 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Prep: 15 minutes

Bake: 1 hour + standing

Serves: 6

Sticky Chicken

Ingredients

4 (5oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 C. hoisin sauce

3 tbsp. canola oil

1 tbsp. each grated fresh ginger, honey & soy sauce

2 1/2 tsp. hot red chili sauce

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

Directions

1) Whisk hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp. of the canola oil, ginger, honey, soy sauce, hot red chili sauce * garlic in a large bowl. Add chicken to mixture in bowl & toss.

2) Heat remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 10 minutes, turning once, until cooked. Serve with rice.

This is a really tasty dish. You may want to double the recipe.

Sloppy Joe Pizza

Ingredients

2 tubes (13.8oz ea.) refrigerated pizza crust

1lb. ground beef

1 can (15.5oz) sloppy joe sauce

2 C. (8oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 C. (4oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1) Unroll pizza dough; place on two greased 12 in. pizza pans. Bake @ 425 degrees for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.

2) In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add sloppy Joe sauce. Spread over crusts. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 425 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Prep/total time:

25 minutes

Makes:

2 pizzas (8 slices each)

If your like me than you may wanna make your own sloppy Joe sauce. I have never been a fan of the canned stuff so I am always making my own with different varieties each time. I'll add BBQ along with spices and seasonings to mine. I am always changing it up. And I find it tastes so much better. You can also adjust how spicy you may like it to be.

Pork Chops with Honey Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

4 bone-in pork loin chops (6oz ea)

1/4 C. lemon juice

1/4 C. honey

2 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

1) Place a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pork chops; cook 5-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145 degrees. Remove and keep warm.

2) In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, honey, soy sauce & garlic; add to pan. Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with chops.

Start to finish:

25 minutes

Servings:

4

Italian Ricotta Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies:

2 sticks (1/2lb.) butter, softened

1 3/4 C. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 container (15oz) ricotta cheese

2 tbsp. vanilla extract

4 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

Glaze:

4-5 tbsp. milk

1 1/2 C powdered sugar

1 tsp. almond extract

sprinkles

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, ricotta cheese & vanilla extract; mix until well combined. In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add the flour mixture to the ricotta mixture; mix well. Roll or scoop the dough into the dough into teaspoon-sized balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

3) Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

4) In a medium bowl, beat the milk, powdered sugar, and almond extract until smooth. Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze and set up right back on the wire rack. Immediately top with sprinkles.

Makes:

50 Cookies

French Toast Waffles

Ingredients

8 eggs

2 c. 2% milk

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

16 slices Texas Toast

maple syrup

Directions

1) In a large bowl, whisk the first six ingredients. Dip both sides of bread in egg mixture. Place in a preheated waffle iron; bake 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, cut waffles into thirds. Serve with syrup.

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 5 minutes/batch

makes: 16 waffles

BBQ Bacon Burger

Ingredients

12 frozen onion rings (optional)

2 lbs. ground beef

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

6 slices pepper jack cheese

6 hamburger buns, split & toasted

1 c. BBQ sauce

6 cooked bacon strips

optional toppings: lettuce leaves, sliced tomato & dill pickles

Directions

1) Bake onion rings according to pkg. directions, (if using). Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine beef, garlic salt & pepper; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into six patties.

2) In a large nonstick skillet, cook burgers over medium heat 5--7 minutes. on each side or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees, adding cheese during the last minute of cooking. Serve on buns with BBQ sauce, bacon , onion rings & toppings as desired.

Start to finish :

30 minutes

Serves: 6