Meat Loaf (A. K. A. Killer Loaf)

Meat loaf gets a very bad rap and needlessly so. When made properly with good quality ingredients, it is moist, flavorful and very delicious. Whether you top it with ketchup or bacon (or both), this recipe for meat loaf will bring folks to the table, guaranteed. I've lightened the recipe up a little by substituting supreme lean ground beef for the very fatty ground chuck that originally went in there. However, you need to use ground pork for flavor, so do not substitute it with something else. This recipe makes two big loaves and it freezes well - simply form into a loaf and wrap it up well in plastic wrap, and put into a freezer bag. For sides, the traditional mashed potatoes works well, but baked potatoes are great and if you want another vegetable, kernel corn is very delicious. You'll discover on your own why it's been lovingly dubbed 'Killer Loaf.' ;)

Meat Loaf

1 lb. supreme lean ground beef (93/7)

1 lb. ground pork

2 eggs

1 package Lipton Onion Soup mix

¾ cup plain whole grain bread crumbs (recommendation:  Gia Russa)

½ a chopped onion (or more, to taste)

1 green pepper, finely chopped

6 to 8 stalks celery, finely chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a very large bowl. Use your hands to make sure everything is really well-blended; you can also use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to mix everything up, but be careful not to overbeat the mix since it can make the mixture tough.

Form the mixture into two loaves. If desired, brush ketchup on the top and layer on a few slices of bacon. Place the loaves in small pans and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1½ to 2 hours.

Don't worry about there being a ton of accumulated fat in the pans. By using supreme lean beef, there won't be that much fat that gets cooked out of the meat loaf. By following this recipe, you will still get a delicious, moist end product.

Makes 2 loaves

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

Chinese takeout, while delicious, is usually considered a big no-no in a healthy diet. It has a tendency to be very fatty and salty, which wreaks havoc not only on your stomach, but the rest of your body if consumed too often. This take on the popular lo mein is a bit healthier because you control how much salt goes into it. You can also use other meats or seafood if you do not eat beef. Chicken, pork, and shrimp lo mein are particularly good. This recipe is possible to make gluten-free, but you may have to omit the oyster sauce (unless it's possible to get gluten-free oyster sauce). Serve a light, palate-cleansing dessert such as sorbet or a fruit salad comprised of honeydew melon chunks and green grapes.

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

8 oz. thin spaghetti, broken in half

1 tsp. dark toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp. canola oil

3 cups chopped broccoli florets

1½ cups sliced onion

1 tbsp. minced, peeled fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves, minced

12 oz. sirloin tips, cut crosswise into thin strips

3 tbsp. fat free, reduced sodium beef broth

3 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce (or gluten-free, reduced sodium tamari)

2 tbsp. packed brown sugar

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions. Drain well, then return them to the pot and toss them with the sesame oil.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and onion and cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and continue stirring while the mixture cooks another 30 seconds. Add the sirloin and cook it, stirring often, 5 minutes or until it is no longer pink.

In a small bowl, mix the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar and oyster sauce. Add the soy sauce mixture and the pasta to the skillet and continue cooking, stirring often, 1 to 2 minutes or until everything is heated through. Serve hot.

Serves 4 - 6

Ella's White Sugar Cookies

I'm delving into the recipes of the past with this entry. It is a simple sugar cookie recipe with just a few changes. The origins of this recipe are unclear, but it is an old recipe from my grandmother. These delicious cookies were also one of my dad's favorites. These kind of cookies are rolled out, so they're a bit more labor intensive than regular old drop cookies, but when you taste the end result, it's worth it. Rich with butter, accented with pure almond and vanilla extracts, and frosted with a confectioners sugar icing, these cookies can be made all year long using any kind of cutter you wish. In recognition of Valentine's Day, these were cut out using a standard heart-shaped cutter.

Ella's White Sugar Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 egg

1¼ tsp. pure almond extract

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2½ cups flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

Granulated sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until well-blended. Add the egg and extracts, mixing well. Gradually add the flour and salt; mix just until all the flour disappears.

Divide the dough into quarters. Take each quarter and place it on a sheet of waxed paper. Flatten the dough out a bit and wrap it up. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place the dough packets in the refrigerator to chill. A minimum of 2 - 3 hours is best, but if you can't get to making the cookies right away, you can keep the dough in the fridge overnight.

When ready to make, generously flour a pastry cloth and a rolling pin sock (if you have one). Roll each quarter of dough out to ¼" thickness and cut using desired cutters. Repeat using the remaining dough. You can re-roll all the scraps once you are done making the initial batch. Sprinkle the cookies with a bit of granulated sugar, if desired.

Place the cookies on greased baking sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Keep an eye on them, as they have a tendency to burn. Remove the cookies to cooling racks and let cool completely before frosting.

You can make these cookies festive by using food coloring to dye the icing and you can use colored sugars, as well. If you're good at cookie decorating, go nuts with decorating them. Your imagination is the only thing stopping you!

Makes about 5 dozen, depending on the size of the cutter

Confectioners Sugar Icing

Confectioners sugar icing can be whipped up in just a few minutes and can be used for a variety of applications. It's best used to frost certain types of cookies, but it can be used to drizzle over cookies, cakes, quick breads, etc. You can dye it using food coloring or concentrated food coloring pastes for ultra vibrant color. Use this icing when frosting Ella's White Sugar Cookies and Gingerbread.

