Valentine's Day Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
• 3 whole cloves garlic
• 1/2 red or green bell pepper - chopped
• 1 pound ground meatloaf mix (pork & beef mixture)
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 egg

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup catsup
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Add onion, garlic, and red/green pepper. Add meat mixture.
Season the meat mixture with the salt and pepper. Add the egg and combine thoroughly.

Shape meatloaf into heart.....put LOVE into it. ;-)

Combine the catsup, Worcestershire sauce, and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.
Add sliced onions on top, (optional). Cook approx. 1 hour - checking occasionally.

For the past 28 years, (haven't missed one yet). I have been making the same dinner for my husband, Steve, on Valentine's Day. Not sure how or why I came up with the idea but the first year I made the dish for him - it wasn't even about how it tasted as much as his laughing over why ANYONE would make a heart out of meat loaf! Well, I did and of course, as each year went on - he was prepared for his heart-shaped meat loaf and he will tell you each year it has tasted differently. I guess, like life - just keeps changing. :-) Enjoy~

Submitted by Barbara

Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce

Ingredients:
1 box of rigatoni
1 can of crushed tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon of butter
Fresh basil (chopped)
Salt
Pepper
Crushed red pepper
Heavy cream
1/2 - 2/3 cup of vodka
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Saute garlic, onions, and butter over medium heat in a large pan until onions are translucent. Add crushed tomatoes and then salt, pepper, and red pepper (to taste) and heat for approximately 5 minutes. Add vodka and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add in basil and continue to simmer for a few minutes. Add heavy cream, mixing in a bit at a time, until sauce is at your desired color and thickness. Add in cheese and simmer for 2 minutes, while stirring the sauce. Serve over rigatoni. Enjoy!

Rigatoni and vodka sauce is one of my favorite dishes to make. Whenever I have friends over for dinner, this is usually my go-to dish. Everyone enjoys it! Word of advice... Keep vodka out of reach of children! Don't worry, while the sauce cooks, the alcohol cooks down. This dish is family friendly!

Spring Mango Trifle

Ingredients:

1/4 tsp vanilla

5 ripe mangoes, peeled, sliced into 1/2 in by 1 1/2 in slices

4 cups heavy cream

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

Pound cake (Use Duncan Hines Yellow Cake; follow recipe for pound cake with instant vanilla pudding); trim off all crusts

1/2 cup Marsala or another sweet wine

1 cup fresh raspberries

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

The recipe consists of pound cake drizzled with wine, creme anglaise, mangoes, whipped cream, and raspberries. Serves 8 - 12.

Directions:

Bake cake according to Duncan Hines Yellow Pound Cake recipe and let cool. Remove crusts. Can be prepared 1 day in advance, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

To make the creme anglaise, in a small saucepan, bring 2 cups cream to a bare boil. Add vanilla, and stir. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and 1/2 c sugar until ribbons form. Gradually add 1 cup of the warm cream, and mix well. Add back to the pot with the remaining cream and stirring constantly cook over medium heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whip the remaining 2 cups cream with the 1/4 c confectioners' sugar.

To assemble the trifle, cut the cake into 1/2-inch thick slices to fit tightly into the bottom of a trifle or glass bowl, and slightly up the sides about 1-inch.

Drizzle the cake with the Marsala or sweet wine. Layer 1/3 of the mango over the top of the cake, then top with 1/3 of the creme anglaise, followed by a 1/3 of the raspberries. Repeat the process, layering the remaining ingredients. Top the dessert with the whipped cream. Decorate with 3 raspberries.

This dessert is fun to make and eat and is a family favorite. The whole family can participate in making the trifle, so younger kids might like to beat the cake batter, whip the cream, and make the layers. You can also use seasonal fruits to fit the different holidays. Please note that hard fruits, such as apples or pears will need to be poached in advance. This dessert looks beautiful on a holiday table displayed in a trifle dish.

Whenever we cook for the holidays, it is always a family project. Cooking has been more of a social event for us even with our friends since college days with everyone joining in for the prep work and the cleaning.

Submitted by Renee

Latkes for Passover

Ingredients:

• 2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
• 
  

Directions:

1. Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.
2. In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs and salt together.
3. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot!

If you are making sweet potato latkes add another egg and 2 to 3 tablespoons of flour to help them stick together.

Yield 10-12 Latkes

Cooking can definitely bond people. Trying to reconnect with an old and very dear friend, she suggested we make a Passover dinner (so mething I always wanted to do on my own). We cooked all day and had a great time reminiscing, laughing and getting to know each other again. The results from our long day of cooking were far more than a great meal!

