Meatloaf Muffins

First lesson of meatloaf muffins---they are not photogenic (I tried taking photos of them from 20 different angles, and this was the best one) nor are they guest-worthy....but they are a perfect weeknight meal at home, and this version happens to be healthy and really good.

Another lesson, double-check the pantry before heading to the grocery store. I under-estimated our recent ketchup consumption. Exhibit A:



This was barely enough. I usually love to really smother the tops with ketchup, so I had to be a little more frugal. (BBQ sauce probably would have been a good substitute, but we were fresh out of that too.)

This recipe is from Cooking Light. Rather than use bread crumbs, they use crushed fat-free saltines. As always, I was skeptical, but it works well. I highly recommend serving these meatloaf muffins with mashed potatoes. I served mine with roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Cooking them in the muffin cups creates perfect little servings and definitely reduces cooking time.

Here is what you will need:



Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°. Chop the vegetables.




Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped carrot, dried oregano, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Cool.



Step 3: Crumble the saltine crackers while the vegetables cook. Since I am still living life without a food processor, I used a zip lock bag and smash the crackers until they are finely crushed.



Step 4: Combine onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray (lean beef, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, and freshly ground pepper) in a large bowl.



Step 5: Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup (I don't really measure, I just smooth the ketchup on until they are each sufficiently covered). Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes.



List of Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw)
1 cup finely crushed fat-free saltine crackers (about 20)
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Five-Star, Five-Bean Chili

The Superbowl is coming up, and it's time to start planning your party menus. I can't think of any dish more appropriate for a sporting event than a big bowl of chili. I'm making this chili for the Hoyas vs. Villanova game!! This recipe comes to us courtesy Emeril Lagasse.

This chili has a lot of spices/ingredients, but it is SO worth it (scroll to bottom for complete list of ingredients):


The veggies:


The meat:



Step 1:
In a cast iron pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the meat until well browned, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes.





Step 2:
Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander, and cinnamon, and cook until vegetables are soft, 4 to 6 minutes.






Step 3:
While the vegetables are cooking, use this opportunity to break up the tomatoes with your hands (yes, I washed my hands). This is kind of messy, so I'm thinking next time I'll ignore Emeril's instructions and just buy diced tomatoes.




Step 4:
Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, and stock; bring the mixture to a simmer, partially cover, and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.




Step 5:
Finally, add all of the beans, stir to combine, and continue to cook another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the flavors have come together and the chili has a nice, thick consistency. Add the cilantro, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.



Here is the full list of ingredients:
1 pound ground chuck
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, preferably Mexican style
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, broken up with your hands
3 cups beef stock or canned, low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups great northern beans
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained pinto beans
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained kidney beans
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained black beans
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained navy beans
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Sour cream, grated Cheddar and chopped green onions, for garnishing, optional