November 9, 2008

The Best Meatloaf He’s Ever Had

I don’t know what’s come over me.  I’ve been obsessed with cooking lately. I know you’re laughing at me.  I would be laughing, too, if I didn’t find it so strange.

You see, I’ve been very spoiled for many years.  My husband does 98% of the cooking in our family.  When we were dating, he loved to impress me with his cooking.  I mean, he had the experience.  He was a line chef many, many years ago (think senior year of high school).  He worked at the old Hot Fish Shoppe restaurant in downtown Stevens Point, and learned to make some pretty delish dishes.

When we got married, I began cooking.  What can I say, I wanted to impress my husband with my domestic skills.  I would slave in the kitchen for what felt like hours, and every meal I made resulted in the same response.

“It was good…but we could really doctor it up and add this….or that….and it’d be better.”

After hearing that for so long I relinquished my apron and told him to mark a spot in front of the stove because that’s where he’d be for the next fifty years — or until I killed him.

So, Doug has been the primary cook for the last five years.  And I’m fine with this, except when it comes to eating healthy, because the man doesn’t have the slightest idea what low-fat cooking is.  He makes things so rich and flavorful without making the effort to lighten them up.

I know I shouldn’t complain, because really, I haven’t had a bad meal yet (haha Doug, your words are coming back to haunt you!); it’s just that with my new conscious effort to slim down, be healthy and get pregnant, I have to eat better.

Which is why I’ve been digging through my “low-fat” and “healthy” cookbooks, searching for delicious dinners without an oven load of calories and fat.

Friday night I decided to try a low-fat meat loaf recipe:

Mom’s Meat Loaf

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red and/or yellow bell pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
• 2 slightly beaten egg whites
• 1/2 cup finely crushed saltine crackers (about 14 crackers)
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or oregano, crushed (or finely chopped)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound extra-lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• Fresh herb sprigs (optional)

1.  Coat an unheated small skillet with nonstick cooking spray.  Preheat over medium heat.  Add the green onions, sweet pepper, and carrot.  Cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat; cool slightly.

2.  In a large bowl stir together the egg whites, crushed crackers, milk, 2 tablespoons of the chili sauce, the basil or oregano, and black pepper.  Add the cooked vegetables and the ground beef; mix well.

3.  Firmly pat the meet mixture into a greased 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 2-inch loaf pan.  Invert pan with meat mixture into a shallow baking pan; remove loaf pan.  Bake the meat loaf in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

4.  Meanwhile in a small bowl combine remaining chili sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar; spoon over meat loaf.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees F on and instant-read thermometer.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Transfer meat loaf to a platter.  To serve cut into slices.  If desired garnish with herb sprigs.

(189 calories, 8g total fat (3g sat. fat), 48 mg chol., 319mg sodium, 12g carbs, 1g fiber, 16g protein.  Exchages: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 starch, 2 meat)

I served this meatloaf with cheddar mashed potatoes and sauteed (in olive oil) green beans with bacon bits and onions (and a minced garlic clove).  It was delicious.  In fact, Doug loved it so much he told me it was the best meatloaf he’s ever had.  Pressing my luck, I asked, “Is it better than your mom’s recipe?”  To which he replied, “Yes.  I’m going to give her this one, it’s that good.  So flavorful.”

Wow.  He didn’t even try to doctor it up!  Impressive!

November 6, 2008

Today Sucked. Here’s a Recipe.

It’s been a crappy day.  I have this terrible cold that won’t seem to go away.  Yes, another one.  Every time Dawson brings home his preschool germs, no matter how diligent I am about handwashing and disinfecting and staying away from the little guy, I always get whatever germ he passes to me.  I’m sick of this.  Literally.

I went to the doctor and he gave me the typical “I’m smarter than you are” advice.  It’s viral.  He can’t prescribe anything.  I need to take better care of myself.  Get more rest.  Drink lots of fluids.  Blah, blah, blah.

I asked him if he thought it was unusual that I’ve caught six colds in less than four months and he said I need to take steps to strenghten my immune system.  I nearly gouged his eyes out because I’ve been taking Vitamin C, eating oranges, leafy greens, drinking tons of water, exercising, losing weight, sleeping soundly and doing all the other things a healthy person would do.

Why do I seem to be susceptible to these illnesses more than other people?

I suppose I’m crabby because I haven’t been to the gym in a week.  I miss it.  I was in my groove.  I miss the elliptical machine desperately.  Being sick, though, I haven’t had the energy to do anything but lay on the couch and sulk.  I know you don’t want to hear it so I’m going to change the subject.

Today, I ventured out of the house.  I went to K-Mart to pick up toilet paper, Kleenex and Lawry’s seasoning salt (my husband is making homemade tortilla chips, yum!).  Also, I wanted to put Dawson’s Christmas present on layaway.

We’re getting him only one gift this year and it’s a pretty big thing.  Don’t tell him, but we’re buying the Lightning McQueen Power Wheels car.  I may have mentioned this before, but the neighbor boy down the street has one and Dawson has been talking about that thing for two years.  It’s no secret that my son is obsessed with all things CARS and I decided to splurge this year.  I can’t wait to see the look on his face.  It’ll suck after he opens it and realizes he won’t be able to drive it until the snow melts, but I think he’ll be very excited and surprised.