Submitted by Alayna

Stuffed Artichokes

Ingredients:
6 large artichokes
2 cups of bread crumbs
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)
1 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Extra Virgin olive oil
2 lemons

Directions:
Cut the top of the Artichoke about 1/2 inch to one inch.
With a scissor, cut the points off the remaining leaves.
Cut off the stem at the bottom and any small leaves by the stem.
Rub all cut leaves with lemon to keep from browning.
Place in large pot with about 1 1/2 inch of water and cover.
Let steam for about 15 minutes.
Place in cold water to cool.
When cool, take out the center leaves and with a spoon scoop out the choke at the bottom center, being careful not to remove the heart at the very bottom.
This step can be omitted and the choke can be removed whole eating. It's just nicer to remove it first for your guests.

In a bowl, place all dry ingredients and blend well
Pour oil over the mixture and blend with a spoon.
With a teaspoon, put a little bit of the mixture in each leaf and on the top.

Cut round slices of lemon and place on the bottom of a baking dish.
Place an artichoke on each slice.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the leaves are tender and pull away easily.

When I was a child, my mom used to put a stuffed artichoke in front of me and it could occupy me for the entire dinner! I asked her for this recipe since she often makes these for family dinners, such as Christmas eve or Easter.

Submitted by Aurelia and Danielle

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
1 Cup Oil

3 Cups Sugar

3 Eggs

1 15 oz Can Pumpkin

3 Cups Flour

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

1 Tsp. Nutmeg

3/4 Cup Choc Chips, Nuts, or Cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325

Mix Oil & Sugar, Add Eggs and Pumpkin

Sift (or just mix) Dry Ingredients

Add Wet Ingredients to Dry Mixture

Add Chocolate Chips, Nuts, or Cranberries

Pour into 2 Greased Loaf Pans

Bake 1 hour and 15 min.

My family makes a few batches of this bread every Fall and freezes them so we have some all year long! We all disagree on the best added ingredient. I think the chocolate chips are the best, my brother loves it with cranberries, and my mom with nuts. It ends up being who ever initiates the baking gets to choose! Most often, chocolate chips win! The bread has been used as both breakfast and dessert and has acted as a gift to many family and friends. Pumpkin bread is one of the reasons Fall is my favorite season! Enjoy!

Submitted by Donna

Lemon Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 ¾ all-purpose flour

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 egg

1 tb lemon juice

1 tb water

1 ½ ts shredded lemon peel

¼ ts baking powder

¼ ts salt

1 ounce square semi-sweet chocolate (grated)

Directions:

1. Cream 1 cup of softened butter with 1 cup of sugar.

2. Beat in 1 egg, 1 ½ teaspoon of shredded lemon peel, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour,¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt; stir into creamed mixture.

4. Stir in and 1 ounce square semi-sweet chocolate grated (1/3 cup).

5. Shape into two 9 inch rolls wrap in waxed paper or clear plastic wrap. Chill thoroughly.

6. Cut into ¼ inch slices. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes about 6 dozen.

These are my absolute favorite cookies and dessert of all time. My grandmother has been making them for as long as I can remember, especially for Christmas when the whole family (her husband’s children and grandchildren as well) gets together; eventually, when I was old enough she handed down the recipe to me. It’s not an old family secret, although I have never found the recipe online anywhere when I’ve misplaced my copy. Rather, she found it in a cookbook several decades ago when my father and his two brothers were just kids. The cookies were their favorite too. Now that I am at college, every once and a while, Grandma will send me a wax-paper lined shoebox full of these cookies and my mouth starts instantly watering; although they taste great when I make them, hers still taste better for some magical reason.

Submitted by Kristin

Aunt Chris' Jam Cake

From Clarksville, TN

Ingredients:

1 cup butter 1 teaspoon cloves

2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk 2 cups blackberry jam

5 eggs (separate & beat separately) 1 cup nuts (chopped fine – any type)

1 tablespoon soda (put in milk) 1 cup raisins

4 cups flour 1 cup peach or pear preserves

1 teaspoon allspice 1 cup figs or dates (chopped fine)

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar together. Add spices, nuts, preserves and egg yolks. Stir well. Add flour, and buttermilk with soda. Beat in milk, and then add beaten egg whites. Stir thoroughly. Cook at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes if a Bundt pan is used. If cooked in layers, test with toothpick.

Ice when cool with Caramel Icing (below).

Caramel Icing for Jam Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

1 cup cream

Pinch of soda

½ cup cold water in sugar

2 level tablespoons flour

Directions:

Mix together and boil. Add ½ cup sugar, browned. Add browned sugar and cook until soft ball. Add 2 tablespoons butter and vanilla; also a pinch of salt.

Aunt Chris was one of 9 children and absolutely the family matriarch, although she was not the oldest. We all loved spending time around her kitchen table (and enjoying her wonderful food too!). The "we" includes family, friends, neighbors, members of the local church, friends of friends passing through town. They lived on a 50 acre farm and the door was never locked. She was a wonderful and generous woman and hostess and I am very proud to share one of her favorite recipes with you.

