Walter Burgers

• 1 lb of ground pork
• 2 lbs of ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 lb of bacon (cooked and chopped)
• 3 green onions (chopped)
• 1 package of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
• 1/4 cup of Worcestershire Sauce (or more as needed)
• Spices: garlic and onion powder, Tony's, salt & pepper (I used about 2 tbsp a piece)

Combine the above ingredients and form into large patties. I must say that before I form the patties I actually smell the meat. I want to smell the Worcestershire Sauce and the Tony's. If you can, leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. If you are going to leave them overnight, do not salt the meat. It will dry it out.
Grill and enjoy!

I served the burgers with hot links, down home (green onion) sausage, my famous tater salad, and bbq baked beans. I made a tri-color tater salad this time. It was very pretty :)

Elvis Ooey Gooey Cake

Bottom Layer

• 1 package of yellow cake mix
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp of cocoa (disregard if you use devil's cake mix in lieu of yellow)

Combine the above ingredients and mix well. Pat lightly into a greased/floured 13x9. Set aside. Prepare the filling.

Top Layer (filling)

• 1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese (softened at room temp)
• 3 eggs
• 1 stick of room temp butter
• 1/2 cup of crunchy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 2 tbsp of cocoa
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1 box of powdered sugar
• 1 whole banana (smashed)

Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix. Add the peanut butter and honey, mix. Add the banana and cocoa, mix. Add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over the cake mixture. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes then drop it down to 325 for 10-15 minutes longer. The center will be gooey so do not over bake. Top with cool whip. Enjoy!

Hamburger Helper Night (Sketti)

Can I just say...Hamburger Helper has "saved" me on weeknights!!! My son LOVES the Spaghetti Hamburger Helper. Follow the directions and enjoy!

Chicken Fried Steak with Mashed taters and Corn

Chicken Fried Steak

• 4 beef cutlets
• 1 cup of flour
• 2 tbsp of oil
• Spices: lemon pepper, Tony's, garlic & onion powder

Season both sides of the cutlet's with the spices then dredge both sides in the flour. Heat your oil in a medium size skillet on median high. Make sure your skillet/oil is hot. Cook both sides until golden brown. About 5-6 minutes per side. DO NOT over cook. It will be too dry.

Since the chicken fried steak and mashed taters take a while..I cheated on the gravy. McCormick Country gravy mix. Follow the directions on the back and enjoy! I also had wonderful buttery yeast rolls with this as well. Yummo!

Sunday Meatloaf with Mashed Taters and Sweet Peas

Meatloaf

• 2 lbs of ground beef
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp  Heinz 57
• 1 tbsp Grey Poupon Mustard
• 6 tbsp of Ketchup (divided)
• 1/4 cup of chopped sweet yellow onion
• 2 slices of toasted white bread (chopped "fine" in a food processor)
• 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning (Tony's)
• 1 tsp salt & pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
• 4 tbsp of petite style "canned" tomatoes (divided)

In a large bowl, mix all of the above ingredients until well blended, reserving 2 tbsp of petite tomatoes and 4 tbsp of the ketchup for the top. Shape the mixture into a "football". I use a 9x9 Pyrex baking dish. Once you have a nice "shape", spread 4 tbsp of the reserved ketchup and tomatoes on the top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Take it out of the oven, pour off all the grease and drippings. At this point I usually add about 2 more squirts of ketchup to the top. Pop it back in the oven for 10 more minutes. Let is rest for 5 minutes and serve.

Tomato Gravy

• the rest of your canned petite tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1 cup of chicken broth or water
• salt & pepper to taste

Now, normally I would have FRESH summer tomatoes for this but I've already used them this winter. In a large skillet cook the oil and flour for about 7-9 minutes (roux). Your looking for a "peanut butter" color. Then add your tomatoes. BE CAREFUL, it will be HOT! Using a tater masher, mash the tomatoes and then add your chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Add more liquid if you want a thinner gravy and mash your tomatoes more if you do not like a chunky gravy. Cook for about 5-7 more minutes and serve.

Mashed Taters

• 8-9 medium size Yukon Potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 small can of evaporated milk
• 1/2 a stick of "room temp" butter
• salt & pepper

Boil potatoes until fork tender, drain, put them back in the same pot you cooked them in, add the butter, milk, salt, and pepper, mix with a hand mixer or potato masher until fluffy. Lumpy or not, your call :)

Sweet Peas

• 1 large family style sweet peas (early peas)
• 2 tbsp of butter

Open can, add butter, heat it up, serve :)

Dessert: A wonderful Brookshires Valentine's Chocolate Cake...Delish!!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! Go kiss someone and make their day :)

Twinkie Dessert

• 1 box of twinkie's
• 1 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 1 1/2 cup of sliced bananas
• 1 large box of instant vanilla pudding
• 3 cups of cold milk
• 1 large tub of cool whip
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans

This recipe can be made with skim milk, fat free cool whip, and reduced fat twinkies :)


Whisk the milk and pudding until combined and put it in the fridge to "set". In a medium size bowl, sprinkle the strawberries with the sugar, mix, and set aside. This makes the strawberries nice and sweet. Slice your twinkies in half and layer icing side up in a 9x13 baking dish. Layer the pudding mixture on top of the twinkies then the sweetened strawberries and slice bananas. Top with cool whip and sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  Easy and delish!



Chicken Pot Pie Soup with dumplings and a Simple dessert

• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 4 cups of milk (you can use skim milk)
• 1 cup of water
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 chicken bouillons
• pinch of thyme
• 10 oz frozen veggies (I use the soup mix)
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (small)
• 16 oz of chicken breast, diced small
• 1 tsp of EVOO
• 1 tbsp of Tonys & lemon pepper
• salt & pepper (fresh ground pepper)
• 2 cups of biscuit mix (jiffy)
• 2/3 cup of milk
• 1 tbsp of dried parsley

Create a slurry by combing the 1/2 cup of cold water with the flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Season your diced chicken with salt, pepper, tony's, and lemon pepper. Pour the EVOO in a medium size skillet and cook the chicken with the garlic and shallot until the chicken is no longer pink. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven/pot, bring your milk, water, and chicken broth to a slow boil. Add the frozen veggies, chicken bullion, thyme, fresh pepper, and potatoes. Bring it back to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the chicken mixture and the slurry to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes. Combine the biscuit mix with 2/3 cup of milk and drop by teaspoon full into the pot and let it cook for another 20 minutes until the dumplings are done. I add a little tony's to my biscuit mix. Add salt to taste and sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy! I served this with jiffy cornbread.

For dessert I made just a simple yellow cake layered with chocolate pudding and topped with light cool whip.

• 1 box of jiffy yellow cake mix
• 1 box of cook and serve chocolate jello pudding
• 1 medium container of light cool whip

Follow the directions on the jiffy box and the jello pudding. I used 1% milk for the pudding. Layer and serve. Yummy and low fat!