Not Your Mama's Meatloaf
Recipe Serves 8
Ingredients:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup finely crushed, un-salted saltine cracker crumbs
Cooking Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan.
2. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.
Shrimp or Chicken Scampi
Recipe Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 16 to 24)
1/3 cup unsalted butter
4 tablespoons minced garlic
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions:
1.Rinse shrimp and set aside.
2. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned.
3. Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook.
4. Add chopped parsley and pepper before serving.
5. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired.
Vegetarian Risotto
Recipe Serves 4
Ingredients:
6 cups vegetable stock
4 teaspoons olive oil
2/3 cup diced onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 small zucchini, cut into 1/2" disks
Cooking Instructions:
1. Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep hot over low heat.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a separate medium-sized pot. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until it becomes golden brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the rice to the onion mixture, stir and turn the heat to low. Add about 2 cups of the hot stock to the rice mixture, and stir slowly until the stock is absorbed.
4. Continue to add the stock 1-cup at a time, stirring slowly, letting the rice absorb the stock before adding more.
5. The risotto is cooked when it is creamy on the outside and slightly firm (al dente) in the center, about 20 to 25 minutes in all. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese. Season with pepper to taste. If the risotto is too thick, add a little more stock until it becomes creamy.
6. Divide the risotto into serving dishes and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.