A new kid favorite...

Red Chili Enchilada Meat Loaf

I recently picked up a copy of Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Mexican, and must say that I am ready to try just about every recipe in here.  The first up on a busy night was the Red Chili Enchilada meat Loaf (pg. 125) and this was a definite kid pleaser.  Chris had seconds, went looking for thirds, and was disappointed to find it all gone.  If you are looking for an easy dish the kids will love, be sure to give this one a try, just don't try to feed too many with it, because they'll be asking for more.

Red Chili Enchilada Meat Loaf

1 egg, slightly beaten
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup salsa
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbs.)
2 tbs. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 pkg. corn muffin mix
2 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
additional salsa to serve

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine the first seven ingredients.  Shape into a ball and place in a 9 inch pie pan lightly covered in cooking spray; flatten into a 6 inch circle.*  Prepare the muffin mix according to package directions and spread over the meat in the plate.  Bake for 50 minutes or until a temperature of 160 degrees.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese; cover loosely and let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with additional salsa and any other Mexican inspired sides you desire.

*This was how directed in the recipe.  by time the meatloaf reached 160 degrees, the cornbread was browner than I would have liked.  In the future I will spread the meat out flatter, leaving less of a gap between it and the edge of the plate.

An old favorite, and a new one, too...

Cheddar Stuffed Chicken with 

Foil Roasted Asparagus, Mushrooms and Prosciutto

I had a request from my little guy for "cheese stuffed chicken," referring to a chicken dish I have made repeatedly over the years.  This recipe comes from one of my oldest cookbooks, Chicken, published by Better Homes and Gardens, and counts as one of my first culinary success stories.  Asparagus is in season and extraordinarily cheap right now, so I thought this a perfect time to try the slow cooked method from The New York Times that I posted on the Facebook page a while back.  This method of cooking did truly infuse the asparagus with the flavors of the mushrooms and prosciutto, while retaining its crispness...I will certainly use this easy method again.

A Cincinnati favorite...

A 3-Way with Frank's Red Hot

In the Cincinnati area we like to eat a Greek inspired chili quite unlike the Tex-Mex chili that most people think of.  For a brief history of this chili and an alternate recipe click here.  I have made this chili for years using ground turkey (not traditional, I know), but I have made it before with beef, and with all the flavoring going into it I did not notice much (if any) taste difference, so I'll stick with the healthier (and usually cheaper) ground turkey.  

When I was looking in the freezer for inspiration the other morning, I unearthed a package of ground turkey and asked Chris if he wanted chili spaghetti (what we call it) for dinner.  His reply..."Yes!!  Chili spaghetti!"  So that decided that.  We eat this with just shredded cheese (not as much as you would get in a local chili parlor), known as a 3-way, and hot sauce for Ben and I.  Add chopped onions and make it a 4-way, add kidney beans and make it a 5-way.  However you choose to eat it, it will be good.  Also try using it to make a chili dog- steamed hot dog, mustard, chopped onion, and cheese, or not, in a bun, again with hot sauce if desired.  Another use for the chili is what  is known locally as Skyline Dip, after Skyline Chili, one of the most famous of the Cincinnati chili parlors.  The name refers to the Cincinnati skyline, which is a pretty cool view crossing the river from Kentucky.

Go ahead, eat the cookies...

 

Skillet Sauerbraten with Spatzle

I had purchased a package of gingersnaps a while back with the intention of making sauerbraten, and the cookies sat in the pantry undisturbed until Christopher found them.  I told the boy that once I had made the meal that the cookies would be fair game.  After several days of him looking at the cookies longingly, I told the boy I would make the dish and then he could quench his desire for the darn things.  The recipe I usually use for sauerbraten uses a  rump roast and takes three days to make (marinate).  Not having the roast, or three days, I made a skillet version with similar flavors, but using quick cooking cube steak (I did have some of those in the freezer).  The only thing you can serve with sauerbraten is spatzle, a simple egg noodle, and one that is super easy to make at home.  The skillet sauerbraten did not have the same depth of flavor as the traditional version, but was still very tasty, and one worth remembering as a quick and easy recipe.  The spatzle, as usual, was fabulous covered in the pan gravy.  I am going to include the recipe for the traditional version as well because it is certainly worth trying if you have the time.