About Us

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Seattle/Tacoma area, Washington, United States
Thank you for visiting! We are Amanda, Tiffany, Lauren H, Lauren F, Danielle, Lisa, Meagan, Teresa, Emily, Cassie, & Bea. We are a group of women ranging in age from 27-32. 2011 marks the 5th Fall season of us getting together weekly, on Thursdays, to make dinner for eachother, talk about our kids, marriages, jobs, weddings, homes, weekends and so on. We travel as far North as Kirkland and as far South as Graham to visit each week...that's a total of nearly an hour of driving (not counting traffic), so that should show you how dedicated we are to "the cause" of having some girl time each week. A few of us are mothers and have planned our weddings. Our group also includes a dietitian, wine distributor & a few teachers ranging from elementary to high school. We are here to share our favorite recipes, update you on our girl talk each week, answer questions from experience and review products for companies and share our takes on them for the women out there just like us. Please feel free to contact us with topics you'd like us to cover or questions you may have. Our group e-mail is ThursdayGirlsNights@gmail.com Thanks again, The Girls

Monday, April 25, 2011

A New Twist on a Few Old Favorites!

This week we met up at my house...which make me realize I need a bigger dining room (and kitchen). Our group is growing! We missed out on a few girls this week that had family in town for Easter plans and Jessica doing her community work at "The Dump" in Mexico. Sometimes it happens. We can't all make it every week, but we sure do try. We almost look forward to Thursday more so than the weekend anymore. It's our time to relax, have a glass of wine, a yummy dinner & have some "us" time. We're having fun planning weddings, house-warming parties & the Summer schedules. It also helps that our husbands/fiances/boyfriends & children all get along so we can all get together outside of just Thursday evenings.
For dinner I made All-American Meatloaf and dessert was Peanut Butter & Jam Cakes. My meatloaf recipe is from a cookbook my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas. It's called America's Family Favorites: Best of Home Cooking. (found here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1445405687/ref=cm_cr_error ). I've made a number of things from it, including Roasted/Stuffed Bell Peppers, and highly recommend it!

Dessert was from the Cuisine at Home magazine subscription my mom get for me. Check out www.CuisineAtHome.com for subscription options. I just renewed mine. 1 year for $24 (6 issues) or 2 years for $42 (12 issues). I love it because each issue you receive has recipes that are perfect for that specific time of year and with ingredients that are in season at the time.

Here are the recipes:

Many consider a plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes to be the quintessential American comfort food. This modern version uses lots of aromatic vegetables to add moisture and flavor.


All-American Meatloaf



Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup each, diced: carrot, celery, yellow onion & red bell pepper
4 large white mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp rosemary, fresh & finely minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 1/2 lbs ground chuck
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 c plain bread crumbs

For the glaze...
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt

  • Preheat oven to 325 F
  • Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onion, red bell pepper and mushrooms into a food processor. Pulse on and off until the veggies are very finely minced. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula if needed so to allow them to mince evenly.
  • Add the butter & olive oil to a large skillet and fry over med/high heat. When the butter melts, add the veggie mixture and cook while stirring, about 15 mins. The veggies are done when most of the moisture has cooked out and they begin to caramelize.
  • Remove from heat and stir in thyme, rosemary, Worcestershire, ketchup & cayenne pepper. Set aside and allow to cool to room temp.
  • Add the ground beef (which should be very cold), to a large mixing bowl. Very gently break up the meat with your fingertips. Pour in the cooled veggie mixture, salt, black pepper & eggs. Gently combine the mixture with your fingers for just 30 seconds. Add the breadcrumbs and continue mixing until combined. The less you work the meat, the better texture the meatloaf will have.
  • Lightly grease a shallow roasting pan with a few drops of olive oil. Place the meatloaf in the center, forming it into a loaf shape, about 6" wide by 4" high. Place in the center of the pre-heated oven and set the timer for 30 mins.
  • In the meantime, whisk together the brown sugar, ketchup, Dijon and a pinch of salt to make the glaze. After 30 mins, evenly spread the glaze over the top of the meatloaf and return to the oven to continue baking for another 35-45 minutes, or until you have an internal temp of 155 F. Remove and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Peanut Butter & Jam Cakes



The cakes can be made a day ahead. Let them cool completely then tightly wrap in plastic wrap.

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 c Turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw)
3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 c granulated sugar
1 c packed brown sugar
6 eggs, room temp

  • Preheat oven to 350. Coat inside of twp 9X5-inch loaf pans with 1 Tbsp butter; coat generously with Turbinado sugar.
  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda & alt in a bowl; set aside.
  • Combine milk & vanilla in a measuring cup; set aside.
  • Cream peanut butter, 1 stick butter, granulated sugar & brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on med-high speed until very well combined, 5 mins.
  • Add eggs to the creamed mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Alternately add flour and milk mixtures to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition  just until mixed, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
  • Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake cakes 50 mins, then sprinkle with additional Turbinado sugar. Loosely tent with foil if edges are getting too brown. Return cakes to the oven; bake until toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean, 10-15 more mins. Let cakes rest in the pans for 20 mins, then turn cakes out onto the racks to cool completely.
  • Prepare Blackberry Jam Spread and Peanut Butter Frosting.
Blackberry Jam Spread

If fresh berries aren't available, frozen berries can be substituted.

3 c blackberries
1/2 c sugar
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp berry juice (from the cooked berries)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

  • Combine blackberries, sugar & water in saucepan over med-low heat; simmer until berries release juice, about 20 mins.
  • Whisk together cornstarch and berry juice in a bowl, until smooth; blend into the berru mixture, and cook until thickened, 2-3 mins.
  • Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Cover and chill 30 mins.

Peanut Butter Frosting

3/4 c peanut butter
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 c sifted powdered sugar
1/4 c milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

  • Beat peanut butter and butter in the bowl of a standard mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on med-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 mins.
  • add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, mixing just until smooth and creamy.
Filling and assembling:

Trim off the ends of each cake, and then cut into sixteen 1/2 inch thick slices. Spread 3 Tbsp of frosting and 1 Tbsp jam onto a slice of cake. Top with another slice, and cut diagonally into two triangles. Repeat with remaining cake, frosting & jam.

These recipes should give your loaf pans some use :) Enjoy everyone! I'll be making these again soon!

Amanda

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