Confectioners Sugar Icing

4 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract or pure almond extract

4 tbsp. milk

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, extract and milk. Mix until uniform in consistency; you may have to add a bit extra milk to loosen the consistency. Dye using food coloring, if desired.

Frost your cookies!

Reduced Fat Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Not all of us want to make a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies, but it can be a hassle to halve a recipe. The guesswork is taken out with this recipe, because your yield is going to be 6 huge cookies and just about 300 calories a piece. Yes, they are reduced fat but like pretty much every dessert, they're not low in calories - so munch in moderation, please! You can, of course, make smaller cookies which will in turn lower the number of calories and lower the fat per serving. Just remember to keep an eye on them in the oven as they may require a shorter baking time. These freeze well, too! If you want to reduce the calorie count a bit, you could use Splenda for Baking or stevia in place of the white sugar (at your own risk, however).

Reduced Fat Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 cup + 2 tbsp. flour

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. kosher salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg whites, beating well. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Cover the dough and refrigerate for one hour; this is important, so don't skip this step.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Place the portions about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a rack to finish cooling.

Makes 6

Quick Jell-O Dessert (Low GI Friendly!)

Jell-O is something I've enjoyed since I was a little girl. It's fast, simple to make and can be combined with many other things to form seemingly complex desserts. A lot of people have a weird aversion to Jell-O, and for what reason, I'll never know. This recipe can be switched up a little bit and with a simple change of fruit, creates an entirely different dessert. My recipe is low glycemic index friendly since it makes use of sugar-free Jell-O and a few other low GI suitable foods. If you must make it more decadent, a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip can be added on top...but then it defeats the purpose of a healthier dessert, ;)!

Quick Jell-O Dessert

1 package sugar free orange Jell-O

1 can mandarin oranges, packed in water, drained

Chopped walnuts (amount will vary based on your preferences)

Prepare the Jell-O according to the package directions. Let the Jell-O chill in the refrigerator until it has partially gelled. 

Add the mandarin oranges and walnuts and stir gently to combine all the ingredients. Return the bowl to the refrigerator and chill until the mixture has completely gelled.

Spoon the dessert into small bowls and serve as-is, or top with a bit of whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Servings will vary

NOTE:  The orange Jell-O is great for a year round dessert, but if you want a perfect autumnal dessert, switch out the orange for the cranberry flavored Jell-O (not sure if this comes in sugar free, however). Swap out the mandarin oranges for small chunks of apple and keep the walnuts. It graces a Thanksgiving table wonderfully!

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Grits

One type of cuisine I really like to prepare is anything Cajun-related. Savory and often spicy, Cajun cuisine is endemic to Louisiana, a state unlike any other. Although shrimp and grits is not uniquely a "Louisiana" dish, it is enjoyed throughout the Gulf states and is also known as "Low Country" food. This simple dish cooks up quickly thanks to the use of instant grits and since shrimp cook up naturally fast, this can be on the table in no time. You can choose to leave the tails on your shrimp or you can take them off for easier eating. Feel free to add as much cayenne pepper as you desire. For tamer crowds, use the bare minimum. This is a pretty solid standalone dish, so you probably won't need to serve any sides with it, but if you must, serve crusty bread as another starch. A cold beer is the most perfect beverage accompaniment.

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Grits

¾ cup instant grits

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (can sub with 3 tbsp. unsalted butter)

1¼ lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh parsley

Juice of ½ a lemon, plus wedges for serving

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, covered. Uncover and slowly whisk in the grits, 1 tsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan and 1 tbsp. olive oil (or butter). Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil (or melt 2 tbsp. butter) in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic and cayenne, if using, and cook, tossing, until the shrimp are pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tbsp. water, the lemon juice and parsley; stir to coat the shrimp with the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the grits among shallow, warmed bowls and top with the shrimp and sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 4

Gluten Free Brownies

I almost hesitate to list what the secret ingredient is in these brownies. From outward appearance, they look like a regular pan of delicious brownies. However, within hides a very surprising fact - there's no flour in these. None at all! The secret is (shhh, don't tell your kids!) a can of puréed black beans. Not only are they ridiculously healthy for you, but when all the other ingredients are added, you don't taste the beans whatsoever. You can prepare the brownie mix in either a food processor or a blender, but I recommend using a food processor, since it's easiest to scrape out the batter. These brownies are a great way to get nutrition into the kids under the guise of being an unhealthy treat. Feel free to add chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the batter, if you'd like.

Gluten Free Black Bean Brownies

1 (15 oz.) can reduced sodium or no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed

3 eggs

3 tbsp. canola oil

½ cup cocoa powder

1½ tsp. baking soda (optional)

1½ tsp. baking powder (optional)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

¾ cup sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, combine the black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, salt and sugar until the mixture is uniform and smooth. If using chocolate chips or nuts, stir them into the batter. If you like dense, fudge-like brownies, omit the baking soda and powder (or used reduced amounts of either). I like my brownies a bit more cake-like, hence my addition of the soda and powder.

Lightly grease an 8 x 8" pan.

Bake until the top is dry and the sides begin to pull away from the pan, which could be anywhere from as little as 20 minutes all the way up to a full 30 minutes. I used convection to bake mine and they were a little cracked on the top and tested clean with a cake tester at 20 minutes.

Remove the pan to a cooling rack and let the brownies cool thoroughly. Cut into squares and serve.

Makes 8 (2" square) brownies