Ann Landers' World Famous Meatloaf

I am fairly certain as a child I loathed meatloaf, but for some reason I decided to make it for my family many years ago and now I love it! The hubby and all 3 of my kids love it too.  This is super simple and takes ingredients I usually have readily at hand in my pantry.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp Accent
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 pkg dry Lipton Onion Soup mix (I actually use 2)

Directions

• Mix all together (I just use my hands in a big bowl)
• Cover with 2 strips of bacon and an 8 oz can of tomato sauce (I've never actually done the bacon part)
• Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees

I used to cook this in traditional loaf pans, but tonight I am making it as a big mound in the center of a 9x13 (something I read was a better way to cook it).  I'll report back on my results.

Easy breadsticks

This is my friend Nicole's recipe for breadsticks.  I just tried it for the first time and it was so easy and the kids loved them.

1 1/2 c warm water

1 tbsp dry active yeast
3 1/2 to 4 c flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 c honey (more if you want it sweeter)

Add yeast to water and let sit a few minutes.  Then add flour, salt and honey and mix together until "bread consistency".  May need to add more flour if sticky.

Melt 3/4 cube butter in 9x13 pan.

Take chunks of dough roll into thin ropes, then put in buttered pan. Lay them side by side.  Ropes should all be scrunched in the pan, so that when they rise and cook, they will be like pull-apart bread.

Using some of the melted butter, baste the top of the dough, then sprinkle with garlic salt (or your favorite garlic bread topping).
 
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

(Dough doesn't need to rise, but can. Up to your time frame. I found that I couldn't keep mine from rising, even as I was rolling it out.  It had risen more than I wanted in 20 minutes while it waited its turn in the oven.)

Chicken Enchiladas

This reminds me a bit of Jenny Frederick's old enchilada recipe.  It's super yummy and pretty easy (especially if you use precooked chicken)

4 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1 cup chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. corn tortillas
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups monterey jack cheese
1 onion diced
1 can (4 oz) green chilies
1 can olives sliced

1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. sage (optional)
1/4 tsp. garlic pwd

Soak torillas in warm water for a few minutes to soften (or microwave with a wet paper towel for 10 sec each).

Throw diced onion, olives, green chilies and cheese in to a bowl and mix all together.  On the stove warm up the soup , chicken broth with all of the spices (you may need more broth to thin it out).  Spray 9X 13 pan a bit and then start with tortillas, laying them flat.  May need to cut some in half.  Top with chicken, cheese mixture and then sauce.  Just repeat as many layers as you have ingredients for.  Save some cheese for the top.

Cook 350 for about 35 min.  

Raspberry Bran Muffins

 

2 ½ cups flour

1 ¾ cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

8 cups bran flakes cereal

½ cup raspberry jam

 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups.  Combine first five

ingredients in medium bowl.  Whisk buttermilk, oil and eggs in large bowl to blend. 

Add dry ingredients and cereal and stir until just blended. Spoon ¼ cup batter into each

muffin cup.  Using a small spoon, make a well in the center of each and fill with 1 teaspoon raspberry jam.  Spoon remaining batter over each.

Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.  Turn muffins out onto racks.  Cool slightly.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

This recipe had to be published if only for the fact that your father ate them for breakfast for twenty years.  It is also the one recipe he truly made from scratch during a desperate time.  This is the original wording which was passed around the Red Cross office in the early 1990's.

Maple Butterscotch Brownies

This recipe was given to me by an old friend, Betty Drake.  It gets devoured each time I make it.  In December we (Dad, Little Brother and myself) carried a surprise pork roast dinner to Bip Bip's.  These were the dessert.  After each man ate three to four brownies apiece I witnessed Bip Bip snatch one of the last ones from Dad's hand.  I didn't know he could move that fast!

 

1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

½ cup butter or margarine, melted

1-½ tsp imitation maple flavoring (not an option!)

2 eggs

1-½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped walnuts

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, butter and maple flavoring.  Beat in the eggs one at a time. Combine flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture.  Stir in walnuts.  Pour into greased 9-inch square baking pan.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until brownies test done.  Cool.  Dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired.

Yield:  16 brownies

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

This is a great twist on the family favorite, but it is VERY rich.  I had a second bowl and it was almost too much...  but the flavor is amazing!  Next time I might reduce the half and half and replace with milk or more chicken broth.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Large Cloves Of Garlic Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 cans 10 3/4 Oz Cans Of Condensed Tomato Soup
• ½ cups Sun Dried Tomatoes, Chopped Or Two Tablespoons Of Sun Dried Tomato Paste
• 1-½ cup Milk
• 2 cups Half-and-half
• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 1 whole 9 Oz Package Of Cheese Filled Tortellini
• ½ cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions 

• Saute garlic with the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat until golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too brown or burnt.
• When the garlic is done, add tomato soup, tomatoes, milk, half and half, chicken stock and spices. Bring to a simmer. 
• Once simmering, drop noodles into the soup. Cook according to the package directions. Mine takes about 8 minutes.
• After noodles are cooked, ladle soup into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.