Cheesy Bacon Chicken Casserole

Alright so I like cheese, okay?! I'm starting to wonder if I could function without it, 95% of what I post is cheese-related. Well anyway, this recipe is awesome. I love casseroles and this one is full of cheesy, bacony, chickeny deliciousness... and of course, most importantly, EASY!

Recipe >> Cheesy Bacon Chicken Casserole @ thecoersfamily.com

Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever with Garlic Gravy

1770 House meatloaf courtesy barefoot contessa. Will never make any other meatloaf again. Didn't even have veal and still was amazing.

Best Meatloaf Recipe Ever with Garlic Gravy

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground veal (preferably naturally raised)
• 1 pound ground pork (preferably naturally raised, Berkshire)
• 1 pound ground beef (preferably naturally raised)
• 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh chives, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh thyme leaves, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups finely ground Panko
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
• 1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
• 2 cups chicken or beef stock
• 8 to 10 cloves roasted garlic
• 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the veal, pork, beef, chives, thyme, parsley, eggs, Panko, milk, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.

Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and film it with extra virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the celery and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened. Remove the celery and onion from the pan and let cool. When the mixture is cool, add it to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.

Using clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined and everything is evenly distributed. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan (it should have sides at least 1½ inches high to prevent grease runoff from the pan). Place the meat on the sheet pan and pat it and punch it down to remove any air pockets. Shape the meat into a loaf (about 14 ½” long by 5” wide by 2” high). Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer indicates an internal temperature of 155 to 160 degrees. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the sauce, combine the broth, roasted garlic and butter over medium high heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until lightly thickened. Add 1 teaspoon of each of the chopped thyme, chives and parsley. Slice the meatloaf into serving portions and spoon the hot sauce over the meatloaf and serve.

Oven-roasted Sausages, Potatoes, and Peppers

behold, an oven pan laden with delicious food (a LOT of it) that is cost-effective, EASY EASY EASY, and delicious.. this recipe will serve 3-4 adults,

Oven-roasted Sausages, Potatoes, and Peppers

Ingredients:

•     1-2 bell peppers, sliced
•     1 package (at least 1 lb) of your favorite sausage links (johnsonvilles, evergood, generic smoked sausage, whatever you like.  i used polish sausages, 4 to a pack)
•     4-5 decent-sized potatoes (i prefer yukon gold or red bliss)
•     3 tbsp olive oil (yes, it has to be OLIVE oil)
•     1 small jar banana peppers
•     1 large onion, sliced
•     salt & pepper
•     *optional — 2 tsp dried rosemary (bachelors, ignore this.  your salt and pepper will be fine.  i know that asking you to procure olive oil was already a stretch.)
•     *optional — tsp creole seasoning

Directions:

1.     spray a large baking pan w/ nonstick spray (make sure there is at least a small “lip” that provides a “side” to the pan, don’t use a flat baking sheet.
2.     slice sausages into thin rounds, about 1/5″ thick.  if you know how to slice using a “bias” cut, do that.  if not, don’t worry about it.
3.     cut potatoes into 1/2″ chunks
4.     slice onion and pepper into strips
5.     place all ingredients on baking sheet and drizzle oil over.  use your hands to toss everything together in the oil, making sure everything feels coated.
6.     add salt & pepper and spices (if using)
7.     top w/ sliced banana peppers
8.     bake at 400 for about 30-35 min, until potatoes are tender

Slow Cooker "Melt in Your Mouth" Pot Roast

This recipe has proven to produce thee best pot roast I've ever made.  Every component is pure perfection.  The meat is juicy and fall-apart tender.  The vegetables are cooked just right and are full of flavor.  The seasonings are simply spot on and the broth yields a fabulous gravy-like sauce that is divine when poured over everything prior to serving.

We usually have leftovers of this, so we often make hash the following day.  The leftover roast is, also, fabulous utilized in a hot roast beef sandwich for lunch.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Slow Cooker "Melt in Your Mouth" Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 1 chuck roast (mine was 3 pounds)
• Olive oil
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks (optional)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoons corn starch

SEASONING MIX :

• 2 tablespoons steak seasoning (mine is store-bought and has a blend of peppercorns, garlic, paprika, parsley and salt)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary

Directions:

Combine together seasoning mix in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Coat both sides of meat with olive oil.  Sprinkle on a third of the seasoning mix onto each side.

Sear both sides of the meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Transfer roast to slow cooker.

Place the vegetables in a large bowl.  Drizzle on a little olive oil to coat vegetables.  Sprinkle on the remaining seasoning mix.  Add the vegetables to the same skillet that was used to sear the meat. Sauté for about five minutes - stirring occasionally.

Transfer the vegetables to the top of the roast in the slow cooker.  Pour in the beef broth. Cover with lid.

Cook on low for 9 hours or on high for 6 hours.

Using a turkey baster, retrieve most of the cooking juices from the slow cooker.  Transfer juices to a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat on the stovetop.  Whisk together the cornstarch with a little water.  Blend into the pan juices while whisking.  Bring back to a simmer until thickened.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Transfer the roast and vegetables to a large platter.  Ladle the gravy over.  Serve immediately.

Luscious Lemonade Pie Cookies

Luscious Lemonade Pie Cookies

13 servings

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• Splash water
• 1 box Pillsbury™ refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
• 1 jar (10 oz) lemon curd
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
2. To make egg wash, in small bowl, beat egg with splash water until well blended. Set aside.
3. Unroll pie crusts. Spread lemon curd on 1 of the crusts, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Place second crust on top.
4. With 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out cookies by gently pressing down through both crust layers.
5. With handle of knife, press edges to seal; cut “x” in center of each cookie pie. Brush each cookie with egg wash; sprinkle with sugar. Place on cookie sheet.
6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes, before serving

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Just made this recipe last night on a whim--so glad I came across it! My husband and mother-in-law ( an avid baker) went crazy for this cake! Just the right balance of everything. Beautiful consistency as well.. :)

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened at room temp
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temp
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy (do not over beat); gradually add sugar, beating well.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined. Crack eggs into a bowl first before adding to the mixture to make sure you avoid shells in the cake mix.

Sift 3 cups of flour. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla from the huge 1 liter Mexican vanilla bottle my mother in law shared with me.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.

Smooth the top of the cake or bottom of the cake (depending how you look at it) with a spatula to even it out.

Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack. My pound cake had a crazy crusty layer on the bottom that I just peeled off. It was like candy, it was so sweet and cruchy but it wasn't pretty so I just threw it away.