Living On A Dime Newsletter - Extraordinary Meatloaf - January 14, 2010

Hi Everyone!

I hope you're having a great day! We're in a big thaw here and it's a nice break after last week's bitter cold!

I wanted to remind you if you haven't seen Terry Rigg's Bill Organizer, be sure to check it out today! It's only $5 and is a fantastic tool to help you get organized for the new year.

We had a reader with an order problem that we can't contact. If your name is Nicole and you called and said you sent a money order to order your friend a book, I never received it so please contact me.

Have a great week!

-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

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If you would like to reprint any of the articles, tips or recipes from our newsletters for your newsletter (print or on-line), website or blog you may as long as you credit and link back to www.LivingOnADime.com .

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Today's Tips:

At first glance, this week's menu may look pretty ordinary, but every dish has a different twist that makes it different and delicious! Be sure to look at each recipe closely to see what is unusual about it.

Today's menu is particularly nice because you can place three of the main dishes in the oven all at the same time. If you can, always try and bake more than one thing when you have your oven on to save on energy.

In addition to the recipes, today's tips offer some more ideas to improve your normal meatloaf:

Today's Tips:

• Using today's meatloaf recipe, make meatballs to serve at a Super Bowl party. This is a delicious alternative to the regular barbecued meatballs. If you use the recipe to make meatballs, turn the oven temperature down to 375°.
  
  
• If a meatloaf recipe that calls for a little milk, use buttermilk instead. This will give you a more tender meatloaf.
  


• Instead pouring ketchup on top of your meatloaf, try this glaze on it:
  
  Meatloaf Glaze
  
  1/4 cup brown sugar
  1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  1 tsp. cider vinegar.
  
  Mix and pour on meatloaf about 15 minutes before it is done.
  


• When making baked apples, you can put all kinds of things in the center, including candied pineapple, orange peel, ginger, peaches, berries, raisins, honey, corn syrup and even marshmallows.
  

Today's Menu

Extraordinary Meatloaf*
Baked Potatoes*
Broccoli Salad*
Bread and Jam
Baked Apples*

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Today's Recipes:

*Extraordinary Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. sausage (hot if you like it)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 lb. (3 cups) Colby cheese, grated

Heat oven to 400°. Mix all ingredients and place in a loaf pan. Bake 45 minutes.

*Baked Potatoes

If you are watching your weight or you want to eat healthier, replace regular potatoes with sweet potatoes. This works especially well if you have a hard time sticking to a strict diet. Sometimes if you start slowly, substituting one or two healthier things for each meal you can stick to a plan more easily than if you make yourself eat only carrot sticks and broccoli for each meal.

*Broccoli Salad

2 bunches broccoli florets
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup white raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
Bacon bits

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar

Mix broccoli, onions, and raisins. Mix dressing. Pour over broccoli mix and chill. Just before serving, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and bacon bits.

Feel free to adjust this salad. Use less or no dressing for fewer calories and, if you prefer, you can use regular raisins instead of white.

Bread and Jam

Years ago a stack of nice soft bread with jam was always eagerly gobbled down and was a staple at every meal. Wheat or white, homemade or store bought -- it didn't matter, especially when it was spread with butter and your favorite jam, honey or apple butter.

Sometimes we watch so many gourmet shows that show you how to make and use breads with names you can't even pronounce that we forget how much our families love the simple basics like bread and jam.

Baked Apples

Apples, cored
Brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. per apple
Margarine or butter, 1 tsp. per apple
Cinnamon, 1/4 -1/2 tsp. per apple
Nuts, 1 Tbsp. per apple

Place apples in a baking dish and fill the center of each one with sugar, margarine, cinnamon and nuts. You can also add a small amount of water or apple cider to bottom of the pan.

To kick these up a notch, make apple dumplings:

Set each apple in the center of a circle of pastry dough (pie crust). Then fill with sugar, butter, cinnamon and nuts. Pull the dough up and around the apple. Seal well. Brush with egg white or milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes and then turn down to 375° for 20 more minutes.

Sauce (for 5 apples)

While apples are baking, mix 1 cup water, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Dissolve 2 tsp. of cornstarch in 2 tsp. of water and whisk into the hot sauce. Cover and keep warm.
When apples are done, pour some sauce on a plate and set the apple on top.

Easy One Dish Meal and Holiday Desserts

Hello Everyone,

In today's newsletter, you'll find a quick and easy one dish meal along with several other recipes to make your holiday cooking easier!

