Tag: dinner recipes

Meatloaf Ala Bah Bah (that’s me!)

I think I’ve been working on this meatloaf recipe since I was in my twenties. This is a tad labor intensive but it’s entirely worth it.

By now, we all know I’m a bit of a weirdo (and a perfectionist) when it comes to cooking. The way I make my meatloaf is a tad different than most in that I do not mix my ingredients in a bowl. (This is born from my experience with catering for large groups. It’s impossible to mix the ingredients for meatloaf for 100 in a bowl, so I always use a huge baking sheet.) The first time I tried this method at home, it worked so beautifully, I’ve not used a bowl since. The reasoning behind it is pretty simple. It’s just easier to get the meats and the seasonings uniformly distributed using this method.

This was last year at the start of the Pandemic. Making meatloaf for the masses!

I used to substitute oatmeal for breadcrumbs in my meatloaf recipes until that one time I forgot to put them in and it ended up being the best meatloaf ever. Now I skip them completely. Instead, I use extra eggs to hold everything together. Yes, the consistency going into the oven is slightly more wet, (and more work) but it works out just fine.

Wait. Did she just say, “…more work”? Relax. It’s just a couple of extra steps to siphon out the liquid as it builds up during baking. (Doesn’t that sound appetizing? Here, your turkey baster will be your friend.)

See how much easier it is to sprinkle all of the ingredients evenly?
Oh YES this is DELICIOUS!

Meatloaf Ala Bah Bah

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. ground beef (80/20 for best flavor)

1 lb. ground sweet Italian sausage

1 lb. ground mild Italian sausage

1 Pkg Lipton Onion Soup mix

1 medium onion diced however you like it

1/2 c. minced fresh parsley (Take the time and use the FRESH stuff. It DOES make a difference!

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup Ketchup (I like Primal Kitchen’s Sugar free)

3 eggs

1 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Rays Hickory & Brown Sugar is yummy)

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. On a large baking sheet, break up the ground beef and spread it, then break up the sausages so they are evenly distributed. If a baking sheet scares you, use a bowl, but trust me on this…a baking sheet allows for easier mixing and even distribution of ingredients.
  3. Sprinkle the soup mix, onion, parsley, Italian seasoning, olive oil, ketchup, eggs and salt and pepper evenly over the meat. (Basically everything but the Barbecue sauce.)
  4. Using your hands, mix all of it together and then spread it back out across the baking sheet once more.
  5. Drizzle thin streams of the barbecue sauce over the meat. Salt and pepper once more. Mix again and then form it into a loaf inside a standard loaf pan.
  6. Put the meatloaf into your freezer for 20 minutes.
  7. Put into preheated oven, uncovered for 20 minutes.
  8. Remove from oven, turn temperature down to 375.
  9. Using a turkey baster, remove the juices that have accumulated. Brush on a thin coating of Barbecue sauce. Return to oven for 30 minutes.
  10. Remove from oven, siphon the juices once more, re-apply the barbecue sauce, cook for 5-10 minutes more. Repeat siphoning juices and applying barbecue, then broil on high for two minutes.
  11. Let the meat rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Lemon-Herb Roasted Turkey Tenderloin

Once upon a time I was shopping for groceries and I ran into a package of turkey tenderloins even though it WAS NOT Thanksgiving season. Experiencing a temporary bout of being sick of everything I was currently planning to make, I picked them up to see what new thing I could create.

Once home, I looked through a ton of recipes online and finally settled on an herb crusted roasted tenderloin but MY way.

Tuesday through Thursday of each week, my husband and I are busy until after eight PM, so I am always looking for healthy and easy, fresh, options for dinner. This recipe is so simple, you will gasp as you are putting it in the oven.

Ready?

I am going to spare you the commentary and get right to the recipe AND I will include your side items which can be prepared at the exact time you are cooking the tenderloins. The entire prep time takes less than ten minutes.

Here is a photo of what it looks like when it’s going into the oven.

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Herb Roasted Turkey Tenderloin (with lemon zest)

Ingredients:
1 package of Turkey Tenderloins (they come in two’s)
Salt & pepper
½ c. whole grain mustard (use whatever mustard you like. If you hate whole grain, use regular.)
1 Tbsp. honey
Zest of two lemons (If you hate lemon, leave it out, but you’re weird.)
¼ c. freshly chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. dried Rosemary
1-2 tsp. dried oregano

Instructions:

  •  Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  •  Rinse and dry tenderloins
  •  Salt and pepper both sides
  •  In a separate bowl, mix together the mustard and honey and then brush it onto both sides of the tenderloins.
  •  Sprinkle on the herbs and finish with the zest.
  •  Finally, wipe your brow. This is so hard, isn’t it?
  •  Bake for 35-40 minutes.
  •  Let rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing.

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EASY SIDES?

Go to Trader Joe’s and buy a bag of their multi colored baby carrots. Coat them in olive oil and salt and pepper and put them on a small baking sheet. Throw them in the oven at the SAME time you put the Turkey in. They will cook perfectly.

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SIDE ITEM #2

Fresh Asparagus! 

While your other items are in the oven, trim the asparagus and place in a microwave safe dish. I always use real butter but you can roll them around in olive oil and salt and pepper if you prefer. Cover in plastic wrap OR use a paper plate or covering of your choice.

Wait until just before your turkey and carrots are ready and then microwave on high for 1 and a half minutes.

Done!

Asparagus

ALSO, there are SO SO many frozen prepared (steam in bag) vegetables out there that are healthy. Just pick what you like and go for it. Below are some green beans I did the other night.

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Bobbe’s Asian Inspired Turkey Meatballs

This is by far one of my favorite things to do with ground turkey & ground pork.

Meatballs

For those who asked for my recipe, it’s below. Truly this is one of my favorite things to make for dinner. It’s one of those recipes that just gets better the longer it sits, so I usually make double so I have some to take for lunch the following day.

There are two things I like to serve it over. The first is cauliflower fried rice which is basically just fried rice subbing riced cauliflower for actual rice. Use your favorite recipe or click here for mine. The other thing that is absolutely insanely delicious is green rice, which is basically rice made with a whole lot of green herbs (think cilantro, parsley, spinach) combined with other things like Poblano and jalapeno peppers and onions that have been pulverized and blended with liquid until smooth. (I will post that recipe soon.)

Until then, enjoy and if you try this recipe, please let me know how you liked it!

Bobbe’s Asian Inspired Turkey/Pork Meatballs (Makes about 14 meatballs)

Meatball Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Juice of one lime (or 3 Tbsp.)
  • ½ c. fresh cilantro finely chopped (use more if you love cilantro like I do!)
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh chives finely chopped
  • 2-3 Tbsp. freshly ground ginger
  • 2 Tbsp. finely diced garlic
  • 1 small red onion finely diced
  • 2 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • ½ C. Panko bread crumbs Use what you like. Regular bread crumbs work as well as crushed pork rinds (keto)
  • Salt & fresh ground pepper

Meatball Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

  • Combine all ingredients, mixing well by hand.
  • Form the meat into 1.5” balls (or whatever size you like)
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes until juices run clear

Meatball Drizzle Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ C. Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 C. Soy sauce
  • ½ C. brown sugar
  • ½ C. honey
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh ground ginger
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh garlic
  • Salt & Pepper

Drizzle Directions:

  • Put all ingredients into a small saucepan
  • Stir well to combine
  • Bring to boil. Stir until brown sugar melts.
  • Reduce to simmer
  • Simmer until reduced by at least half.
  • Drizzle over meatballs.

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