Mini-Meatloaves Italiano

I really like the convenience of making individual meatloaves on the stovetop instead of one large meatloaf in the oven. Each person gets their own little meatloaf.

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup herb seasoned stuffing mix

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons parsley flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup pasta sauce, divided

1 pound ground beef

1. In a medium bowl, add egg, stuffing mix, onion, green pepper, milk, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon pasta sauce; combine well.
2. Add ground beef to egg mixture; mix well.
3. Using 1/2 cup beef mixture at a time, shape into small meatloaves.
4. In a large skillet, place 1/4 cup pasta sauce evenly around bottom of skillet; put mini-meatloaves side by side on top of sauce in skillet; spoon 2 tablespoons pasta sauce on each mini-meatloaf.
5. Cover; cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, or until cooked throughout.       Serves: 6

Hot Peaches and Dumplings

Fresh summer peaches cooked until the juices flow, topped with homemade sweet dumplings. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and taste the goodness of summer.

2 cups fresh peaches, sliced

⅛ cup maple syrup

⅛ cup water

½ teaspoon cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon allspice or nutmeg

 Dumplings

1 tablespoon butter, melted

½ cup all-purpose or light baking flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

¼ cup milk

cinnamon sugar

In a medium saucepan, add peaches, maple syrup, water, cinnamon, and allspice or nutmeg; cover, cook over low heat until peaches are at boiling stage, about 10 minutes.

1. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine butter, flour, baking powder, salt sugar, and milk; mix just until smooth.
2. Drop spoonfuls of flour mixture onto the hot peach mixture; cover and cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked throughout.
3. Sprinkle dumplings with cinnamon sugar and serve.

Serves: 4

Zucchini-Potato Soup

Absolutely one of my favorite soups. Light and refreshing, a pure delight. For additional nutrients, and a dash of color, you can add a half cup of cooked shredded carrots after the soup is blended.

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup onion, chopped

4 cups zucchini, peeled and sliced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 (14½-ounce) can chicken broth, with roasted garlic and herbs*

1 (14½-ounce) can chicken broth, plain

½ teaspoon white pepper

In a large saucepan, melt butter; add onion and cook over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes.

1. Add zucchini, potatoes, broth, and white pepper.
2. Cover; cook over low heat for 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
3. Place half the mixture into a blender; blend until smooth. Pour blended soup into another saucepan or large bowl then blend the remaining half of the vegetables until smooth.

Serves: 4

*If you can’t find chicken broth with roasted garlic and herbs, use another can of plain chicken broth and add garlic and your favorite soup herbs. I use a dash of rosemary, thyme, oregano and a little red bell pepper. You may prefer basil, parsley, a bay leaf, etc.

Carrot Soufflé

A light and smooth dish, this makes a great side dish for either formal or informal meals.

2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into slices

¼ cup butter, softened

3 eggs

1 cup milk

⅓ cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees

In a small saucepan, cook carrots in water until tender; drain.

1. Place carrots in a blender, pulse to soften; add butter, eggs, milk, sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour into a greased 8×8-inch casserole dish; bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Serves: 6

Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich

This is a soft version of Kentucky’s classic open faced sandwich. Smothered in a rich cream sauce and placed under the broiler, it is as much a casserole as an open-faced sandwich. The veggie bacon becomes soft in the sauce, but go ahead and use regular bacon if you can eat a dish with a little crunch.

 ¼ cup butter

¼ cup all purpose flour

1 cup half-and-half

¾ cup milk

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1½ cups turkey breast, finely chopped

2 slices Texas Toast or 1-inch slices of Italian bread, crusts trimmed

4 slices of crisp veggie bacon, crumbled

1 large tomato, peeled, diced

¼ cup cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

In a medium saucepan, melt butter; whisk in flour and blend until smooth.

1. Add half-and-half and milk; whisk until heated throughout and slightly thickened.
2. Add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to saucepan, whisking until cheese is melted; remove from heat.
3. Place bread slices in individual baking dishes (or both in one larger baking dish); top each slice with ¾ cup turkey and 2 slices of crumbled bacon.
4. Pour half of the cheese sauce over each turkey sandwich; sprinkle with diced tomatoes then cheddar cheese.
5. Place under broiler until cheddar cheese begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle chopped parsley over top. Serve.

Serves: 2