Make-Ahead Cheesy Bacon Mini Meatloaves

Katie emailed me this recipe yesterday. She said it was a big hit with everyone at her house! That's always a sure sign of a winner recipe. It's also a recipe you can make ahead and freeze, bonus! Katie adapted this recipe from one over at Kraft Foods. She told me she thought Nate would really enjoy it. Bacon, Stove Top stuffing, barbecue sauce, three of his most favorite foods. I'm sure once he sees this he'll be asking for it to be put on the menu. This also seems like a recipe that would be great to take over to someone who's just had a baby or surgery, I'm sure they would enjoy it.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. ground turkey
1 (6 oz.) package chicken flavored Stove Top stuffing
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
3 green onions, sliced
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
8 slices of bacon

Preparation:
Whisk the eggs and milk in large bowl until blended. Add all remaining ingredients (except bacon); mix lightly. Shape into 8 one inch thick patties and then wrap the bacon slice around the edge of each patty.

I doubled the recipe and cooked half at 375 degrees for 20 minutes and then added a scoop of mashed potatoes on the top while they finished cooking (another 15 minutes). So yummy!

With the remaining patties I flashed froze them and then individually wrapped and then put in freezer bag for another night when I am tempted to buy dinner because of a crazy day. Then it says to cook the unwrapped frozen patties for 45 minutes.
I suggest spraying the pan with cooking spray before placing on the rimmed baking sheet! Enjoy!

Here is a batch all wrapped and ready for the freezer.

Amazing Potato Rolls/Spudnuts

Here's a dough recipe from Katie that can be made either into rolls or into donuts. It's definitely a keeper recipe, she's been making it since Zak was a baby. Katie says the potatoes in the roll keep the rolls soft and moist so that left overs are nearly as yummy as hot out of the oven! I know bread is such comfort food and so I don't think there can ever be enough bread and roll recipes in your repertoire.


Dissolve in 1/2 c. lukewarm water... 3 pkg. yeast
In a separate bowl, mix 2 min..........1 c. hot water
1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 c. mashed potatoes (or instant reconstituted)
1 T. salt
Add....................................3 c. water (potato water is good)
yeast from above
6 eggs
1 1/2 c. dry milk
If you are making donuts then add....1 t. nutmeg
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. lemon rind
And finally add................................14 cups of flour (or enough flour until it cleans the sides of the bowl)

Knead 5 minutes until smooth. Place in lightly greased/oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Allow to raise until double in bulk. (About an hour)
Make sure to cover with damp towel. Punch dough down and roll out into desired shape. Bake at 350 for approx 10 minutes until golden brown.

If you are making spudnuts: Roll out to 1/2" thickness on lightly floured surface and cut with lightly floured doughnut cutter. Place on lightly
greased pan until double in bulk (approx. 30 minutes). Fry in 375 degree oil about 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towel. Glaze while still
warm. Drain on cooling racks with wax paper beneath. Makes approx. 120 spudnuts.

Frankly, I have never made these into doughnuts because the rolls are so delicious! I use this recipe for my ham and cheese roll ups. That is because the left overs are also very tasty the next day! It is also very excellent for cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!

Corn Muffins

Okay, this is a recipe that Katie and Stephanie made tonight. They served it alongside some taco soup. Supposedly this is the same recipe for corn muffins that Marie Calendar's serves. Enjoy!

2 c. dry yellow cake mix
1 c. flour
1 c. yellow corn meal
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt

Sift dry ingredients together. Then add:

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. honey (or 1/2 c. sugar)
3 eggs

Pour into pan or scoop into muffin tin. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Sour Cream Potatoes aka Funeral Potatoes

One of the ladies that I visit teach is getting married tomorrow and I got a phone call last night that they need some funeral potatoes provided. Of course I'd love to help, just one problem. I've never made funeral potatoes before, and I can't remember ever having eaten them either! It's a good thing I have a mother-in-law. Lucky for me she just made these the other night and she totally came to the rescue and provided me with her recipe and she's letting me share it with you! Here is Katie's sour cream potatoes recipe-

6 russet potatoes, peeled (or 12 small red potatoes)
Boil in salted water until tender
While the potatoes are boiling:
Saute 1 chopped onion in a little olive oil
Then combine:
1-28 oz can cream of chicken soup (or 2 small cans)
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

shred the boiled potatoes and stir into the creamed mixture with the sauteed onions

Pour into greased casserole dish and sprinkle top with cheese or bread crumbs or smashed corn flakes.
Cook in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes until bubbly and golden.

Katie's Baked Beans

Okay, I feel so dumb. I had no idea Nate even like baked beans until we had them one day at his parents' house. I think he ate three servings of these beans! I quickly put them on our dinner menu for this week and asked his mom for the recipe. I thought I would share Katie's email with all of you.

I basically took a pound of bacon and cut it into small pieces after chopping an onion and then I cooked them together while someone else opened ten cans of pork and beans. Then I dumped the bacon mixture into the crock pot that had been filled with the beans, Then I squirted in ketchup and mustard and then added brown sugar until they tasted sweet enough to me. That is the truth! Good luck with trying to salvage some sort of recipe from that! Basically do a lot of tasting! I'm sorry I'm not more precise. I watched my mom and that is how she cooked. I know it is crazy! Next time I will try to pay attention as see if I can come up with better measurements.

Lion House Rolls

2 c. warm water
2/3 c. nonfat dry milk (instant)
2 T. yeast
1/4 c. sugar
2 t. salt
1/3 c. shortening (or butter/marg.)
1 egg
5-5 1/2 c. flour

I will paraphrase to make this easier. Put your yeast in your warm water in your mixing bowl. Add your sugar to the yeast mixture. Sugar feeds yeast and makes it work faster. Salt kills yeast so you may want to wait to add that. Dissolve the instant milk in the yeast mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients except only half of the flour. Mix well. Continue to add the flour until it cleans the sides of the bowl. Mix for several minutes. The more you mix bread dough the more the gluten works up which is good for bread (bad for cookies, cakes etc.) Put dough in greased bowl and then turn it over which greases the top. Let it rise until doubled in size. Now you're ready to roll out and cut into desired shapes. Place on greased baking dish and put in warm place until doubled in size. (About 1-1 1/2 hours) Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes! Makes about 2 dozen rolls.

The Redneck's Best Caramels

I should put a disclaimer that I don't really know what I'm doing but...I do know from a failure last year that here in Utah the boiling point is 202 degrees which is 10 degrees lower so when you cook your caramel it says to cook it to 248 degrees but you will want to adjust that to 238 degrees. I will post the recipe exactly as it appears in the recipe I recieved. Try not to be put off by the name. It is just easier than regular caramel recipes. This is actually doubled so feel free to half it if that is better for you.

The Redneck's Best Caramels (Should I change that to "Redhead's...)

2 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 c. light corn syrup
3 c. whipping cream or heavy cream
2 t. vanilla

Combine all ingredients except the vanilla. Cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches 248 degrees. Remove from stove and stir in vanilla. Pour into BUTTERED dish (9x13). You can add nuts if desired! Cool with dish on baking rack. Cut into desired sized pieces and wrap in wax paper.