Many of you have already checked out the great deals at the Christmas Sale, but if you haven't, you'll want to do it today! Dining On A Dime print books are up to 50% off PLUS they come with some special Christmas bonus items that will help you have a great holiday season even if your budget is tight! Oh, and if you need a dozen, save even more with our case discounts. Don't miss out - get it today! Learn more here!

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com

Permissions:

If you would like to reprint any of the articles, tips or recipes from our newsletters for your newsletter (print or on-line), website or blog you may as long as you credit and link back to www.LivingOnADime.com .

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Today's Tips:

• If you are having a potluck or buffet, be sure to place the silverware, napkins and drinks at the end of the food table so your guests don't have to juggle them while filling their plates.
  


• If you need a punch bowl, check out your covered cake dish. Many of them are designed so you can turn the base upside down and turn the bowl upside down to make a punch bowl out of them. If you are in a real bind, just use a pretty large bowl.
  


• Don't have a dipper? Set a fancy cup (not your husband's football mug) on a saucer next to the punch bowl.
  


• Don't have a gravy boat? Serve your gravy and sauces in small heat proof pitchers. I have seen some really cute pitchers and gravy boats at the dollar stores. This is one item that would be worth buying. Not only can you use it for gravy, but it is a nice way to serve chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, pancake syrup, melted butter, etc.
  

Today's Menu

Sausage Stroganoff*
Tossed Salad
M&M Marshmallow Bars*

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Today's Recipes:

Today's main dish recipe is a quick and easy one dish meal for these hectic days. Just mix it up, toss it in the oven and by the time you have your salad made and table set it will be ready. It's also a great dish to make to use leftover potatoes and peas.

*Sausage Stroganoff

1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 cup onion, chopped
2 1/2 oz. jar sliced mushrooms, undrained
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups potatoes, cooked, cubed
1 cup sour cream
10 oz. can buttermilk biscuits
1 cup peas, cooked

Heat oven to 375°. In a 10 inch oven proof skillet, brown sausage and onion, drain. Add mushrooms and flour. Over low heat, slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Add potatoes and heat till bubbly. Stir in sour cream. Arrange the 10 biscuits around the outer edge of the skillet and spoon the peas into the center. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Serves 5-6.

Use red and green M&M's on these bars to make a fun and different Christmas cookie. I haven't tried it yet but in a pinch you could probably replace the first four ingredients with a brownie mix and just top with the marshmallows, M&M's and peanuts.

*M&M Marshmallow Bars

1 (18 1/4 oz.) pkg. devil's food cake mix
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup water
1 egg
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup plain M&M's
1/2 cup peanuts

Combine dry cake mix, butter, water and egg and mix well. Press into a greased 13x9 pan. Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle marshmallows, M&M's, and peanuts on top. Bake 2-3 minutes until marshmallows melt. Cool before cutting.

Extra Holiday Recipe

In the following recipe, you can add red or green food coloring to tint for Christmas or add another food coloring to tint for any other holiday you want. You can also add 1/4 tsp. of peppermint extract if you like chocolate and peppermint flavors together.

Cookies While You Sleep

2 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat egg whites until foamy; add salt and cream of tartar and beat until stiff. Very gradually add sugar, then vanilla and peppermint (if you are using it). Peaks should be shiny and stiff. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet. Place in oven, turn off heat and leave oven closed until morning. NO PEEKING! or you will lose oven heat. Store in airtight containers.

It might be fun to experiment with these cookies and replace the chocolate chips with peppermint, butterscotch chips, chopped maraschino cherries or different types of crushed candy.

Make the meatballs from this next recipe and freeze them in a plastic bag. Lay the bag flat in the freezer to help make them freeze individually. They will keep for up to 3 months. They are so handy to keep on hand to take to a last minute activity, whether it is tailgating, a Christmas or New Year's get together or as an appetizer for unexpected company.

Christmas Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef
1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing for chicken
1 cup water
2 eggs
1 bottle barbecue sauce
1 (16 oz.) can cranberry sauce

Line 2 - 15 x 10 x 1 pans with foil and spray with cooking spray. Mix first 4 ingredients. Shape into balls the size of walnuts and place on pans. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes until done. While they are baking, mix barbecue sauce and cranberry sauce in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add meatballs to sauce and coat evenly.