Meatloaf isn't a Bad Word!

Meatloaf tends to have a bad reputation. What is it? What is in it? How can you eat that? In my kitchen, meatloaf gets a different reaction. Yum! That's my favorite! Can you pack that in my lunch tomorrow?

My kids love meatloaf and I very seldom have leftovers. I think the secret is in the sauce. I mix 1/2 cup of ketchup with 1/4 cup of brown sugar and spread it over the top. Then I finish the meatloaf under the broiler to make the sauce caramelize. Yum!

The meatloaf itself is pretty basic. 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon wochestershire sauce, mix together and bake in a loaf pan at 400 for 1 hour. If you line your pan with aluminum foil, you can lift the meatloaf right out with the edges of the foil.
Last night we had the meatloaf with mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and brussels sprouts. yummy!

A New Favorite

I haven't posted here in a while, mainly because I felt like I was repeating myself, cooking the same thing day in and day out. Then one day last week I found this.

This is chicken and gravy over mashed potatoes. Sounds like the same old thing, doesn't it? It isn't! These are amazing. I thought my 12 year old son was going to lick the pan. (He usually isn't a big meat eater but he has already asked for these again)

The best thing about this is that it was easy. Really easy! Start with a package (whatever size you need to feed your crew, I used a package of 4) of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy skillet, brown the chicken on both sides. While the chicken browns, mix a can of cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup of water and a package of powdered ranch dressing mix in a bowl. When the chicken is brown enough to make you happy, pour the soup mixture over it and cover tightly. Let this simmer over low heat until very tender, then serve over mashed potatoes. Yum!

This would work really well in a crock pot, too. Then supper would be ready when you got home from work. Yum!