Hamburger mixture for meatballs, burgers, meat loaf...

I used to make ok burgers and meatloaf. Now I make SUPERB meats with the following recipe I've revised from a Bradley Smoker recipe. Truly, I'm never going back to ordinary! And this is awesome stuff even if you don't smoke it!

3 lb ground beef
1 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped green pepper (optional)
1/3 cup Bulls eye barbeque sauce (I think this is the secret ingredient right here!)
2 eggs
3 cloves garlic or 1 or 2 tsp garlic powder (to taste; not exact amounts)
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (another secret!)
3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper (or Watkins pepper!!)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg (You read right! Another secret!)

Mix this all up and use for any meat you want. Burgers, meatballs, meat loaf...

If making meatloaf with this, before baking top with:

1 cup Ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp nutmeg

You will never return to ordinary either after you make this one time! Trust me and let me know how it turns out for you!

fall fruit and feta salad

(my own twist on Taste of Home's Fresh Apple and Pear Salad)

3 apples, chopped into bite-sized pieces

3 pears, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 medium to large cucumbers, in bite-sized slices

2 Tbsp red onion, minced

1/3 cup feta cheese

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup apple juice

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 Tbsp mustard

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp snipped fresh dill

salt and pepper to taste

Mix dressing first in Tupperware gravy shaker. Then mix other ingredients in large bowl, reserving cheese and nuts for topping. Quickly stir dressing into fresh fruit and veggies before they have a chance to get brown. Pronounced a grand success at our house!

Mango Madness Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 large very ripe mangoes (each about 13 ounces), peeled, pitted, coarsely chopped
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
Sliced peeled pitted mangoes

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Stir cracker crumbs and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and stir until evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes. Cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.
Puree mangoes in processor until smooth. Set aside 2 cups mango puree (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Add 2 cups mango puree and beat until well blended Add eggs 1 at a time, beating only till yellow disappears into filling. Pour filling over crust in pan.
Bake cake until set and puffed and golden around edges (center may move very slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake 1 hour. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. Run small knife between cake and sides of pan to loosen. Remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Cut into wedges and serve with whipped cream and fresh sliced mangoes.


OR~~~Make individual cheesecakes in muffin cups, using a vanilla wafer as the crust. Bake only 25 to 35 minutes. Couldn’t be easier!!

mango cream cheesecakes (individuals)

24 vanilla wafers

2 large ripe mangoes, pureed to make 2cups

2 1/2 8oz pks cream cheese, room temp

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 large eggs

whipped cream for garnish

sliced, peeled mangoes

Heat oven to 325F. Place wafers into paper-lined muffin tins.

Whip up the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla till fluffy. Add mango puree and whip up well. Add eggs one at a time, beating only till mixed in. Spoon filling into muffin cups till nearly full. Bake for 25 minutes till edges are golden and filling is set. Cool on counter for an hour, then refrigerate. Garnish with whipped cream and fresh mango slices.

strawberry spinach salad (slightly revised)

...from Fran

Fill a bowl with fresh spinach

sliced strawberries

sliced mushrooms

crumbled feta cheese

bacon bits (optional, but not really)

little bit of coconut

walnuts or pecans or sliced almonds

DRESSING:

1/2 cup oil

3 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup vinegar

1 1/2 tsp minced red onion (or more)

2 TBSP sesame seeds

2 TBSP poppy seeds

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp paprika

Shake dressing together and pour as much as you like over salad right before eating. We plan to eat this a lot all summer!

maple sweet and sour sauce

1 c ketchup

1/2 c maple syrup

1/4 c finely chopped onion

1/4 c vinegar

1/4 c soy sauce

2 TB mustard

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients.  Cover and shake well to blend.  Good as a sweet & sour sauce for anything and also as a marinade. Wow this smells good...I've just dumped it into a panful of chicken breasts for lunch. Can't wait to sample!
It's from Heather! (Thanks again...got more for me?!)

Poco Picante Chicken

(Here is what landed in the pan last night and WOW!!! Was it ever delicious! Carl said I MUST make it again so in order to do so I have to write it down!) Measurements are "whatever amounts you have on hand".

3 lb chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces

6 or 7 pressed garlic cloves

2 sweet peppers, sliced

1 large onions, sliced

1 pkg fresh sliced mushrooms

Saute this all till browned and then add the following ingredients:

1 can tomato soup

1 1/2 Tbsp Epicure's Poco Picante Salsa seasoning

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 Tbsp cumin

1 or 2 tsp chili powder

salt to taste

2 cans Niblets corn

1 lg can kidney beans

Add a bit of water if necessary and simmer a few minutes until the hubby is ready to eat! Serve in tortillas or on rice or on corn tortillas. Top with shredded cabbage, sour cream, salsa, and whatever you want. Oh, cheese of course.

sweet chicken curry (from India...from Melissa Zeiset)

1 medium onion, slivered

1 tsp garlic powder (I used many garlic cloves, maybe 4)

oil to saute

1/2 tsp ginger (I used fresh crushed)

5 whole cloves

5-6 whole cardamom pods (I used cardamom pwdr to taste)

1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon (I used about 4 broken up cinnamon sticks)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp coriander

3 lbs chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 can coconut milk

1 cup sour cream

jalapeno peppers to taste

Saute onion and garlic in oil. Add spices and salt and chicken. Brown on all sides. Mix and add coconut milk, sour cream, and peppers. Simmer until chicken is well done, about an hour. Serve over rice.

I served this to the school children on Be Humble Day, and they had to eat with their hands like they do in those far-away countries. The children LOVED it and some had third helpings! I've served this for Sunday dinner with great results. I leave out the peppers, though, for us wimpy Canadians!