L. Virginia Grello’s Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef

½ cup plain bread crumbs

½ cup milk

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

Snipped parsley, either dried or fresh

Directions

Mix 1 LB. ½ cup plain bread crumbs and ½ cup of milk together. Add to 1 lb. ground beef.

Make a well in the center of the beef and add egg, salt, pepper, parsley and any other seasonings desired (ie onion powder, etc.). Alt: can add ketchup or Hunt’s tomato sauce.

Mix together well.  Shape into a loaf and place in lightly greased casserole dish or loaf pan.

Put a little oil on meatloaf so that it browns.

Bake at 375 for about an hour (check at 50-55 minutes).

Serve with Brown Gravy.

MOM CERBO’S MEATLOAF

1 lb. ground beef

½ cup plain bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper

Snipped parsley, either dried or fresh

½  tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Kitchen Bouquet

Directions

Mix 1 LB. ground beef and ½ cup plain bread crumbs.

Beat the 1 egg, mix in salt and pepper, snipped parsley (dried or fresh) and  ½  tsp Worcestershire sauce.

Add egg mixture to ground beef mixture and mix together well. Shape into a loaf and place in lightly greased baking dish or loaf pan.

Brush with Kitchen Bouquet (to aid in browning) or with ketchup if you prefer.

Bake at 350 for about an hour or 375 for about 50-55 minutes.

Serve with Brown Gravy.

To make ahead: prepare up to and through the point of shaping the loaf. Then either thaw and bake or bake frozen. Note, however, that additional time will be needed, up to double if loaf is frozen solid.

Aunty Fran’s American Chop Suey

One day, it hit me...the vivid memory of a pot of American Chop Suey on Fran Girardi's stove top...from probably 25 or 30 years ago. I asked her for the recipe last week, and here is the simple set of directions. Yum.

Aunty Fran’s American Chop Suey

Sauté a small onion in some butter or margarine. 

Add about 1 to 1 1/4 pound (depending on how much you want to make) to the sautéed onion and brown beef. 

Drain off fat. 

Add 1 large can of kitchen ready tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic powder and simmer for about 1/2 hour or so. 

Meanwhile boil elbow macaroni (1/2 to 1 pound…depending on how much you want to end up with) according to package directions. 

Drain pasta and add to meat mixture and wala!!  Enjoy!!

Slow Cooker Chicken w/ Bacon and Rosemary with Butter Egg Noodles

Easy prep, fast to get on the table once it's ready. Good too...


Slow Cooker Chicken w/ Bacon and Rosemary
Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 6 hours

1/2	pound thick-sliced bacon, diced
4	bone in chicken breasts
1/2	cup dry white wine
8	ounces whole button mushrooms
1	red bell pepper , cored and thickly sliced
1	cup frozen pearl onions, thawed
6	garlic clove(s), chopped
4	sprigs fresh rosemary
1	teaspoon coarse salt
1/4	cup water
2	tablespoons cornstarch

1] Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a slow cooker. Pour off all but a tablespoon of the bacon grease from the skillet. 

[2] Place the chicken in the skillet and brown over medium heat, and transfer to the slow cooker. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits, add the skillet contents to the cooker. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, garlic, rosemary and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours. 

[3] Transfer the chicken, bacon and vegetables to a platter and keep warm. 

[4] Pour the sauce into a small saucepan. Combine the water and cornstarch and stir it into the sauce. Heat to a boiling, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. 


per serving: 473 calories; 49 grams protein; 24 grams total fat; 1 gram fiber; 8 grams saturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 143 mgs cholesterol; 976 mgs sodium




BUTTERED EGG NOODLES:
Prep and Cook time - 15 minutes

8	ounces egg noodles
3	tablespoons butter
1/4	cup Italian parsley, chopped
1/4	cup shredded Parmesan cheese

[1] Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until cooked through but still firm to the bite. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Mix in the parsley and cheese. 

[2] Drain the pasta in a colander and return to the pan. Pour in butter and toss to coat. Serve immediately.


per serving: 250 calories; 8 grams protein; 9 grams total fat; 2 grams fiber; 5 grams saturated fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 23 mgs cholesterol; 81 mgs sodium; 5 weight watcher points

Chocolate Crinkles Christmas Cookies

We used to make these every year. Then we stopped for a while. A friend asked me for the recipe this year so I decided to bring them back for this year's trays. Easy recipe, pretty cookie and makes a ton, which is great for filling the trays.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 sq unsweetened chocolate melted

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup confectioners' sugar


DIRECTIONS:
Mix oil, chocolate and granulated sugar.

Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed.

Add vanilla.

Stir in flour, baking powder and salt into oil mixture.

Chill several hours or overnight.



Heat oven to 350.

Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into confectioners' sugar.

Roll in sugar; shape into balls.

Place about 2" apart on greased baking sheet.



Bake 10-12 minutes.

Do not overbake.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.


From the Betty Crocker Cooky Primer cookbook