Meatloaf

 I am always looking into finding the best meatloaf and I believe I may have found it.  The cheese added that little bit of what I was missing.  Let me know if you try it and if you like it!

• 1 1/2 lbs hamburger
• 1/2 lb Italian sausage
• small onion
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 sleeve crackers crushed
• 2 splashes Worchestershire Sauce
• pepper
• garlic powder
• Tony's 

• Topping:
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Mustard
• 2 Tbsp BBQ Sauce
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients together except the topping ingredients.  Shape into a loaf and put into a loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for an hour.  Pour topping onto the top, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.  

Cornbread from Krusteaz

 This is for Melissa!! So she knows to use OIL with the Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix.  

Brown Butter Cream Sauce

 This is my favorite recipe to use with pumpkin or squash ravioli. It just melds so well with either ravioli.  

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Sage
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup Tuscany cinnamon cheese (Trader Joes)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Cook pasta according to package directions.  

Melt the butter in a large skillet heated on medium heat.  Continue to cook the butter until it becomes a golden brown color, about 5-8 minutes.  Add the cream and sage and simmer for about a minute.  Add Parmesan, pepper, and parsley.  Simmer for another minute.  Plate and add sauce and sprinkle with toasted walnuts.  

*Fresh Sage and Parsley are the best but dried works awesome also.  

*I also toast the walnuts for a few minutes to release the aroma.

Sweet Potatoe Casserole

 I was never a big fan of sweet potatoes till I believe my sister-in-law Shari made them one Thanksgiving. They say your taste buds change every 7 years and I believe it.  As a kid I turned my nose up at them, now I will eat them any chance I get.   Honestly, I am not for sure of her recipe but this is one I make a lot as it is my favorite.  Hope you enjoy it also.  

Sweet Potato

• 4 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter softened
• 1/4 cup-1/2 cup milk (depending on how soupy you like)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PECAN STREUSEL TOPPING:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 cup chopped Pecans

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Fill a large pot with water. Bring to a boil. Add cubed sweet potatoes. Return to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer sweet potatoes until tender (15-20 minutes). Drain.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk, and vanilla. Add in cooked sweet potatoes and use a hand mixer to mix until smooth. Spray 9x13 inch baking dish, then transfer to the dish.
4. In a medium bowl prepare the streusel topping. Mix the sugar and flour together. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Rotini Salad

This recipe came from my friend Jill Burgart.  This is one of my favorite pasta salads to make.  It is so easy and can be made up ahead of time.  That's one of the wonderful things about this salad.  

• 1 lb rotini cooked, drained, and chilled
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 1 chopped onion
• 3 carrots, cleaned and grated
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1. Mix thoroughly the milk, sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar, and mayonnaise.
2. Pour over vegetables and pasta
3. Toss to coat
4. Chill before serving
5. Best if chilled 2 days before serving.

Zuppa Soup

 I was hesitant to make this soup but let me tell you - you won't be disappointed!!! This is an amazing soup that tastes pretty darn close to the original.  The best thing about making it at home is you can control the sodium.  When I get it in the restaurant I feel it is so salty.  So let me know what you think!!!

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Butter

1 1/2 lbs Italian Sausage

1 small onion (chopped)

1 Tbsp Minced garlic

5 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp Pepper 

1 tsp Seasoning Salt

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

1.5 lbs of white potatoes, sliced into quarters with the skin still on

2 cups Kale

2 oz  Cream Cheese

1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Add the olive oil and butter to the Instant Pot and hit "Saute", add in the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes until they are soft and translucent.

Next, add the sausage and break it down with a wooden spatula/mixing spoon until crumbled (like ground beef) and sauté (stir & set) for another 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic about 1 minute after the sausage is cooking and stir it in.

Pour in the broth and let simmer for about 3 minutes and follow with the seasonings. Stir well

Lastly, add in the potatoes, top with kale, and DO NOT STIR (leave the kale right on top as it will cook down into nothing). Secure the pressure cooking lid, hit “Keep Warm/Cancel” or “Stop” and hit “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” high pressure for 10 minutes (it will take a solid 10 minutes or so to come to pressure due to the amount of volume in the pot). Quick-release when done

Stir in the cream cheese until melted and then add the heavy cream.

Ladle into bowls and serve with some breadsticks. 

Enjoy!

Homemade Bread

1 cup hot water (110 degrees)
1 package yeast
2 Tbsp sugar

Add yeast, hot water, and sugar to the mixing bowl.  Set timer for five minutes to make sure yeast is active and foamy.

Melt 4 Tbsp butter in microwave till melted liquid.  Add 1/4 cup milk to butter and stir.

Now is the time to add the remaining ingredients and get mixing.

Stir in the following ingredients:

3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

Then add the milk mixture.  Once the mixture starts to come together add more flour if needed.  Watch for the dough to come away from the sides of the bowl and is only slightly tacky when touched with your finger.

Let the mixer need dough for 5-7 minutes.

Turn dough into an oiled glass bowl. Cover with saran wrap or press and seal.  Let rise for approximately 1 hour.

Punch down your dough after the first rise.  Roll the dough out into a rectangle and roll up the dough on the short edge and place in a greased loaf pan for its second rise. Spray the same saran wrap or press and seal with pam so when it rises it doesn't stick to wrap.  Let rise till just a little above pan. 

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.