Meat Loaf & Betsy's Easy Cheesy Sauce

This is Mary Beth’s favorite dinner ~ meat loaf, baked potato and veggies.  Tonight I made my favorite cheese sauce.  I call it Betsy’s Easy Cheesy Sauce.  I’ll include the recipe in today’s post.  It’s fool proof and very good.   I like the consistency and it’s very tasty.  We had it over broccoli and cauliflower tonight.  It is also excellent over corkscrew pasta, stuffed potatoes, and fresh steamed veggies.

Betsy’s Easy Cheesy Sauce

Ingredients

·         1 cup of milk (divided into two half cups)

·         ½ cup of half & half

·         1 Tablespoon and ½ teaspoon of cornstarch

·         1 teaspoon Garlic powder, ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper

·         1 cup and 3 Tablespoons shredded Colby Jack Cheese

1.       In a small bowl combine ½ cup of milk and 1 Tablespoon and ½ teaspoon of cornstarch, mix well and set this aside.

2.       In a sauce pan bring ½ cup of milk, ½ cup of half & half, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper to a boil.

3.       Next whisk in the milk-corn starch slurry.  It will thicken almost immediately.  Let it boil for a minute or so, stirring the whole time, then remove it from the heat and stir in the cheese.

Grilled Shrimp

What could be easier then grilled shrimp? 

We love Kabobs!  A little red onion, yellow and green squach, and mushrooms.....you're done.  I added a side salad with cottage cheese and peaches.  Oh, and some long grain and wild rice and that's it...dinner in less then 20 minutes.  Now I'm wondering what's for dessert!  Chocolate pudding and cool whip, here I come.

Veggie-Spaghetti

Tonight we enjoyed delicious vegetarian spaghetti.  To make the sauce, I sautéed sweet onions and garlic in butter then I added julienned carrots, sliced zucchini and mushrooms and about 6oz of water and steamed to the desired tenderness.  I then added a can of spaghetti sauce (I used garlic and herb).   I let this simmer for an hour and a half, boiled some 50/50 whole wheat and white spaghetti noodles and topped it with grated Parmesan Cheese. 

I served the veggie-spaghetti with a crisp Caesar Salad.  I try to go 100% vegetarian at least one day each week.  Try it, I think you’ll like it!  

New England Clam Chowder Bread Bowl

I love this easy, filling meal.  Tonight we had a guest, so I heated two cans of Campbells Chunky New England Clam Chowder and filled four bread bowls.  Sat back, visited and enjoyed a yummy meal. 

Try it, I think your family will like it.  There is something about the sour dough bread bowl that makes this a special meal.  We had Roasted Red Pepper Hummus to spread on our "extra" bread.....yummy!

Classic Quiche Lorraine

Happy Easter!  Today we opted for two small meals rather then one large formal dinner.  We had oven roasted Turkey Breast sandwiches for lunch and Classic Quiche Lorraine for dinner.  It was perfect.

A BIG garden salad and a chilled glass of Champagne made for a refreshing meal with the rich flavors of the quiche.

Weekly Menu Template

Here is what I shoot for each week.  This template is not in any particular order, in other words Monday isn’t always “sandwich night.”  Each week is different, yet each week I try and shoot for:

·         One  main meal with Meat

·         One meal of leftovers prepared with the main meal Meat

·         One meal with Fish as the main dish

·         One meal with Soup as the main dish

·         One meal with a Sandwich as the main dish

·         One meal that is Vegetarian

·         One meal with Salad as the main dish.

I often use the main meal meat in the sandwich, soup or salad if there is enough.  I did that this week with the pork loin.  Usually the soup, sandwich and salad are very hearty or the sides I prepare along with it are hearty.   I never prepare something different for the kids; we all eat the same meal. 

I know some of you have “meat and potato men.”  Break them into this new way of eating slowly.  Summer is a great time to begin.   Have fun trying new things.  Please share your ideas.

I’m off to a church BBQ ~ the Dinner Queen has the night off! 

