Mouth Watering Meat Loaf with Dill Red Potatoes

Monday while I was at work, I thought to myself, "Wouldn't it be nice if your husband came home to a meal?" So, after work I went to the store, used his card, and picked up food for dinner. Now, we both DO NOT LIKE MEAT LOAF! Now it could have been how it was cooked or what was used, whatever it was does not matter anymore because we absolutely love this recipe! If you never liked meat loaf YOU GOT TO TRY THIS! My husband, who is extremely picky about food said he would be willing to eat this three days in a row!

Meat Loaf
2 pounds of 93/7 ground beef
2 eggs
3/4 c. crushed crackers
3/4 c. ketchup
1/3 c. water
1 packet Lipton Secrets Onion
2 cloves of garlic (minced)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together well in a bowl. Put the mixture into a meatloaf pan 13x9 preferably and cook for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. You can drain the excess grease into the garbage or a safe container, but not down the sink.

Dill Red Potatoes
7 Medium Red Potatoes
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
3 tsp hymilain salt
3 tsp black pepper
3 tsp butter
1/2 c. cream cheese
1/4 c. dried dill

Clean the potatoes and cut out the eyes, cut the potatoes in quarters and boil for 30 minutes or until you can easily put a fork in the potatoes. Remove the potatoes from the pot with a slated spoon into a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients along with a 1/4 c. of water the potatoes were boiled in and mash until all ingredients are mixed well.

Enjoy!!!!

I don't have any pictures because we ate this meal!

Stuffed Zucchini & Squash

Today I wanted to do something with these two gourds that had for a week and I figured it was time to cook them. Also, I wanted something "Indian" like. I have a jar of spiced curry in my cabinet, but since I have been getting healthier and showing others how to do the same, I wanted to use what is in my kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 c. Long Grain Rice
1 c. Water
1 TBSP butter
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Round Zucchini
1 Round Squash
Salt
Pepper
Parsley Flakes
Curry
Turmeric
Almond/Coconut Milk
Onion
Mushrooms
Garlic

Directions:

The Rice I have requires to add 1 cup of rice and 1 cup of water. When the water comes to a boil, turn heat down to simmer and fluff simmer for 50 minutes. While the rice is simmering at minute 30, begin cutting the mushrooms, onion and garlic (If you haven't already done so), then cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. At 20 minutes left on the rice, add oil, onions, garlic, mushrooms, curry, turmeric, parsley flakes, almond/coconut milk, salt, and pepper into the skillet and put the squash and zucchini in the oven at 375 degrees. Stir the ingredients in the skillet until the ingredients in the pan are yellowish. When the rice is done cooking and sat for 10 minutes, add to the skillet and mix well, then add to the squash in the oven and cook for 10 more minutes. After 10 minutes pull out of the oven and allow to cool, then serve.

Italy Meets India!

So I have food left over from last weekend when I went to the farmers market and I decided to do something about it!




Ingredients for Sauce: 
2 lbs of tomatoes
1 lg banana pepper
7 garlic cloves
1 bunch of green onions
1 inch of ginger
2 stalks of thyme

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a food processor.
Ingredients for Dish:
1 green zucchini
1 yellow zucchini
1 Japanese Eggplant
3 shallots
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tsp basil flakes 1 tsp parsley flakes 1 tsp pink salt 1 tsp black pepper







Directions:
Cut the vegetables. Add the oil to the pan and turn on the heat to medium. Add the cut up vegetables and cook until tender. Add the seasonings and continue to cook down the vegetables and stir. Finally, after the vegetables are soft add the sauce and turn to simmer for 10 minutes. Serve & Enjoy!

Delectable Mashed Potatoes & Almond Green Beans

I made a dish today with 4 white potatoes. I washed and slit the potatoes long way at an angle three times and then sideways 3 times. Then put them in a pot of water and boil until soft. Drain potatoes.  Add 1/8 c green onions, 4 garlic cloves (minced), lavender, thyme, salt, pepper, 2 tsp of butter, dried seasoned tomatoes and dill. Mix well.

