What's Cooking

It is still a bit strange to have only four children home, and to only have four children to cook during the month. We got a little more back on a routine in October.

Jasmine made "Jasmine's Mini Meatloaves." Jasmine doesn't really like meat. She'd live on pasta of all sorts if given the chance. But these were named after her because she was the first one to make them.

They came out great, but there's a lot of sugar in the topping. And as usual we totally changed the recipe. I don't like meat loaves that are just meat. We always add an egg or two, some sort of tomato based product (ketchup, tomato paste, tomato soup, left over spaghetti sauce, whatever's in the fridge) and oatmeal, bread crumbs or rice.

Jasmine’s Mini Meatloaves

3 lbs ground beef                  ¾ cup ketchup

½ med onion chopped (optional)   2T light brown sugar

1 cup old fashion oatmeal      salt and pepper

4 lg eggs beaten

Topping:

1 cup light brown sugar            1 cup ketchup

2 t yellow mustard

Mix ground beef, onion, oatmeal, eggs, ketchup, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Make into six mini loaves. Place in 10x13 dish. Mix topping and pour coat mini loaves. Bake at 350F for one hour (or less if they are small).

Kayla made waffles. Since it's usually just Rick, myself and the three youngest kids on Friday nights, we sometimes make pancakes or waffles.

Kaleb made an easy noodle casserole. This one is also named after Jasmine. No, we don't name all the food after the kids, but sometimes if we can't think of a name for it, we do.

Jasmine's Noodle Bake

1 lg can tomato soup

1/3-1/2 c water

1 can drained corn

1 T sweet relish

1 t mustard

1 pkg hot dogs sliced

4c cooked spiral macaroni

Stir ingredients together. Pour into baking dish. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Jessica made crescent roll taco bake. She used a pie pan, but it really needs to be baked in something bigger.

The recipe was one of those posted everywhere on facebook. But it was very confusing, so we rewrote it step by step. And last time we made it, we took pictures step by step. They are below.
Crescent Roll Taco Bake

2 crescent roll tubes
1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce
1 or 2 diced tomatoes depending on size
1/2 small can sliced olives if desired
Sour cream optional

Lay out the two tubes of crescent pastry, thick sides in. Use some of the left over crescent rolls to make the center a bit thicker. 
Brown beef and add taco seasoning. 
Lay beef in a circle inside of the laid out crescent rolls
Add some of the cheese to the top
Pull over crescent rolls and tuck in under meat and cheese. 

Follow cook time on the pack of crescent rolls.

Add cheese, lettuce, tomato, black olives, sour cream or whatever you desire for your tacos, in the middle.

Here it is step by step: 

 Bake before adding the rest.