Stuffed Meatloaf

This stuffed meatloaf is sort of an "inside out" stuffed pepper. It's stuffed with yellow, red and orange peppers, lots of onions and obey gooey cheddar. The smoky flavor from the seasoning packet is the finishing touch for this delicious meal!

• 3 peppers – 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 orange seeded and chopped
• 1 white onion chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 packet of McCormick Slow Cookers Bbq Pulled Pork Seasoning Mix
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup salsa or tomato sauce

Sauté peppers and onions in olive oil until soft and onions are translucent.

Set a side and let cool for 10 minutes.

Add shredded cheddar to pepper and onions until thoroughly mixed.

In a bowl, mix meat, egg, seasoning packet and salt and pepper until well incorporated. Lay down a piece of wax paper in a large cookie sheet and pressed the meat mixture in until you get it perfectly even and flat.

Spread onion/pepper, cheese mixture all of the meat and taking one end of the wax paper, roll up jellyroll style. Remove the wax paper and place in baking pan seam side down. Place two small pieces of foil on each end of the meat roll to prevent filling from oozing out too much.

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, top/spread with salsa (or tomato sauce) and then cook an additional half and hour. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini Bake

This recipe works great with zucchini as well as tomatoes and of course peppers! Try and buy the gray small zucchini because they are short and deep and make great boats. This recipe serves 5-6 people.

• 5 gray zucchini cut in half
• 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup + shredded/grated parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil leaves (2 per zucchini)
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 shallots sliced thin
• Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

Cut each zucchini in half and scoop out the pulp. Discard any pulp with seeds and chop the rest to use in the filling.

Grease up the zucchini "boats" with olive oil and place 2 basil leaves in the bottom of each boat. Place zucchini single layer in a baking pan.

In 2 tablespoons olive oil, saute chopped garlic, diced shallots and zucchini pulp until soft and wilted.

Add chop meat crushing up as it cooks and keep tossing with other ingredients until meat is cooked through and crumbled. Drain excess liquid and then add 1 cup grated cheese, the seasoning and salt and pepper.

Fill each boat with meat filling and top with marinara sauce and then additional grated cheese.

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

Enjoy!

White Northern Bean and Lima Bisque

Who doesn't love soup on  a cold winter day. It was 8 degrees this morning and managed to get to a whopping 18 degrees by lunchtime. No doubt about it, it's a soup night!

This soup is an easy and quick prepare when you are short on time, but does not fall flat on flavor!

• 1 13oz. can of northern white beans in tomato sauce
• 2 cups cooked small lima beans (can prepare the day before or use leftovers)
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 13oz. can chicken broth or more
• 1/4 medium vidalia onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme (leaves only - no stems)
• 8 large fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled

Place first 8 ingredients in a food processor on high. Blend until very smooth. You can add more chicken broth if you like a thinner soup.

Pour into a pot and bring to a slow boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes or until all of the flavors marry. Add butter and stir until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Optional - Top with crumbled bacon and serve!

Happy Holidays to All... Christmas Menu

It’s that time of year again and I am so happy that Food Newsy has entered the homes of so many people! Some of you have been asking what I will serve my guests on Christmas Day. I will share my menu with you along with the recipes... upon request.

We will start off with the best of both worlds - Greece meets Italy...

Fresh sliced Mozzerella with alternate layers of spreads; Sun dried pepper spread for the red, Artichoke spread for the white and Arugula Pesto spread for the green. A Greek Meze platter 
will also be served with Loukinika sausage, grape leaves, hummus, taramasalata, cheeses, gigante beans, tzatziki and pita.

I will then serve a cold shrimp salad with black olives, lemon, garlic, capers, red onion, and celery that my dear friend Maryanne so graciously shared with me.

Onto a refreshing green salad consisting of Arugula with Hazelnuts, Goat Cheese and Fig vinaigerette.

Our dinner course will consist of Fresh Ham - uncured, think Italian, its a very European tradition! I will prepare it with lots of garlic, parsley, rosemary, lemon, oregano and olive oil.

Our side dishes are a mix of wonderful roasted root vegetables with potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, cheddar bacon biscuits (just because we like them!) and spanikopita (spinach pie).

Dessert is a wonderful array of Greek pastries, Venetian rainbow cookies, cakes and pies!

If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with them... the people who give you their food give you their heart. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and a healthy and happy new year!

Thanksgiving Leftovers - Kentucky Hot Brown Pastry Puff

There's a hotel in Louisville called The Brown Hotel. During the 1920's Chef Fred Schmidt created the Hot Brown for the guests that would dance into the wee hours of the morning. This is my version made with puff pastry and a great recipe to make with leftover thanksgiving turkey!

• 2 puff pastry sheets
• 1 lb. leftover turkey breast slices or chopped
• 10 slices cooked bacon crumbled
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
• 3 tomatoes, sliced thin
• 4 eggs, beaten

Place one square in bottom of 8" pan that is greased or lined with parchment paper. Press to fit pan.

Layer with half the turkey, bacon, cheese and tomatoes. Pour half the eggs over the top. Repeat the layers.

Top with remaining pastry square. Pinch edges to seal to bottom pastry. Brush remaining eggs over top.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, covered with foil. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until browned. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Serve with Mornay Sauce if desired:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Melt butter in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

Eggplant Rollatini

Rollatini is an Italian-style dish that is usually made with thin slices of eggplant lightly breaded and covered with ricotta and often other cheeses and seasonings, then rolled up and baked. This recipe is definitely worth the effort and is not all that hard to do! 

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
• 1 eggplant, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 14 ounces of tomato basil sauce ( homemade or jarred)

Mix together ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning, parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Dip the eggplant slices in egg, then coat with bread crumbs. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the eggplant on each side until golden (can be baked in oven using cooking spray for a lighter meal). Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Dollap a generous tablespoon of ricotta cheese mixture onto each slice of eggplant. Roll up tightly, and place seam side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour sauce over the rolls, and top with 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Italian Pizza Chili

This is a really delicious and enjoyable "new" style of chili that serves well as a main meal or great for an appetizer. Make it for your next tailgate party!

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 zucchini peeled and diced
• 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage out of casing
• 1 package (8 ounces) sliced sweet pepperoni, diced
• 1 cup spaghetti sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• 4-ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• cooking spray for baking dish
• Bread for serving

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add the sliced onion, zucchini, red bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and pepperoni cook 3 minutes. Set aside.

Using the same pan, add beef and sausage and season with salt, pepper, oregano and basil; continue to cook until meat is browned and crumbled. Add back the vegetable mixture that you set aside. 

Stir in the cream cheese, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.

Grease a rectangle baking pan. Spread the meat mixture into baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with crusty Italian bread!