Cheesy Mini Meatloaves

These cute little meatloaves are not only tasty but pretty. When you cut one open and all that gooey cheese comes flowing out you just can't wait to take a bite! This recipe is also a good one for all of those "Oh, I don't care for meatloaf" types. I've had many friends that have told me that. Once they try this, literally, they talk about it even years later! So convert someone today, heck, don't wait make some for your self!

Cheesy Mini Meatloaves



Ingredients:

2 Pounds Lean Ground Beef
1 Egg
2/3 Cups Garlic and Herb Bread Crumbs
1 Small Onion Minced
1 1/2 Teaspoons Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
3 Splashes Worcestershire Sauce
Hunt's Seasoned Tomato Sauce for Meatloaf
3 Ounces Velveeta
1 Large 6 Muffin Pan

Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin pan with a non stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl add meat. Form a little well in the middle and break egg into well. Beat egg with fork. Add bread crumbs, onion, seasoned salt, garlic, black pepper, worcestershire and 2 tablespoons of the Hunt's sauce. I like to use my hands for this next step. Make sure you take any jewelry off! Mix just until incorporated. If you mix too much your meatloaf will be dense.

Slice the Velveeta into 3 slices. Cut each of those into 4 squares. Now take 3 of those squares and cut in half. Reserve 6 squares (you'll have a few leftover, save for another dish) and 6 square halves.

Now take meat mixture and separate into 6 balls. Take one ball and flatten somewhat in your hand. Place in muffin pan and press down a bit, making sure you don't put any holes in the meat. Make a well in the middle and add 1 cheese square pressing gently and one half square on top. Cover cheese and make sure you don't have any cracks. You'll have some cheese that seeps out while cooking but you want to make sure you still have enough that will ooze out after cutting.

Continue these steps with remaining meat. Top about 1 1/2 tablespoons of sauce to each meatloaf. I highly recommend the meatloaf sauce. I have never been a big fan of ketchup on meatloaf. This sauce takes your meatloaf to a whole other level!

Place muffin pan on cookie sheet. This helps in case anything leaks. You will have some grease, but its very minimal when using lean ground beef. I do not recommend using regular ground beef as your little meatloaves will be cooking in a lot of grease. Yuck!

Cook for 40-45 minutes. When they're done cheese will be seeping out and the sauce on top is a bit caramelized.

Let cool a few minutes before serving.

"The Sauce"
 

Spray muffin tin with non stick spray

 

 

Make a well in the meat. Crack egg and beat with fork

 

Add remaining ingredients

 

Until just mixed

 

 

Cut velveeta into squares and half squares

 

Form into 6 even sized balls

 

Flatten somewhat

 Add cheese square into well, pressing gently
 

Add cheese square half on top

 

 

Cover cheese

 

Seal meat well

 

Nice and sealed

 

Ready for "the sauce"

 

Top with 1 1/2 tablespoons of sauce

 

Place muffin pan on cookie sheet

 

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes

 

Get ready for it!

 

There it is! Ooey Gooey Goodness!

Five Cheese Broccoli Soup Slow Cooker

Yum, Broccoli Cheese Soup, and five cheeses, even yummier! Served with Kansas City Sweet Cornbread. You can't go wrong with this comfort food! This is my own creation after hours of experimenting. There are a few steps involved before adding to the crock pot, but its well worth it!


Five Cheese Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Pounds Frozen or Fresh Broccoli
1 Stick of Butter Plus 2 Tablespoons
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Yellow Onion
1 Teaspoon or 2 Cloves Garlic
3 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Packets Swanson Flavor Boost Chicken Broth
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Pound Plus 3 Ounces Velveeta Cheese Cut Up and Cubed
1/2 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar
1/2 Cup Shredded Colby Monterey Jack Blend
2 Ounces Cream Cheese
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

Note: I have a 5 quart crock pot. I highly recommend 5 quart or larger for this recipe, as your finished recipe makes a large amount.

Before you get started cooking, prepare the ingredients. You'll need a wire whisk and a large spoon for utensils, set aside. Cut up onion and garlic, run through a food processor, you want a very fine mince. Transfer to small bowl. Measure 1/2 cup flour into a small bowl. Throw all of your cheeses into a large bowl. Measure milk and cream combine into medium bowl. Measure chicken stock and combine with flavor packets in large bowl. Stir well. You'll end up with five separate bowls. Set all of this aside near the stove. These steps make everything go easily and quickly.