Grilled Marinated Salmon

Tonights dinner was very good.  I seasoned with lemon pepper and garlic salt a 1.5lbs piece of salmon then marinated it for two hours in 3Tablespoons (T) soy sauce, 3T brown sugar, 3Twater and 2T vegtable oil.   Sam grilled the fish for about 12 minutes on each side starting with the skin side up.  In the mean time I steamed some rice and roasted asparagus.   

Here is the quick and easy recipe for Roasted Parmesan Asparagus, from Pillsbury.com:

Mix 2T olive oil, 1/2teaspoon (t) seasoned salt, 1/2t garlic pepper, 1/2t dried oregano leaves in a gallon baggie and add the asparagus to coast each spear.  Roast the asparagus (in the oven) set at 420 degrees for 10 minutes uncovered, then sprinkle 2T shredded Parmesan cheese on the asparagus, toss to coat and roast uncovered a few minutes longer.  Served with steamed rice this was a great meal. 

Chocolate Revel Bars

Dinner Queen or Dessert Queen or Dinner Diva (I like the sounds of that one) ~ you might think I can't decide.  Truly my passion is good, healthly, easy and yes cheap dinners, but every now and then a dessert does cross my path that I just have to share.  This is one of them.   

This is Mary Beth's favorite cookie/bar.  It's from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (1979).  Mary Beth and I baked these this morning for her to share at work.....I hope some make it home for me.

As I type this our dinner is marinating ~ stay tuned for salmon.

Pork Marsala

This is our third and final dinner from the Pork Loin.  I began by boiling two large Idaho potatoes.  I sauteed onions in butter and garlic, added mushrooms and the last of the pork, sliced.  I browned the meat on each side then I added the gravy.  While this was simmering I washed and steamed some veggies.  Finally, I mashed the potatoes and there you have it.

This meal took about 30 minutes to prepare and three minutes to eat.   My family loved it!  The pie wasn't too bad either.  Enjoy cooking with pork.  Let me know what your favorite leftover pork loin recipe is.

Pie for Breakfast ~ it's going to be a GREAT day!

Roast Pork Cubano Sandwich

This is our second dinner from yesterday's Pork Loin.  It's a flavorful combination of equal parts thinly sliced ham, thinly sliced leftover pork loin, a thick slice of Swiss cheese and thinly sliced large dill pickles.  I grill it on Sacramento Baking Company sliced sourdough bread.  I like to use 1,000 Island dressing and spicy brown mustard on the inside with butter on the outside.  Tonight I served it along with some homemade coleslaw (don't forget to add dill weed) and a cottage cheese, pear and pineapple salad. 

Don't be fooled, this hearty sandwich is a filling meal.  Some of my friends say their spouses don't like to have a sandwich for dinner.  To that my gentle chiefs I say this sandwich packs a full serving of meat any carnivore would love.  Remind your meat eater you are striving to provide a variety of healthy, economical meals.  I have a hearty sandwich on our menu each week. My husband has said he would like to have this meal twice a month.  Try it ~ after all if it's what's on the plate at dinner time your family has two choices...eat it...or go without!   

Mesquite BBQ Pork Loin

Tonight I'm baking a 1.54 lb. Mesquite BBQ Pork Loin.  It cost $6.13 total ($3.98 per pound).  I go to extreme measures to only spend about $10.00 per week on the meat my family of three eats. 

I'm always telling my friends (and strangers) I got four meals out of a whole chicken!  Heck, I've made four different meals out of a pound and a half of ground beef.  No kidding ~ that's why I'm the self proclaimed, Dinner Queen.  People are always asking me, "How do you do it?"  So today I thought I would share my meal planning ideas, recipes and tips with whom ever out there is interested. 

I love to cook, shop and plan my meals.  I love to try new recipes and get the most from my grocery purchases.  If you want to eat well, spend less on food and take the guess work out of meal planning ~ stay tuned.  And please, share your ideas as well. Less time stressing over dinner means more time for fun!