When I’m looking for a quick meal to serve on a busy weeknight, I often turn to my initials—-MC. When my family members see MC on the dinner calendar that hangs on our refrigerator door they instantly know that we’ll be dining on two favorites: Meat and cheese.
I have a seemingly endless variety of recipes, which feature a combination of meat and cheese, that are fast, tasty and nutritious. Some of my family’s favorites are:
CHEEZ-IT MEATLOAF
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup crushed Cheez-It crackers (you can also use a generic version of cheese crackers)
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced green bell pepper
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten slightly
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 1/4 cup ketchup, divided
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine crushed crackers, onion, bell pepper, 1/4-cup ketchup, 1/2-cup milk, eggs, salt, pepper, ground beef and 2 cups cheese.
Form loaf.
Place loaf in a foil lined, greased 9 by 13-inch pan.
Spread remaining 1-cup ketchup on top.
Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Remove meatloaf from oven and sprinkle 1-cup cheese and parsley on top and bake another 15 to 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
Serve warm.
CHEESEY CHEESEBURGER SKILLET
Ingredients:
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Diced dill pickles
Diced tomato
Chopped scallions
Ingredients for Cheese Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Dash of hot sauce
Directions:
To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, then add flour and form a thick paste. Whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until it starts to thicken. Turn off heat and add cheese a little at a time, whisking until melted. Add hot sauce and salt and pepper if desired. If too thick, and more milk.
Brown the beef and onion in a large skillet, and then drain. Add the mustard, ketchup, seasoning salt, pepper and cheese sauce. Heat through.
Stir in pasta.
Top with remaining cheese.
Cover skillet for a minute or two to melt cheese.
Serve with your favorite cheeseburger toppings on top like diced dill pickles, scallions, and diced tomato.
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Comfort Foods: Meat and Potatoes