In a large skillet on medium heat, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add in minced onion and garlic. Cook down until it looks like sauerkraut and just beginning to brown, around 5-8 minutes. Transfer to crock pot.

Add stick of butter to skillet and melt. Once bubbling and melted, add in flour. Stir with wire whisk. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Slowly add in chicken broth mix while stirring constantly. You want a smooth consistency, stir out any lumps you may see. You really have to stir fast in this step. Add salt and pepper. Stir well. Once this comes to a boil, add in frozen broccoli. If using fresh, omit this step and add broccoli straight into the crock pot.

Cook frozen broccoli gravy mix for 10 minutes. Stirring often. Using a large spoon, add broccoli to the crock pot, reserving as much of the gravy as possible in your skillet. Add cheeses to skillet with reserved chicken gravy. Stir. Add cream, milk mix. Stir. Add to crock pot and stir well. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring once every hour. Turn crock pot off and let cool and thicken before serving. While cooling make the cornbread.

If you don't have a crockpot, you can easily convert this for cooking on the stove. Just transfer everything to a large soup pot instead of the crockpot. You'll need a large soup pot because this makes a lot! Cook on low heat 1-2 hours, stirring often, until broccoli is tender.

For the Kansas City Cornbread Recipe you can find it here, Kansas City Cornbread 

Its our all time favorite sweet cornbread recipe! One thing I do differently for this recipe is cook in a glass casserole dish at 375 for 30 minutes.

Add onion garlic to skillet

 Cook until it looks like this

Add to crock pot

Melt stick of butter

Add flour and stir vigorously

You want a smooth consistency

Stir, stir, stir!

Almost there

Smooth and ready for broccoli

Frozen broccoli added

After cooking for 10 minutes its ready for the crock pot

Broccoli added to crock pot

Add cheeses to reserved chicken gravy

Stir well

Add milk cream mixture, stir well

Add to crock pot and give it a good stir

Enjoy!

Homemade Rice A Roni

One of the all time classic side dishes, Rice A Roni- "The San Francisco Treat!" I grew up on this stuff and carried the tradition down with my son. The older I get the more concerned I am about what I put into my body, and for that matter everyone I cook for. Rice A Roni was a dish I loved but, what is in that mystery seasoning pack??

 I could surely come up with a recipe. Its a simple dish. After researching recipes and experimenting, I've figured out Rice A Roni! I came across lots of recipes, but the ingredients- no, that's not in Rice A Roni, I would say. For example, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cut up onion, italian seasoning! No No and NO! This is simple and chickeny, right on the money for the flavor you get in the box!

You will need the following ingredients:

Long Grain White Rice
Dried Vermicelli or Angel Hair Pasta Broken into Pieces
Butter
Chicken Broth
Concentrated Chicken Broth
Dried Parsley
Salt

That's it! Two ingredients I would like to address, concentrated chicken broth, this is the secret ingredient, it adds the extra flavor you need. Here's a link to this product, Swanson Flavor Boost
Since this product has came out, among another from the brand Knorr for their concentrated beef broth. I cook with them quite often. They add such good flavor to your meals!

The second item is the vermicelli, below you can see a photo of all the ingredients used in the rice. The yellow box is vermicelli, it's around 35 cents for a box and 1 box will make many batches of Rice A Roni. A plus to using vermicelli over angel hair, its a lot easier to break up. I find this at the grocery store in the pasta section.

Now, on to the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Long Grain White Rice
1/3 Cup Vermicelli
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Swanson Flavor Boost Concentrated Broth Packet
2 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

First, you want to get a bowl and break up the vermicelli into small pieces. This would be something fun for the kiddos to do! After the pasta is broken, add the cup of rice and mix well. Set aside.

Using a large skillet, make sure you have a lid as you will be covering the rice shortly. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter on medium heat. Once melted add in rice vermicelli mix. Stirring frequently brown vermicelli. Refer to photos below if needed.

Add in chicken broth, concentrated broth packet, salt and dried parsley. Give it a good stir and wait for it to come to a boil. Once boiling turn heat down to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.

Serve and Enjoy!

Break up Vermicelli

Until it looks like this

Mix rice in

Add rice vermicelli mix to skillet with melted butter

You want it to look like this when browned

Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil

Turn heat to low and cover

After 15 minutes all liquid is absorbed