Meatloaf

One of my family's favorite meal is meatloaf. Yes, meatloaf. It is not a pretty dish. It is actually scary looking. Yes, it is the perfect recipe to post for October. This is the meatloaf recipe my Mom made us as a kid. It is simple. It is fast and my husband makes it often for us. My Mom told me that she had found the recipe in a woman's magazine when we were little. The recipe was for the microwave and it was not shaped as a loaf but as a ring. I still make it in a ring since I actually think it cooks better that way. We always eat it with ketchup, mashed potatoes, and carrots. We normally have this meal at least twice a month. Simple is sometimes better.

Meatloaf aka bones and flesh
1 lb. hamburger
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 slices of bread, torn
1 large egg
2 Tbsp Poultry seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the hamburger, onion, bread, egg, and poultry seasoning. 
3. Mix just until incorporated.
4. Place in a baking dish and form a ring. 
5. Cover and bake the meatloaf for 1 hour or until thoroughly cooked through.
6. Serve warm. 

Recipe provided by Jen's Mom.

Two years ago...........................I made Two Tone Halloween Cookies.
Three years ago.........................I made Chocolate Cookies.
Four years ago...........................I made Sloppy Joes.

Did you already know...........................
-Since 5th century A.D., the Romans have made meat with fillers.
-During the Depression, meatloaf was a popular way to stretch a meal containing meat.
-Meatloaf is versatile recipe which ingredients vary by region and diners.

Buttermilk Waffles

Do you prefer waffles over pancakes? My daughter does. I prefer pancakes. When we are at a hotel, my daughter normally will make some waffles. My son just wants to use the waffle maker but he prefers eggs. Well, I surprised the kids by making some waffles. This recipe I created about twenty years ago. I didn't use the internet to look up recipes. I would use the cookbooks I had. Well, I wanted to make some buttermilk waffles but there were none listed in the cookbooks I had. So, I created this one. I served the waffles with whip cream, raspberries, and maple syrup. To serve waffles for breakfast is the best way to make my daughter a happy girl. My daughter even helped to cook some. She told me her Mickey waffles looked a little scary. I thought her Mickey waffles looked like they had been in a fight. I called her Mickey waffles: scrappy.

Buttermilk Waffles aka Bodiless Mickey
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus to coat waffle iron
2 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Heat the waffle iron. 
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy.
3. Add the flour, oil, buttermilk, brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
4. Mix just until smooth. 
5. Carefully brush the waffle iron lightly with some vegetable oil. 
6. Carefully, add some batter to the waffle iron. 
7. Bake until golden brown or waffle iron signals done. 
8. Carefully, remove and serve hot.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

Two years ago.................................I made Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup.
Three years ago...............................I made Roasted Vegetable Panini.
Four years ago................................I made Black Forest Cherry Torte.

Did you already know....................
-On November 18, 1928, Mickey Mouse made his first official film debut in "Steamboat Willie". 
-Mickey Mouse was created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks.
-Until 1947, Mickey Mouse was first voiced by Walt Disney.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

     When we were in Maine, my son took school a little serious. He has always found school easy. Why? It is because he is very competitive. If his sister could do it, then he was going to make sure he could do it. He would try to help her with her homework in which she would get really angry about. She didn't need his help because he is two grades lower than her. Is he any smarter than her? No but boy he really likes to win. In school, he was fortunate to have teachers who would push him. If he found a subject easy, they seemed to make his learning a little more challenging. When we moved to North Carolina, he did slack. Before, he had never even missed a spelling word. Now, he was missing a lot of words. Did he still make honors? Of course but the effort was not there. I've told my kids that what is important is there effort and not the grades. They really need to work as hard as they can. I really feel that is what makes someone go far in life. Well, my son is taking his school a little more serious again. Maybe it is because his sister really does? Whatever the reason, I am glad.
     Now to these cupcakes-my daughter loved them. I think she ate the majority of them. My two guys liked them too. It could have been the peanut butter frosting I used. I did try placing a mini peanut butter cup in a few of the cupcakes. Don't do it. The peanut butter cup sank to the bottom and burned. The guys didn't care since they just peeled the peanut butter cup away and ate the rest. Good thing I only had done it to a couple.These are some dark cupcakes. They are as dark as an October night!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes aka Dark, very dark Cupcakes
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
8 oz. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside. 
3. Heat the milk for 1 minute until warm. 
4. Mix the milk with the dark cocoa powder. Set aside. 
5. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. 
6. Add the vanilla and the eggs to the butter mixture. 
7. Stir in the dark cocoa powder mixture.
8. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until incorporated. 
9. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
10. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

