Lil Cheddar Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato and apples au gratin

The kids are all home, and that means a kid friendly recipe is on the dinner table. It also means that we are all sitting down together and eating. That is something I really strive for when we are all here. D makes a point to get off work at a decent time, and I try to have dinner on the table by 6pm or a little after.

I feel like when the kids are here that we eat much of the same things all the time, since they're kinda picky eaters. The vegetables are especially tricky. I tried that sneaky trick of steaming and mashing cauliflower in their mashed potatoes. Eh, yeah. So, it worked....somewhat. Meaning, they ate it, but there was a comment on the taste difference and how it "smelled funny". If I do it again, I am sure they'll catch on!

Next time I may try to hide turnips in them since they tend to be more subtle in flavor.

In any case, tonight with our lil cheddar meatloaf we are having plain ol' boring mashed potatoes made with whipping cream and butter. Thus far, it is the best way to make them. You just can't mess too much with mashed potatoes. I've tried, and some things are just worth keeping the same and trying to lessen the caloric damage by playing with the amounts used.

We try to limit our red meat, but the kids like meat loaf and this is a different spin to it than what I normally do.

Enjoy!


Lil Cheddar Meat Loaves
8 servings 187 calories, 7 grams fat per serving

• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 3/4 cup fat free milk
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar
• 3/4 cup cooking oats
• 1 medium onion, blended in food processor
• 1 medium carrot, chopped in food processor
• 1 lb lean ground sirloin (96/4)
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tspn prepared mustard

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and egg whites. Stir in the cheese, oats, onion and carrot. Add the sirloin and mix well with hands. Shape into 8 small loaves and place in baking dish coated with cooking spray.

In small bowl, mix together ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Spoon over loaves. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.




Sweet Potatoes and Apples Au gratin
12 servings 130 calories, 2 grams fat per serving

• 3 cups thinly sliced tart apples
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 lbs sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar

Place apples in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add sweet potatoes, syrup, butter, and pepper and toss to coat. Pour into 3 qt baking dish coated with cooking spray and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, stirring once.
In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and vinegar; sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake an additional 15 minutes.

Vegetable Grill Out Night: Zippy Corn on the Cob, Hearty Grilled Vegetables, Broiled Tomatoes

With summer comes the vegetable garden. The squash, zucchini and tomatoes are starting to yield in our garden and this is the first meal where we've been able to incorporate them into dinner this summer. Expect more recipes involving these veggies since they tend to grow at a faster pace than growers can use them! Not only that, we have been trying more and more to have a vegetable-only night at least once a week. We do not always succeed at that, but we do try.

To gain the full nutritional value of squash, including zucchini, the skins must remain on. Squash is high in carotene, as well as many other nutrients (like magnesium, potassium, folate, and fiber) needed for heart health. Many nutrients found in all squash varieties help to protect against certain cancers (lung and colon, for instance).

Corn also has a healthy dose of magnesium and folic acid, as well as being rich in fiber and B vitamins. It also aids with heart health, as well as management of diabetes, hypertension and kidney function.

And tomatoes. We've addressed the many benefits of tomatoes before. All in all, vegetables are some of the most nutritious foods one can eat. We all knew that, of course, and it doesn't have to be a chore to get in your recommended intake of daily vegetables to increase your nutritional benefit. Good recipes are all it takes to make eating your vegetables a tasty necessity.

You can grill these vegetables, or cook them in the oven. I opted for the latter, only because it was cleaner that way. But you choose!

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Zippy Corn on the Cob

• 4 medium ears of sweet corn
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place ears of corn, husked and silks removed, on a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, combine ingredients and mix well. Brush or pour equally over corn, covering all sides. Fold foil around corn and seal tightly. Grill, over medium heat, about 25 minutes, turning once. (or you can bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes)


Hearty Grilled Vegetables

• 12 small red new potatoes, halved
• 1 medium sweet potato, cut into chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
• 3/4 lb fresh mushrooms
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 medium green pepper, seeded and cut into strips
• 1 small zucchini, cut into chunks
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into chunks
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)

Place all ingredients except butter and cheese in large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil, or divided up into smaller pieces of aluminum foil. Drizzle butter over top, and sprinkle cheese on top. Fold foil up and seal. Grill for 20 minutes each side over medium heat. Or, place foil packet in baking dish and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Serve with brown rice


Broiled Tomatoes

• 2 large tomatoes, cut in half
• Parmesan
• oregano
• olive oil

Place tomatoes cut side up on broiler pan. Sprinkle with parmesan and oregano and drizzle with olive oil. Broil for 3-4 minutes, until tomato softens.

Rubbed Pork, Mashed Turnips, Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic-Curry Dip, Fennel Green Beans with Feta Cheese

This dinner was kinda different, but very good. You don't hear a lot about turnips, and I don't know why that is. I have to admit, the prospect of turnips never really sounded appetizing to me. I had nothing to go on, really, having never tried them. Perhaps it's the name. Turnip. As in, turnip your nose to them.

A few weeks ago, we visited D's daughter. She has celiac disease, and has an array of foods that are naturally gluten free that she gets creative with. She made mashed turnips for us that night with dinner. I have to admit I was a tad apprehensive about them. I mean, who eats turnips? But I was willing to try them, and am glad I did! She passed along a dish that I will (and have!) use again.

I like green beans, but usually cook them in a more traditional way: with diced onions and a bit of bacon or ham. They're good that way. But I wanted to try something a bit different with them and went searching for a recipe. The one I used, I was unsure of at the beginning. I'd never used fennel to cook, and feta cheese didn't sound like something that would go well with green beans. Lemme tell ya, I was wrong! (and you won't hear me say that often!!)

On the menu was
Rubbed Pork
Mashed Turnips
Sweet Potato Fries with homemade dip
Fennel Green Beans with Feta Cheese

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Rubbed Pork

• 4 boneless loin chops

Ingredients for the Rub:

• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon allspice
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine ingredients and mix thoroughly. Rub Pork and place in oven at 350 degrees. Cook for 45 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.

Mashed Turnips (also called Bashed Neeps by our Scottish friends)

Ingredients:

• 4 medium turnips, peeled and cubed
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup packed bread crumbs (or 1 cup if you use toasted bread)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Boil turnips until tender. Whip turnips with electric beater until fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients and whip with blender until well blended. Pour mixture into baking dish and bake for 1 hour at 350.

Sweet Potato Fries with Homemade Garlic-Curry Dip

Ingredients:

• 4 large sweet potatoes, sliced into "fries"
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon curry powder

Mix all ingredients in large bowl and toss. Place on cookie sheet, sprayed with cooking spray, and bake at 350 until tender (about 30 minutes)

Garlic-Curry Dip:

• 1/4 cup miracle whip
• 2 small garlic cloves, mashed to paste with salt (or garlic powder)
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• dash of black pepper
• 1 tsp curry powder
• dash of cayenne pepper
• sea salt to taste

Mix it all together. :)

Fennel Green Beans with Feta

• 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into think slices
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Fill saucepan 1/2 full of water and bring to boil. Add green beans and fennel; cook until crisp-tender (about 4 minutes). Drain in colander and run cold water over it.

return pan to stove and lower heat to medium. Pour in olive oil and let it heat for a minute. Return green beans and fennel to pan. Season with basil, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until coated and warm. Transfer to serving dish and toss with feta cheese.