Doin' Some Cooking... Glazed Meatloaf

Little Man's only request this week for dinner was totally random. Meatloaf. Where the hell did he get this idea from?

"Really, meatloaf?!!" I cringed.

Serious faced and waving his hand at me, "You don't know what meatloaf is? It's just a burger patty with ketchup on it."

I have never made meatloaf and still have a bad taste in my mouth for it since my childhood. Maybe because Grandma overplayed the dried out loaf. Sorry, but the lady could not cook and it showed up on our plates every Sunday when we visited her. Nothing comforting about it.

This is much more sophisticated than what I recall. I pulled out a big girl kitchen appliance to whip this up. Hello food processor! You should have seen my counter top which had ingredients from one end to the other, but don't let the long list of ingredients discourage you from giving this recipe a try.

Seasoned ground beef and pork gets shaped into a log with the help of a small baking dish and gets basted with a slightly spicy ketchup glaze and baked for 40 minutes.

My mind has been forever changed on meatloaf. Might even live life on the edge and try a meatloaf sandwich for the first time tomorrow. Thank you Little Man for the great dinner idea!

Glazed Meatloaf

Adapted From: Eatocracy

Makes 6-8 Servings

Stars of the Show:

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce

For the Meatloaf:

• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 17 saltine crackers
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork
• 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• splash of soy sauce
• splash of lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/3 cup dried parsley
• salt and pepper, to taste

And Action:

To make the glaze, combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan over medium and stir until brown sugar dissolves and sauce thickens. Turn to low until ready to use.

Add all of the meatloaf ingredients in the food processor and pulse until well combined. 

Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray and spread the meatloaf mix into the dish. Broil for 5 minutes. Brush about 2 tbsp of the glaze on top of the meatloaf and broil another 2 minutes.

Turn the oven to 350 degrees, top the meatloaf with the rest of the glaze, and bake until meatloaf registers 160 degrees, about 40-45 minutes. If time permits, transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

Livin' It Up... It's A WonderFall Life

The one room I never decorate for the holidays is the bathroom. I'm not sure why that is? I spend about an hour every morning getting ready so what not bring the cozy feel of the holidays into the bathroom as well?

Bring the aroma of Fall in with a spiced pumpkin candle from Yankee Candle and a spiced cake reed diffuser from Pier 1 Imports. Speaking of aroma, oh em gee! You have to smell the Pumpkin Pecan Waffles hand soap from Bath & Body Works, it is so delicious smelling but not good for the waistline because it makes me crave sweets. I found the perfect soap dispenser for my hand soap from Pier 1 Imports, see below.

For ambiance I filled a lantern filled with mini beaded pumpkins, gold painted acorns, pine cones, and a strand of lights (next time I will use amber lights or something muted, I didn't realize these were LED lights until I got home). It would make for the perfect night light if we actually used night lights. I could see using it for that purpose if I had a guest over.

Also picked up a bouquet from Whole Foods and placed a sugar pumpkin on top of a candle holder that I purchased from Pier 1 Imports.

No more neglecting the bathroom for the holidays.

Doin' Some Cooking... Blueberry & Pomegranate Chia Oats Breakfast Parfait

We've all been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but most days I think sleep trumps that notion. I'm generally rushing through my morning getting lunches packed, putting on my face (hello! foundation and mascara), convincing Little Man that I let him sleep until the last possible minute and that we really only have 5 minutes before we have to leave, and then before we make it out the door realizing that breakfast was an afterthought and I end up at work with a grumbly tummy. Every. Damn. Day.

Worse than skipping breakfast is having something to eat that is just... meh! 

With a little planning you can give your body what it needs to start the day.

These Blueberry & Pomegranate Chia Oats Breakfast Parfaits are made with all natural ingredients, packed full of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, magnesium, manganese, calcium, with lots of protein and prepared in an untraditional way. 

Oats and chia seeds are soaked which means more of the nutritious benefits stick around rather than breaking down when they're cooked on the stovetop. 

Although, with the weather cooling off here in Texas a cold breakfast isn't comforting like a big bowl of piping hot oatmeal. This is definitely a recipe to keep in the arsenal for those Summer mornings. Nonetheless, it's definitely worth a try no matter what the thermometer reads and the soaked oats are just a blank canvas for you to get creative with fruit toppings of your choice. 

Blueberry & Pomegranate Chia Oats Breakfast Parfait

Adapted From: Pure Ella

Makes 2 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1/2 cup steel cut oats
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/4 cup blueberries

And Action:

The night before, in a mason jar or air tight container, mix in oats, chia seeds, and coconut milk. Seal the jar and place in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning layer a container with the oat mix and fresh fruit. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Pomegranate Blueberry Green Tea Smoothie

It seems like everyone around me is sick. I've been taking the necessary precautions to avoid catching whatever is going around, not touching my face, your face, washing my hands, hoping you've washed yours, and popping Vitamin C and garlic supplements.

Call it the "placebo effect" if you will, but I'm a big believer that since we've switched our diets to mostly organic and steering clear of most processed foods (everything in moderation, though) I've noticed we haven't been sick all year. Knock on wood. I chalk it up to Whole Paycheck Foods.

There's something about shopping there that makes me feel healthy. Every weekend we go on Sunday and I try my best to stick to the shopping list, however, I'm a sucker for new items and whenever I see another shopper I can't help but see what they're grabbing. Sometimes I feel like I just have to have what they're having but then I don't know what to do with that item most times.

Case in point, a Whole Foods container labeled "Antioxidant Blend" from the produce aisle with a mix of pomegranate arils and blueberries. As a kid my Aunt Debby would cut open pomegranates for us during the Summer and we'd pick those arils out until our fingers were stained red. I loved them just as they were Now, the texture of those arils is gritty and I don't enjoy popping them like I use to. What was I going to do with this mix?

I don't know about you but I got a guy. His name is Google. He's got the best ideas, gives great advice, knows everything, and is pretty darn reliable.

Came across this recipe for a Pomegranate Blueberry Green Tea Smoothie and knew I had to try this since I had everything on hand. By the way, why do I even have matcha green tea powder?

This smoothie is sweet, tart, and filling, keeping you full until after lunchtime and is packed full of antioxidants, protein, and a natural kick of caffeine to help fight off the flu.

Pomegranate Blueberry Green Tea Smoothie

Adapted From: Tillamook

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 1 (5.3 oz) container Fage 0% Blueberry Acai yogurt
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 tsp matcha green tea powder
• 1/4 cup pomegranate blueberry juice

And Action:

Pulse all ingredients in a blender until desired consistency. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Potato-Crusted Pizza

Tator tots create a fun kid-friendly crust that makes for a light meal and one that's easy enough for the little ones to join you in the kitchen.

Potato-Crusted Pizza

Adapted from: Southern Living Magazine, September 2014

Makes 6 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 (30 oz) package frozen tator tots
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (1 oz) package fresh basil, torn
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

And Action:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil and arrange tator tots in a single layer in pan. Bake 10 minutes. Flatten tator tots with the back of a wooden spoon until rounds touch and cover the entire baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes more or until crisp. Top with remaining ingredients. Bake 5-10 minutes more or until cheese melts.