Author: charles

Slow-cooked meatloaf topped with caramelized onions and melted Swiss cheese. Like French onion soup in meatloaf form!

Hearty Meatloaf Base

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

French Onion Magic

• 2 large onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup beef broth

Melty Swiss Topping

• 12 – 8 slices Swiss cheese

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, milk, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together gently but thoroughly – you want it well combined but not overworked!
2. Shape the mixture into a beautiful loaf and place it right in your crockpot. This is going to be the most tender, flavorful meatloaf you’ve ever made!
3. In a pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add your sliced onions. Cook them slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until they’re golden, soft, and absolutely gorgeous. This is where the French onion magic happens!
4. Once your onions are beautifully caramelized, stir in the beef broth and let it absorb into those sweet, golden onions. The smell is going to be incredible!
5. Spoon all those amazing caramelized onions and that flavorful broth right over the meatloaf in the crockpot. This is going to infuse so much flavor as it cooks!
6. Cover and slow cook on low for 6-8 hours until the meatloaf is completely cooked through and tender. The slow cooking makes it incredibly moist and flavorful!
7. About 10 minutes before serving, layer those Swiss cheese slices on top of the meatloaf and let them melt into golden, bubbly perfection. This is the finishing touch that makes it absolutely divine!
8. Serve this beautiful meatloaf warm, topped with all that melted Swiss cheese and those incredible caramelized onions. It’s comfort food at its absolute finest!

Recipe by Doris Brewster

1 lbs Round Steak, cut into 1/2” strips
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sherry
4 tbsp Cornstarch
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Ginger
Salad Oil

2 Bell Peppers, cut into strips
2 Small Onions, sliced
2 small Tomatoes, wedged
1 tsp Salt
3 cups Cooked Rice

In a large skillet combine Steak, Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Salad Oil, Sherry, Cornstarch, Sugar and Ginger. Set aside.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, with 2 tsp Salad Oil, cook Bell Peppers, Onions and Salt. Sauté until tender but crisp. Set aside.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, with 3 tbsp Salad Oil, add meat and stir fry until brown, stir in vegetables, simmer.

Serve over hot Rice.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 eggs 
• 1 can Enchilada Sauce, divided in half
• 1 1/2 Bell Pepper, diced
• 1/2 Small Onion, diced
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  Set aside 1/4 can of the enchilada sauce.
• Combine all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well blended but don’t overwork the meat.
• Place in a greased glass loaf pan and shale into a loaf.
• Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until an internal temperature of 160° is reached.
• At the last 10 minutes of baking time, pour the reserved enchilada sauce over the top of the loaf.
  

These days restaurants serve such large portions. We’re rarely able to finish our dinners, particularly when they load a plate up with delicious French fries.
The question is, what do you do with all these leftover French fries?

We find leftovers to be an inspiration, a challenge, to make something creative with an unusual ingredient.

I love split pea soup. My favorite is the thick, Dutch version they serve on Holland America Line’s Alaskan cruises. But their version is complicated and it’s not vegetarian. I really like Anderson’s as well. Anderson’s recipe is the polar opposite of Holland’s it’s very simple, focusing on the basics and it’s vegan.

But, I want to make a recipe that’s Charles’ Signature Pea Soup.

The best way to make a recipe your own is to start with the most basic version and modify it to your liking. That what I’m doing with my pea soup. I studied dozens of split pea soup recipes and they all have the basics in common – three cups of mirepoix, a tablespoon of herbs and seasonings, a pound of split peas and water. What makes each version different is what they add to the basic recipe.

Once you make the basic recipe, taste it, make notes and write a new recipe with some changes. Then do it again, and again. Repeat until you have your signature recipe.

Basic Split Pea Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrot
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 lbs split peas
• 6 cups water

• Set Multicooker to high sauté and add olive oil
• Once hot, add onions, celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Cook until softened
• Add curry, stir until well mixed
• Add peas, stir until they’re coated
• Add water, give it all a good stir
• Put on the lid and set the Multicooker to pressure cook for 15 minutes
• After the 15 minutes, allow it to naturally depressurize for at least 15 minutes
• Stir and taste. Add salt as necessary
• Enjoy!