Week of Dec 6th 2015

Meatloaf Dinner

Sun - French Toast and Bacon
Mon - Meatloaf
Tue - White Bean Chili 
Wed - Chicken and Noodle-roni
Thur - Quiche Lorraine
Fri - Beef Bolognese

Meatloaf

2 lb lean ground beef (or ground turkey for low fat)

1 1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp garlic powder
(1 tbsp olive oil, for turkey only)

Topping: 1/2 cup ketchup, 1 tsp BBQ sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar. Mix in a bowl.

Mix ingredients together until incorporated, do not over mix. Place in a loaf pan, best to use a meatloaf pan that has a way to drain fat off bottom. Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until temp reaches 160F in center. Add topping sauce 20 minutes before done, if desired. Allow to stand 5-10 minutes before slicing.

MICROWAVE WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
INGREDIENTS
3 whole heads garlic (about 48 cloves), unpeeled
3/4 tsp salt, divided
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 poblano peppers
1 medium onion
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp Southwestern Seasoning Mix
2 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern beans, drained
1 jar (16 oz) salsa verde

DIRECTIONS
Using (5-in.) Santoku Knife, slice about 1/4 in. off the pointed top of garlic heads to expose cloves. Place garlic cut side up in Classic Batter Bowl. Sprinkle garlic with 1/4 tsp of the salt and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the oil. Cover batter bowl with lid; microwave on HIGH 3 minutes or until garlic is soft. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, finely dice peppers using Santoku Knife. Chop onion using Food Chopper. Combine peppers and onion in Deep Covered Baker. Trim and finely dice chicken using Boning Knife. Add chicken, seasoning mix, remaining 1 tbsp oil and remaining 1/2 tsp salt to baker; mix well usingMaster Scraper. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 4 minutes; stir to separate chicken. Cover; microwave an additional 4-6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Meanwhile, gently squeeze cooled garlic from heads into batter bowl (discard skins); mash usingMix ‘'N Masher. Add beans and salsa to batter bowl. Transfer bean mixture to baker; mix well. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 5-7 minutes or until chili is heated through.

Yield: 8 cups; 8 servings of 1 cup Nutrients per serving: Calories 230, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 70 mg, Carbohydrate 21 g, Protein 21 g, Sodium 750 mg, Fiber 4 g
Cook's Tips: Taco seasoning mix can be substituted for the Southwestern Seasoning Mix, if desired. Omit salt.
Serve this chili with optional toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, diced avocado or chopped cilantro.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be substituted for the chicken thighs, if desired.

QUICHE LORRAINE

Ingredients

6 ounces thick cut bacon, diced

4 large eggs

1 cups half-and-half or cream

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature (or warmed in a bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss (or any other cheese you'd like)

Apple Pie and Quiche

1/2 cup wilted spinach, if desired

Directions

You'll need a 9 in tart pan or 9 in pie pan with pie crust (see below) for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Poke crust with fork ("docking"). Bake until the crust is set, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Discard the fat or reserve for another use.

Arrange the bacon, cheese and spinach evenly over the bottom of the baked crust.

Cream (beat vigorously) cream cheese until soft. Add in the eggs, one at a time into cream cheese until mixed, then whisk in half and half. Pour into the prepared crust. Top with additional cheeese if desired.

Bake until the egg mix is golden, puffed, and set - 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Flaky Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

8 tbsp butter

8 tbsp Crisco shortening

1 tsp white vinegar

2 tbsp - 1/4 cup water

Using a fork or a pastry blender, mix butter, shortening, salt, and flour together until it looks like small beads. Add vinegar and 2 tbsp water and mix until dough forms. If it is too dry to mix add water, a tbsp at a time until it comes together. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 20 minutes (can be refrigerated for up to 3 days). After resting, roll out into 2 circles for your pie.

Beef Bolognese

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced and browned

1 cup chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tsp thyme

3/4 cup broth

1 lb ground beef or pork

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes and their juices (or 3 cups fresh, seeded, diced tomatoes)

3 oz cream cheese

3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound fettuccine or spaghetti pasta

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring, until browned. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, nutmeg and thyme, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the pancetta or bacon, tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium high heat until the sauce is thickened and flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese and parsley, and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to the pot with the sauce, tossing to coat the pasta. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese and toss to blend