Two years ago...................................I made Apple Crisp.
Three years ago.................................I made Mace Crumb Muffins.
Four years ago...................................I made Cheesy Basil Stuffed Chicken.

Did you already know........................
-The darkest time of the night is half way between dusk to dawn. 
-In October, the constellations Aquarius and Pegasus are easy to view.
-Before dawn tomorrow, Jupiter and Venus can be viewed above the moon.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada

Do you ever watch scary movies? How about old scary movies? The old movies tend to be pretty funny. I grew up watching scary movies with my Dad so they tend not to scare me. I know what to expect especially when the scary movie starts or it is unusually quiet. I have a knack for predicting who will make it till the end. My husband does not watch scary movies with me. My husband is a big tough man and I love to scare him during the movie. He doesn't find this to be funny even if I do. One time, my paternal family members were visiting and they attempted to scare him. I guess it must be a paternal trait.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada aka creepy creature
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bit size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped fine
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
2 cups Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick baking spray. 
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat.
4. Add the chicken and onion. Cook until the chicken is browned.
5. Divide the cooked chicken evenly between the tortillas.
6. Sprinkle a little cheese over the cooked chicken.
7. Roll the enchiladas with the sides tucked into and tortilla.
8. Place the enchiladas into the baking dish with the seam side down.
9. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
10. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for a minute. 
11. Whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. 
12. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. 
13. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas. 
14. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
15. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. 

Recipe adapted from Food.com.

One year ago.......................................I made Homemade Croutons.
Two years ago.....................................I made Brown Butter Funfetti Cookies.
Three years ago..................................I made Stromboli.

Did you already know..................
-In 1954, the movie The Creature of the Black Lagoon was released.
-The creature in the water was played by professional diver Ricou Browning. 
-Ricou Browning had to hold his breath under water since the costume did not have a air tank.

Black Rice

Have you ever heard of black rice? We ate at a friend's place and they made this dish. I kept wanting to remake it but black rice isn't the easiest thing to find. I did find it at Whole Foods. I think black rice tends to be more chewier and nuttier than white rice. This recipe is served as a dessert. It is sweet with a coconut flavor. I really think it is a perfect dish to serve at Halloween since it is so different.

Black Rice aka Emperor's Rice
2 cups black rice
1 (14 oz.) can of coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Directions:

1. Rinse the rice to clean.
2. In a medium bowl, soak the rice in water overnight.
3. Drain the rice and cook according to the package.
4. In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut milk, sugar, and salt over medium heat.
5. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Allow the coconut mixture simmer. 
6. When the rice is ready, place the rice in a bowl.
7. Gently mix the coconut mixture into the rice. 
8. Allow the rice to rest for 15 minutes before serving. 
9. Serve the rice in mounds with sprinkled coconut on top.

Recipe adapted from Temple of Thai. 

Two years ago..................................I made Meringue Ghost.
Three years ago................................I made Vanilla Dream Cupcakes.
Four years ago..................................I made Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies. 

Did you already know................
-Black rice was historically known as the forbidden rice.
-During the Ming Dynasty, black rice was grown only for the emperor's consumption.
-Rice can be found in a variety of color including white, yellow, brown, purple, red, and black.