Cheeseburger Meatloaf with Easy Cheese Sauce

My husband always jumps at the chance to have "the guys" over to play video games on a Friday night. All that button pushing can work up quite an appetite, so I have often used the gang as a test group for new recipes. This tasty number was one of those "tester recipes." To my delight, it was devoured quickly and completely.

Growing up, I never really liked meatloaf. I'm not sure why (I also hated apple juice and ranch dressing, but loved vegetables and V8), but this recipe made me a meatloaf believer. With a yummy cheese sauce, this is sure to please kids and adults alike! Oh, and thanks for being my (sometimes unknowing) test subjects, guys!

Note: This recipe calls for 2 slices of bread. These are to line the loaf pan and soak up any grease and are meant to be thrown away after cooking. You do not want to eat these bread slices! Yuck!

Note: After a couple of experiments since I originally posted this, I would strongly recommend using a lean beef for this recipe (preferably around 7% fat). If you use a beef with too much fat, it really falls apart and you lose the texture of the meatloaf... also, it can become a greasy mess. Not appetizing!

Meatloaf

• 1 lbs ground beef
• Dash of salt
  
• Dash of pepper
  
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
  
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
• 2 slices of bread

Sauce

• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 1/2- 1 3/4 cups grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In large bowl, season ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and seasoned salt.

3. Add onion, 1 cup cheese, Worcestershire sauce, sour cream, and crushed crackers. Gently mix to combine.

4. Place the bread slices on the bottom of a 1/2 quart loaf pan. Shape meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of bread slices.

5. Bake meatloaf for 45-50 minutes.

6. When meatloaf has about 10 of cook time left, start the cheese sauce.

7. In a medium sauce pan, heat condensed soup and milk over medium heat.

8. Add cheese and stir until cheese melts and is combined throughout the sauce.

6. Once meatloaf is done, discard bread slices. Sauce can be drizzled over meatloaf or portioned out on each serving.

Chunky Chili

We are notorious for not eating leftovers at our house, but this is one recipe guaranteed to be eaten! This is a very mild and chunky chili that kids and adults alike enjoy. Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you, this recipe is super easy! If you like your chili to have more of a soup-like consistency, leave out one can of beans.

You can also make this a vegetarian dish by omitting the meat or substituting "fake" meat for the ground beef (I use Morningstar Crumbles fro the freezer section of the supermarket). If using "faux" meat, just add it when you add the beans to the tomato base, no need to brown it at the beginning of the recipe. Also, if not using beef, you will want to saute the onions and garlic in a tablespoon or two of regular canola or vegetable oil until garlic is fragrant and onion is clear.

• 1 lbs lean ground beef (you can also use "fake" meat - I use Morningstar Crumbles from the frozen food section)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic (or garlic powder equivalent)
• 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 cans petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed and drained
• 2 - 3 Tbsp chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 black pepper
• A tiny sprinkle of Cayenne pepper (optional - use only if you want some spice in your chili)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• Chopped white or green onion (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)
• Crushed tortilla chips (optional)

1. In a large pot, brown meat with onions and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is clear.

2. Add tomato sauce, petite diced tomatoes, beans, corn, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and Cayenne pepper (if desired). If making vegetarian chili with "fake" meat, you would also add those at this time.

3. Bring to boiling and then reduce heat. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Serve warm. If desired, top with cheese, onion, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Corn bread or a green salad are great side dishes for this recipe!

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast and Veggies

I remember on Sundays coming home from church to a house filled with the smells of my mother's pot roast cooking in the crock pot. It makes my mouth water just to think of it! I am not sure what her sumptuous recipe was, but this one is almost as tasty! The meat in this will melt in your mouth and the veggies make a nice compliment and side dish. Again, slow-cookers are a great companion on a busy day. Just prep it and walk away! So simple! So delicious!

• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces (optional)
  
• 4-6 potatoes, cubed (I leave the skin on; I feel it serves as a nice "anchor" and adds some texture)
• 2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• 1 1/4 cups water
• Approx. 4- 5 pounds pot roast (I have used this with a roast as small as 3 pounds and it turned out just fine)
  

1. In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.

2. Cook on low for 3 hours, then add vegetables. Cover veggies with liquid (as much as possible). Replace lid and cook for another 5-6 hours on low or until the meat is done and the veggies are tender.

Note: You can cook this on high, just add meat and veggies all at once and cook for 4-5 hours or until the meat is done and the veggies are tender.