Saturday Recipes

I usually don't post on Saturday, but wanted to get a few recipes out here today. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the rest of the weekend, including my dad's Texas Chili and Pumpkin Croquettes. Enjoy!

MEATLOAF EXPRESS

This is also from Campbell’s Kitchen, begins, “Making them mini not only slashes the cook time, but makes mealtime fun, too. These single-serve meatloaves bake under a sweet and savory topping to ensure moist and flavorful little loaves that your whole family will love.”

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Serves: 6 people

To view this online, go to https://www.campbells.com/kitchen/recipes/meatloaf-express/.

Ingredients

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed French Onion Soup

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup honey mustard (honey Dijon-style)

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

Directions

Set the oven to 425°F. Stir the soup, ketchup and honey mustard in a medium bowl.

Thoroughly mix the beef, bread crumbs, egg and 1/4 cup soup mixture in a large bowl. Season the beef mixture as desired.

Shape the beef mixture into 6 mini meatloaves. Place the mini meatloaves into a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the meatloaves.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the meatloaves are cooked through.

ROASTED GARBANZO BEANS

This recipe, as well as the next two (Temple Rolls and Pumpkin Croquettes), is from Healthy Heart Handbook.

This recipe begins, “A quick and portable snack.”

1 can garbanzo beans, no salt added

seasonings to taste (see hint below)

Rinse and drain a can of garbanzo beans. Shake in a zipper bag with spice of your choice. Lay out on a non-stick cookie sheet and sprinkle with your choice of flavorings (see Hint below). Bake at 400° for 25 minutes.

Each 4 oz serving: 186 calories: 12% from fat (3 g), 66% from carbohydrates (31 g), 22% from protein (9.4 g). Sodium: 1 mg (but salty spices will increase this) Fiber: 10 g

Healing Heart Hint

For flavorings try Spike, hickory-smoked tortula yeast, curry powder, onion powder, garlic powder or cinnamon and sugar (all have no sodium). Other flavors may raise sodium content, but if salt is not a concern: cajun flavor, artificial butter-flavor salt (for popcorn), or any others your imagination can provide.

TEMPLE ROLLS

delicate Vietnamese spring rolls

16 rice paper rounds

8 dried shiitake or wood mushrooms

2 packages bean thread noodles (long rice)

2 medium carrot, julienned

1 cup snow peas, chopped steamed broccoli or other vegetable

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 cup mung bean sprouts

3 scallions, cut into thin slivers

1 bunch mint leaves (about 24)

sprig Thai basil (at least 12 leaves)

Dipping sauce (see Hint below)

Rehydrate mushrooms in warm water for at least 20 minutes, then julienne cut. Immerse bean threads in cold water for 20 minutes and cook in 2 quarts boiling water until slightly soft, about 1 minute. Save water. In a colander, rinse bean threads in cold water and drain. Blanch carrots, snow peas or other vegetables 1 minute in saved boiling water. Blanch bean sprouts for 30 seconds. Rinse all in cold water.

Fill a large dish or bowl with cold water. Soak each sheet of rice paper for a minute and then transfer to a slightly damp cotton dish towel or paper towel.

To assemble rolls, arrange 1/12 of noodles, mushrooms, carrots, scallions and snow peas or vegetables, 2 mint leaves and one basil leaf in a row on top. Roll up rice paper tightly, folding in flaps at the first turn. Rolls will keep for 8 hours, if refrigerated and covered. Serve whole or diagonally cut in half with bowls of dipping sauce.

12 rolls, each 135 calories: 2% from fat (0.36 g), 83% from carbohydrates (20.3 g), 14% from protein (4.96 g). Sodium 198 mg, Fiber 1.1 g.

Healing Heart Hint:

Traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce contains nuoc mam, a very salty fish sauce. A delicious alternate sauce can be made from 1/4 C Hoisin sauce, 1 T vinegar, 1 T water and as much hot pepper or hot sauce as desired.

Thai basil is slightly different from Western basil, with a mint-like flavor. It is available in most Asian food markets. The stems and flowers are usually purple.

Rice paper is a thin, brittle sheet of dried rice flour, about the size of a tortilla. Handle with care, they break easily. They can be found in most Asian markets.