Submitted by Laurene

Gravlox

Ingredients:
1 whole side of fresh filet of salmon
1 bunch of fresh dill
1/4 Kosher salt
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tsp. pepper
1 red onion
1 jar of capers

Directions:
Put salmon in a shallow baking pan (skin side down). Lay the fresh bunch of dill over salmon. In a small bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. Sprinkle mixture over dill. Cover with saran wrap and then aluminum foil. Put in refrigerator and weight down with a bricks or something heavy. After 12 hours, turn the salmon over and baste with liquid in the pan. Cover and weight it down again. Repeat this process every 12 hours for 3 days. After 3 days, rinse salmon well under cool water and slice very thin and layer on serving dish. Garnish with onions and capers.

This can be put on top of bagels and cream cheese or cocktail bread. I make this every year for Christmas Eve and use it as an appetizer for parties on top of cocktail bread. The first time I made this for a family party, it was a bit hit. Now it is expected that I will make it each time!

Submitted by Aurelia

Broccoli Rabe Pesto

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shelled walnuts

1/3 pound of trimmed broccoli rabe

1 garlic clove

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

pinch of crushed red pepper

1/3 cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese

salt and pepper to taste (I add a bit of season salt too!)

3/4 pound pasta

3/4 cup reserved pasta water

Directions:
In a 350 degree oven, toast walnuts. Let them cool and chop 2 tablespoons to set aside.

Meanwhile, blanche broccoli rabe in a large boiling pot of very salty water for about 3 minutes.. Rinse under cold water, drain and let it cool. Squeeze out excess water and coarsely chop (I usually just throw it into the food processor as is).

In a food processor, mince the garlic and add 1/3 cup of walnuts. Pulse the processor to coarsely chop the nuts. Add broccoli rabe, olive oil, and crushed red pepper until the broccoli rabe is finely chopped. Add 1/3 cup of cheese and pulse until mixture is just combined. Season with salt and pepper and scrape into a large bowl.

Add your cooked pasta to the bowl and pesto mixture and mix until pasta is well-coated. Add pasta water if needed in order to thin out the mixture over the pasta (I typically d not use all of the pasta water that I save).

Add remaining chopped walnuts and serve; top with more grated cheese and crushed red pepper if desired.

Since I do most of the weeknight cooking in my house, I am always looking for recipes that are easy, quick, and healthy. This is one of my favorites because it can be made in under half an hour and features broccoli rabe - one of my favorite veggies. Feel free to add whatever add-ins you choose: chicken, shrimp, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms, scallops - whatever really. Toss with your favorite pasta (I use whole-wheat or 50% whole wheat penne, but linguine, farfalle, rigatoni or angel hair works great too!)

Submitted by Sarah

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients for praline:

• 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Ingredients for crust:

• 2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 9 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Ingredients for filling:

• 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 
  

Directions for praline:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet with foil. Stir sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar melts and mixture comes to boil; boil 1 minute without stirring. Mix in pecans. Spread mixture on prepared baking sheet. Bake until sugar syrup bubbles vigorously, about 8 minutes. Cool praline completely. Break into pieces. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight.)

Directions for crust:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir cookie crumbs and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Add butter; stir until crumbs are moistened. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set, about 8 minutes. Cool. Double-wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil. Place in large roasting pan.

Directions for filling:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in flour and spices. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin, bourbon and vanilla. Transfer to crust.

Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to reach 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake cake in water bath until center is just set, adding more water to roasting pan as needed, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Remove cheesecake from water. Cool in pan on rack. Remove foil. Run small sharp knife between cake and pan sides. Chill until cold; then cover and chill overnight.

Release pan sides. Place cake on platter. Sprinkle praline over, leaving 1-inch plain border at edge. Cut cake into wedges.

This is a recipe that my younger sister Becky and I have been making for the past few Thanksgivings. In my family it was a joke that my mom would always go a little (or more) insane during Thanksgiving, since the whole family usually got together at our house. We got more involved in the cooking and prep in order to make the holiday a more enjoyable for everybody. Once we discovered this recipe, we decided that we HAD to make it. After all, who doesn't love pumpkin around Thanksgiving? And who doesn't love cheesecake? A little bit of bourbon adds great flavor and a sophisticated touch. Though the recipe is a bit involved and time-consuming, my sister and I entertain ourselves while baking it and know that the end result is worth it: after a long Thanksgiving day with the family, this ensures that everyone ends the meal in a good mood!

Submitted by Sarah

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
1/2 onion (chopped)
1/2 lemon (juiced)
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 dash of Salt
1 dash of Pepper
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and enjoy!

This quick and easy recipe is great for a healthy snack! Lately, I have been making this dish as an appetizer to pot luck dinners and have received so many compliments on it!