Meatloaf with Balsamic Reduction Drizzle !

Meatloaf with Balsamic Reduction Drizzle !

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound or so of Ground Meat (Turkey, beef, whatever - just not too lean)
• 1/2 of an Onion
• a handful of Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 of a Red Pepper 
• 1 medium size Carrot 
• 1/2 cup or so a Bread Crumbs
• 1 egg
• Parsley 
• Oregano
• Basil
• Thyme
• A little Paprika
• A Pinch of Cumin
• Salt & Pepper
• Mustard
• Brown Sugar
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Chicken Broth

Start:

1. Ok, There are a lot of ingredients... but, it is good and worth it. If you want to drop a couple, I am sure it will taste good! 
2. Put the ground meat in a large bowl with one Egg, the Bread Crumbs, all the listed seasonings, (Parsley, Oregano, Basil, Thyme, a little Paprika, a pinch of Cumin, Salt & Pepper)
3. Chop up Carrot, Garlic, Onion, and Red Pepper in a food processor (or just really small pieces)
4. Pour chopped up Veggies in big bowl with the Meat, Egg, and Bread Crumbs
5. Mix together with an electric mixer
6. Put mixture in a small baking pan 
7. Spread a generous amount of mustard and brown sugar on top of meat
8. Bake in oven, covered with tin foil, on 375 degrees for 45 min - 1 hour or so
9. When meatloaf is almost finished cooking, Pour a good amount of Balsamic Vinegar and a little bit of Chicken Broth in a pan, 
10. Heat on medium for a couple minutes, then reduce to low and heat for a couple more minutes. (You will know it is ready to be a glaze when the Reduction is half of the amount of liquid you started with.)
11. Drizzle Balsamic Reduction Glaze on top of Meatloaf in a zig zag shape for presentation

You are done! It is good? Isn't it!!?? 

Sausage Rice (gluten and dairy free!)

SAUSAGE RICE! (gluten and dairy free!) - simple and tasty!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of dry Brown rice
• 1 pound of hot or mild Italian style sausage bulk (pork or chicken) - you can just ask the guy behind the meat counter to take off the casing if the sausage is made in store. If that is not an option, you can take off casing once you cook the sausage. 
• 1/2 of an Onion
• Some small Carrots or one large one
• A handful of Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Parsley 
• Salt & Pepper

Start:

1. Cook the rice in a rice cooker or directed by the package. 
2. While rice is half way done cooking (it takes a long time, 45-60 min), put the sausages in the oven on 375 degrees for 10 minutes, then flip for another 10-15 minutes. If you have sausage bulk, cook in a pan on medium and break up and flip until done.
3. If bulk, put cooked sausage pieces into a food processor and chop up small. If sausages, let cool and then peel back casing (if this doesn't work, don't worry, you can leave it on)... then cut up sausages into smaller pieces, put the pieces in a food processor and chop up the meat. 
4. Food process the carrots, onion, and garlic.
5. Place carrots, onion, and garlic in a pan with olive oil and cook on medium heat until onions and garlic become transparent. 
6. Sprinkle a lot of parsley, salt, & pepper.
7. Add the sausage meat to the sauteed veggies and keep on low and stir until rice is done. 
8. Mix rice with meat and veggies in a large pan or in a large bowl, add more olive oil. 
9. Serve hot! and ENJOY! 

Shishito Peppers - sauteed and delicious!

Shishito Peppers - sauteed and delicious!
These are an amazing appetizer! You can even chop up and put cooked peppers in any Asian inspiration, as well as just place on a plate for a veggie side for dinner!

Ingredients:

• Shishito Peppers
• Olive Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Sesame Seeds
• Onion (dried)
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Salt & Pepper 

Start: 

1. Get pan a little hot with the oil in it, be generous with the oil.
2. Sprinkle over a little bit of all seasonings 
3. Place the peppers on the pan, let it sizzle a little, rotate peppers every so often. Do not let burn.
4. When they are partially blistered, they are done! Serve and eat immediately - Enjoy! 
   

Wings !

Wings !

Ingredients:

• Chicken Wings
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper

Start:

1. Place wings on a cookie sheet covered in tin foil (easier clean up). 
2. Pour over some Olive Oil, sprinkle Cayenne Pepper and Salt & Pepper. 
3. Flip wings over and pour/sprinkle them as above
4. Cook on 375 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, then flip and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Total cook time = 25-30 minutes - or until sizzling and golden brown. 
5. Eat! Caution: they are hot! It might be smart to wait a couple minutes before you bite into these delicious nuggets! 

Carnitas!

Carnitas~ !

Slow cooked in a Crock Pot

Ingredients:

• Pork Shoulder / Butt (it's the same thing! :) - usually comes in a very large bulky piece of meat
• 2 cans of chicken broth
• 2 cans of beer
• one onion
• a handful of garlic cloves
• oregano
• basil
• sugar
• chile flakes
• mini can of fire roasted diced green chiles
• cumin
• salt & pepper

Start: 

1. Get that hunk of meat and put it into the crock pot.
2. Pour 2 cans of beer (the darker the better) and 2 cans of chicken broth. You might need to add some water to make sure the liquid covers the meat.
3. Cut up an onion and crush garlic cloves and spread the pieces everywhere.
4. Open the can of chiles and throw them into the crock pot.
5. Sprinkle the seasonings everywhere, on the meat, in the liquid and be generous.
6. Turn Crock Pot on low and wait for 7 or so hours until meat is tender and falling apart. 
7. Serve hot on your favorite Mexican dish - burritos, tacos, Carnitas plate with rice and beans...