PUMPKIN CROQUETTES

Surprisingly tasty patties from the Middle East

1 C fine bulgur wheat (soaked in 2 C warm water)

2 C mashed cooked pumpkins (about 2 1/2 pounds raw) see hint or 16 oz canned pumpkin (not spiced pie filling)

1 C whole wheat flour

1/2 C water

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 t salt

1/2 t ground coriander

1/2 t grated black pepper

1/4 t ground allspice

1/4 t ground cumin

1 pinch red or cayenne (to taste)

Soak the bulgur wheat in warm water for 20 minutes, drain. Puree the bulgur wheat and all remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add more flour to thicken, if needed. Shape into croquettes (1 inch round, two inches long) or patties about 2-inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch thick. In a non-stick pan, fry patties, turning once, until they're lightly brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Serve warm or at room temperature.

6 servings, each 201 calories: 6% from fat (1.44 g), 81% from carbohydrates (44.2 g), 13% from protein (6.2 g). Sodium 187 mg, Fiber 6.7 g.

Healing Heart Hint

To cook fresh pumpkin, cut into eighths, place in a large pot of lightly salted water, cover, and simmer over low heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cut off the peel, and mash. Gently press in a strainer to remove the excess liquid.

GRILLED BARBECUE CHICKEN AND POTATO KABOBS

This is from Tablespoon (tbsp.), and begins, “You don’t need to slave over the grill for delicious barbecue flavor. These kabobs get the job done fast!”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 (10-inch) bamboo or metal skewers

Slaw

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 package (14 oz) shredded tri-color coleslaw mix

1 unpeeled apple (Fuji or Gala), cut into matchstick pieces

Kabobs

1 lb baby red potatoes, quartered

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon barbecue seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 medium sweet onion, cut into 1-inch wedges (1 cup)

1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch wide strips (about 6 thighs)

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Directions

Heat gas or charcoal grill. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water 10 minutes; drain.

In large bowl, beat vinegar, honey, mustard, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt with whisk. Beat in 1/4 cup olive oil in a thin stream. Add coleslaw mix and apple; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate.

In large microwavable bowl, mix quartered potatoes and water. Cover; microwave on High 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once, until just tender when pierced with a knife. Carefully uncover and drain; set aside to cool.

In large bowl, mix 1/4 cup olive oil, the barbecue seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt. Add potatoes and onion; toss to coat. On each of 4 skewers, alternately thread potatoes and onion, leaving 1/4-inch space between each piece. In same bowl, place chicken; toss with remaining oil and seasoning in bowl. On remaining 4 skewers, thread chicken.

Place kabobs on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 5 minutes. Brush kabobs with barbecue sauce; turn, and brush other sides with sauce. Cook 3 to 6 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are tender and browned in places. Serve with slaw.

TEXAS CHILI

This is one of my dad’s recipes. Whenever Dad fixed this, he’d have to make 2 batches of chili: this for those brave enough to try it, another for everyone else, somewhat cooler.

One time, during the 1960s, he was a member of the local Civil Defense, and overheard one of his friends, Larry – also a CD member – tell someone, “I can eat anything hot, the hotter, the better. I grew up in New Mexico, and love hot food.” Dad promptly invited Larry and his wife for dinner that weekend and made this chili.

Several weeks later, Dad overheard Larry tell someone, “I can eat anything hot, the hotter, the better – except for John's chili!” It's that hot.

I vaguely remember hearing something about Dad finding this chili recipe in some airline's magazine during a business trip. I'm not sure if that's true or if I'm remembering wrong. All I know is that this is good and not for people afraid of hot chili.

This can be found in my e-book, Off the Wall Cooking.

3 balls ground beef suet

3/4 tsp. black pepper

4 slices back, cut

1/4 tsp. cayenne

2 lbs. stew beef, cut small

6 – 9 T chili powder

2 lbs. chopped chuck

2 – 4 walnut-size pieces suet

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Bermuda onions

1 T paprika

1 can beef broth

1 tsp. oregano

3 cans measured water

3/4 tsp. cumin

6 C tomatoes & juice

1 2/3 T salt

1 1/2 lbs. drained kidney beans

In heavy pot place 3 balls suet with bacon. Cook out fat. Add & brown beef & chopped chuck. After browning, add garlic. Cook lightly. Add remainder of spices. In another pot, heat 2-4 pieces of suet. Add onions. Cook until almost burned. Add to meat pot. Deglaze pot with meat broth. Add water, tomatoes & juice. Mash tomatoes into chili. Cover & simmer slowly 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Uncover. Cook down for about 1/2 hour, adding kidney beans. Serves 6-8.