When I got to the store I discovered there weren’t any of these cars in stock so I went to the Service Desk to get a rain check. It was busy so I took my place in line.  As I’m standing there, this woman came over from the cosmetics department and cut in front of me to ask the clerk a question about pricing.  She dressed like she thought she was very important and every one around her should take notice.  I was furious.  I know it really isn’t a big deal, but after waiting in line for ten minutes, I didn’t have the patience for this lady.

I’m positive I had a scowl on my face, because she turned around and said, “Oh…I’m sorry.  I just barged ahead of you.  Do you mind?”

The hell?  Do I mind?  Of course I mind, you nut job.  So, I said, “Actually, I’ve been standing in this line for awhile and I have a sick child at home, but I’m sure you’re way busier than I am, so go ahead.”

I think I rendered her speechless because she paid for her cosmetics quickly and left the store.  I know I should have been polite and just ignored this, but this isn’t the first time this has happened to me.  I obviously look like a pushover. Anyway, it felt great to be assertive for a change.

Now I’m back home waiting for tonight’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy.  I’m also perusing my cookbooks looking for healthy, immune-boosting recipes to make for dinner this next week.  I found an old favorite, Roasted Fall Vegetables.  Here’s the recipe:

Roasted Fall Vegetables

• 2 cups 1-inch bias-sliced carrots (4 medium)
• 2 cups 1-inch bias-sliced parsnips
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons snipped fresh marjoram, thyme, or rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, thyme, or rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups 1 1/2-inch pieces peeled, seeded winter squash (about 1 1/4 pounds before trimming)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

1.  In a large saucepan cook carrots and parsnips in a small amount of water, covered, for 3 minutes.  Drain.

2.  Transfer the partially cooked carrots and parsnips to a 13×9x2-inch baking pan.  Sprinkle with parsley, desired her, and salt.  Drizzle with oil.  Toss gently to coat vegetables.  Cover the pan with foil.

3.  Bake in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring vegetables once.  Stir in squash pieces.  Cover and bake about 20 minutes more or just until vegetables are barely done.  Remove vegetables from oven.

4.  Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.  Stir the brown sugar into vegetables until thoroughly combined.  Return vegetables to oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes more or until vegetables are tender and glazed.  Transfer to a serving dish.  If desired, garnish with fresh thyme.

(90 calories, 2g total fat, 0g sat. fat, 0mg chol., 91mg sodium, 18g carbs, 3g fiber, 1g protein. 1 DV starch)

Sounds delish, yes?  How was your day?

August 12, 2006

We Are Addicted

Something crazy has happened in our household. We’ve become addicted to the Food Network. Sometimes, we watch it all day and all night on the weekends. And after work, we make dinner while watching the various evening shows like 30-Minute Meals with Rachel Ray, Paula’s Home Cooking, Everyday Italian and Emeril Live. Emeril is my favorite. What can I say? I adore a man who can cook who’s handsome and has a sexy “Loo-see-anna” meets “New Yauka” accent. Doug is always enthralled by Good Eats and Unwrapped. We’ve probably watched every single episode and sometimes we sit through the repeats. It’s a crazy thing. Even little Dawson is addicted. He won’t move from the couch when Alton Brown comes on. Doug is ecstatic that his son will receive “a cooking education, mixed with science, that his Momma didn’t get”. Yes, I threw my shoe at his funny ass.

I also love Rachel Ray. She’s kind of silly-dorky-quirky. Uh huh. Just like yours truly. I can’t help it. I was born “dork-a-licious”, you know? I’ve been learning a lot of new recipes. And I’ve found millions of different ways to dress up the cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers in my garden so the Food Network rocks. Don’t get me started on how many times of day I’m on the website looking for recipes I missed!

Because of my obsession, my Aunt Kathy gave me a Rachel Ray: 365 No Repeats cookbook for my birthday. She knew I was obsessed before I did. I finally realized our family has a substance abuse problem when we were demanding to know if Alton’s Feasting on Asphalt was going to be on last night.

“Doug, is Alton’s new show on tonight?” I asked.

“It better be!” he said.

“What if it’s not? What if we have the wrong day?”

“Then I’m blaming YOU for now looking in the TV Guide.”

Another funny thing happened when we were making dinner last night. I had Emeril Live on the TV and Dawson was wandering around the living room with a plastic spork. He looked at the television and then yelled, “Em-a-ell! Bam! Bam! Bam!” as he pointed his spork at my favorite (handsome) chef. I wish I would have remembered to take a picture!

I’ve never laughed so hard in my life. My child wants to be a chef so he can kick things up a notch. Maybe he’ll go to French Culinary School and create his own Essence! Can you imagine! Perhaps I should start teaching him to cook now, at 2 years old, and I’ll never have to cook again!

On second thought, this may be a terrible idea. Toddlers using stoves and ovens is sure to get the Child Protective Services on my ass, don’t you think?

Alright, I must be going now because The Barefoot Contessa will be on soon.

Happy Cooking Everyone!