Easy Guacamole

Original recipe found here

4 avocado, ripe

1 small onion, diced (optional)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ripe tomato, diced

1 lime, juiced

salt & pepper to taste

-Mash avocado, stir in remaining ingredients. Let it chill for a hour or more

**HINT: after you've made the guacamole, put the avocado pits in the same container. This keeps the guac from turning brown!!

Stuffed Meatloaf

Meatloaf:
1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb of ground mild Italian sausage
1 egg
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Filling:
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sliced mushrooms, sautéed to release excess water
2 cups sautéed baby spinach
1 tsp minced garlic (opt)

-Spray 9x13 inch pan. Preheat oven to 375*
-Mix all of the meatloaf ingredients together well. Form into a loaf on the sprayed 9x13 inch pan.
-Make a hollow center down the entire length of the meatloaf, shaping the sides to stretch tall, like a canyon.
-Sautee mushrooms, garlic, and spinach using 1-2 TBSP of olive oil until mushrooms are soft and spinach is wilted.
-Sprinkle half of cheese on the bottom of the meatloaf "canyon", put the sautéed mushrooms and spinach on top, then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
-Pull the long sides up over the meatloaf, sealing the ends together over top of the filling. Make sure all the filling is completely covered!
-Bake for 45-60 minutes, until the meat reaches 160* internally.
-Allow to sit and cool for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to solidify a little bit before serving.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Recipe from Betty Crocker

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (or any kind of pasta)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded/cubed cheddar cheese

-Cook macaroni according to box instructions
-Melt butter in frying pan, then add flour and whisk until combined.
-Add the salt, pepper, ground mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and whisk over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
-Add milk, whisking constantly until it comes to a boil. Let boil for one minute.
-Stir in cheese, stirring occasionally until the cheese is melted.
-Stir in cooked and drained pasta. Stir to coat pasta, then serve!

Key Lime Pie (without the Key)

Original recipe found here

Crust:

9 graham crackers, finely crushed

1/2 cup white sugar

4 TBSP melted butter

-Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes

-Let cool on wire racks

Filling:

2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk

1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

2 whole large eggs

1 TBSP lime zest

-Whisk together

-Pour into cooled (or cool-ISH) pie crust

-Bake for 15 minutes at 350*

-Cool in fridge for 2 hours

Sour Cream Layer:

1 cup sour cream

2 TBSP powdered sugar

1 tsp lime zest

-Whisk together

-Pour over top of the chilled pie

REFRIGERATE pie overnight, then serve with whipped cream!

DELICIOUS Chili

*adapted from bettycrocker.com

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 lage onion
3 cloves minced garlic
3 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 cans chili beans in sauce
2 TBSP chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP brown sugar

-add ingredients into slow cooker
-cook on low for 6 hours(ish) or on high for 3 hours(ish)

Chicken Pot Pie

1 recipe perfect pit crust
16 oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced

Gravy Recipe:
1/3 cup butter (or dairy-free butter substitute)
1/3 cup flour
3 1/4 cup chicken stock
-Melt butter in pan, then add flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes until the flour is golden brown. Slowing whisk in broth, and heat to a boil. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens.

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2) Use half of the pie crust to cover the bottom of the dish you're using (pie plate, 8x8, 9x13). Poke holes in the crust with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes.
3) While bottom crust is baking, make gravy.
4) Place frozen mixed vegetables in a colander and put in the sink. Run warm water over vegetables for about 2 minutes, using your hands to separate and move the vegetables around.
5) Combine gravy, vegetables, and cooked chicken. Pour into the baked bottom crust.
6) Place the second half of the pie crust over top, then bake for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees.
7) Let it sit for about 10  minutes before serving.

Thai Red Curry

*Recipe from my friend Elizabeth*

2 lbs. chicken

2 TBSP vegetable oil

3 cans coconut milk

2 cans lychees

2 cans baby corn

1 small jar red curry paste

1/2-1 cup kaffir lime leaves

1-2 pieces palm sugar OR 1-2 TBSP granulated sugar

2 children bullion cubes

*Rice (cooked)

1) Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Drain baby corn and cut each piece in half. 

2) In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat. Add half jar of red curry paste (I only use about 1 TBSP because it's very spicy). Sauté curry paste in oil for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3) Add chicken and sauté for 3-5 minutes.

4) Add coconut milk and 1 1/2 cans water.

5) Add palm sugar (or sugar), bullion cubes, kaffir lime leaves, and baby corn

6) Serve over rice