Then cut off any ends of the beans and wash them well. Add them to a pot of water and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Sprinkle sliced almonds.

This was dinner tonight, delicious!

Farmers Market Day 2 6.22.2014

Today is Sunday 6.22.2014 and I just HAD to get to the Farmers Market that some people made a fuss about yesterday. Well, I went and have to be honest it wasn't as huge as the one I went to yesterday, but that isn't what matters. What matters is there is healthy food and YOU CAN eat healthy and NOT spend a lot of money!!!! 

 The first Farmers Market (Cameron Station, Alexandria, VA) I went to today (I went to two of them) does not have organic produce, this didn't make me thrilled as I am trying to show you that it is possible to eat healthy - organic and not spend your life savings. However, I did learn what they do is spray the pesticide and let it wash away in the rain and don't reapply it to the buds. Well, I guess that is better than giving us wax fruit we find from the supper market (GROSS)!

How can you tell the difference between organic and non organic? Well, the organic produce look strange and funny, they do not have a perfect shape. Just like a real pearl, a real pearl is not perfectly round when it is found instead it is very ugly and funny looking. What retailers are doing is they are making the food appear to us by how "great" it looks and unfortunately, many of us are falling for it.

 There were peoples crafts from painted drinking glasses to jewelry, baby clothes, baby booties and so much more!

 Anyhow, I did have fun and I got some Amish cookies, a loaf of gluten free bread, berries and veggies.

The second Farmers Market (Tysons Corner, - 8400 West Park Drive in MacLean, VA) was interesting. There was a food truck that served crepes with nutella and savory crepes.
Coco Loco with bananas, nutella, and coconut

Crepe Love Truck

 

There was another person I spoke with and they said they are not organically certified, however their produce is grown indoors (hummmm) and they don't use pesticides (I like this already). Then I went to another tent and they said they use a minimal amount of sprays. I asked, minimal? He then told me they only use the sprays when they need to and since the produce is locally grown and does not have to be shipped for 3 days to reach it's destination they don't need to add any sprays due to transport, which I thought...minimal is better than an overhaul of sprays. Here I purchased peaches & golden apples (suckers are huge) with raspberries, cherries and strawberries ($30)!!! 

Tyson Farms WV

Gypsy Hill Tea & Spices

Della J's Delectables

 Gina's Pacific Jam and Jellies

Arno's Pastry

Sweet Nuna

Hidden Creek Farm

Valley View Bakery

Over all this weekend I did spend a pretty penny on food at the farmers market, but that was my fault. I should have stopped when I ran out of cash, instead I pulled out the plastic. I had more than I needed, but I just couldn't pass up the other goodies. Well, next time I won't be getting as much.

It is better to get what you need instead of over extending yourself and getting more than you need.

Squashed Eggplant

I don't know about you, but for the longest time I was no fan of eggplant. Yesterday at the farmers market I purchased two Japanese eggplants. The funny thing is, I didn't know what type of eggplant the were because I had only been accustomed to one type before. So while I was searching for recipes to cook this bad boy, I came across the following article and learned there are several types of eggplants and different ways to cook each of them, Cooking Eggplant.

So today, I decided to cook the eggplant with onion, garlic, white bell pepper, banana pepper, zucchini, a yellow squash of some sort (it looks like a mini ufo - lol), pink salt, pepper, thyme, and lavender.

Saute the garlic and onions in a pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Then add the eggplant, just before the flesh turns brown, add the zucchini & squash. When the eggplant is brown and the zucchini & squash have been cooked down add the pink salt, pepper, thyme and lavender. Mix the mixture for a few minutes to get the aroma, then add the white bell pepper and broccoli. Cook this down for about 5 minutes and serve.

I have an eggplant left to cook, if you have any eggplant recipes that you enjoy, I'd love to hear from you!