Elle Is For Living!: 2022

Elle's Easy Meatloaf - 2 Ways!

Some people like their meatloaf with a nice tomato glaze. Others prefer a gravy. I love both ways or, even better, both ways together! The stove top stuffing adds such beautiful spices and the mustard in the glaze adds the perfect amount of zing. This is such an easy recipe and, is the perfect size for us to have it for 3 meals, which I love. I do find that the gravy doesn't freeze well so I usually make fresh gravy to go with the leftovers.

Servings: 6

2 large eggs

1/2 cup water

6 ounce box Stove Top stuffing mix any flavor

2 pounds lean ground beef

1/4 cup ketchup

Tomato Glaze

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsps Worcestershire sauce

1 to 2 tsp yellow mustard (depending on how much 'zip' you like)

Mushroom Gravy (optional)

3 tbsp unsalted butter

¼ cup shallot chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

8 oz mushrooms sliced

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 cups beef stock

¼ tsp Kosher salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley fresh, for garnish, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13″ baking pan or dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and water together until well combined.

Add the stuffing mix, ground beef, and 1/4 cup of ketchup. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until well combined.

Transfer the meat to the baking dish and shape the meat into a loaf (or you can put it in a loaf pan for the shape and invert onto the 9 x 13 pan and remove the loaf pan if you want it to look prettier than hand shaping it)

Combine all ingredients for the glaze and brush the meatloaf evenly with the glaze.

Bake at 350°F for 55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then slice and serve with mushroom gravy (optional)

MUSHROOM GRAVY

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.

Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 2 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute.

Add the mushrooms and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and have released their liquids, about 8 minutes.

Whisk in the flour and stir to coat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the balsamic and then the stock. Use a whisk to incorporate the flour into the liquid. Slowly simmer and stir until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

Elle's Easy Homemade Mayonnaise

This is very easy and makes up the right amount that I can use it up within a few days and not have it go bad. SO much healthier than the mayonnaise that is out there made from seed / soybean oil. Just put it all in a jar, put the immersion blender on the bottom and, with it on, slowly bring it up as you watch it turn into 'mayo'! That's it.

¾ cup light olive oil

1 large egg

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (Optional)

Place light olive oil, egg, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Use a hand-held immersion blender to blend mixture together, placing the blade directly on top of the egg yoke. Pull up the immersion blender slowly when fully emulsified, taking care not to over blend. Store in a tightly closed container; refrigerate until using.

You can substitute avocado oil for olive oil, if desired

Elle's Killer Twice Baked Potatoes

These are seriously the BEST twice baked potatoes...at least Mark says so! I think it is the variety of cheeses that make the stuffing so creamy and rich. Let me know if you agree!

Ingredients

2 russet potatoes

1 wedge original laughing cow cheese

1 oz cream cheese

1/4 C shredded colby jack cheese

1/4 C shredded parmesan cheese

dash of garlic powder

bacon, optional

green onions

Pierce potatoes with a fork and cook in microwave till tender

Let cool

Cut off top (about 1/4") and then cut around the edge of the potato to scoop out the guts

Put the potato guts in a bowl and finely chop and then mince with a fork till smooth

Add remaining ingredients minus green onions

Stuff potato shells with filling and press green onions on top for a garnish

You can wrap at this point in saran wrap and foil and freeze. If frozen, pull the night beforehand and allow to thaw in the fridge

Put in oven or air fryer at 375F to 400F for 8 to 12 minutes or till cheese is melted and they are slightly brown and very hot

You can double, triple or adjust to whatever you want. All quantities are approximate but, the various cheeses are what make these so amazing. v

MaryEllen's 4 Ingredient Slow Cooker Pork Chops

My good friend MaryEllen gave me permission to post this. It is so easy and really good. Mark thinks he doesn't like pork chops but every time I make this he has to admit that he loves it! Easy and delicious and makes leftovers - you can't ask for more than that!

Servings: 4

4 pork chops dusted with s&p

1/2 packet brown gravy

1/2 packet onion soup mix

1 can cream soup (mushroom)

Mix all in crock pot

Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours till done

Sunday Chat: Reason For The Season

Saying, “Where is he

who has been born

king of the Jews?

For we saw his star

when it rose and

have come to worship him.”

Matthew 2:2

And behold,

the star they had seen

in the east went on before them,

until it came to rest

over the place where the Child was.

When they saw the star,

they rejoiced exceedingly

with great gladness.

Matthew 2:9-10

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government

shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

And when they had come into the house,

they saw the young Child

with Mary His mother,

and fell down

and worshiped Him.

And when they had opened

their treasures,

they presented gifts to Him:

gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11

Each one must give as

he has decided in his heart,

not reluctantly or under compulsion,

for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Every good gift and

every perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of lights

with whom there is no variation

or shadow due to change.

James 1:17

Give, and it will be given to you.

Good measure,

pressed down, shaken together,

running over, will be put into your lap.

For with the measure you use it

will be measured back to you.”

Luke 6:38

Whoever is generous to the poor

lends to the Lord,

and he will repay him for his deed.

Proverbs 19:17

In all things I have shown you

that by working hard in this way

we must help the weak and

remember the words of the Lord Jesus,

how he himself said,

‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Acts 20:35

Let your moderation

be known unto all men.

Philippians 4:5

If you have found honey,

eat only enough for you,

lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.

Proverbs 25:16

Jesus said to him,

“I am the way,

and the truth,

and the life.

No one comes to the Father

except through me.

John 14:6

Powdered Homemade DIY Laundry Soap

I haven't tried this recipe yet. I have all of the ingredients but am using up some store bought soap. I wanted to post this to ask if you have tried homemade soap and what did you think? I figured it would be a good thing to have these ingredients on hand in case their is a soap shortage. I like that it is a powder you add directly to the laundry, so you don't have to cook it down into a syrup. I have also heard that it cleans incredibly well. Let me know if you have tried DIY laundry soap and what you thought of it?

Ingredients

Bar of Zote or Ivory soap, grated

3 C borax 20 mule

3 C washing soda

Mix it all together in a large container, and store covered

Use 1/8 to 1/4 C per load

Easy 3 Ingredient Homemade Kombucha

Kombucha is so good for your gut health but, it can be expensive. This homemade kombucha is so easy and I always have it on hand as I drink it every day. It is only 3 ingredients (I don't count the water!) and really fast to make.

Scoby is the a living culture of yeast and bacteria that helps turn sweet tea into kombucha. A new or 'baby' SCOBY is produced each time you make kombucha (like sourdough). Your kombucha batch should lighten in color and develop a yeast smell.

Ingredients

8 C boiled water

6 teabags (black tea, green tea or ???)

2 C sugar

1 bottle of raw kombucha

1. Pour boiled water over top of teabags and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Let steep and cool. Pour into a large glass container with the bottle of kombucha. Cover with a teatowel (to keep out dust or bugs). You can put a rubber band around the tea towel to hold in place if desired. Put your jar of kombucha somewhere dark at room temperature to ferment. In about 7 to 10 days, you should see bubbles - this means your kombucha is brewing/fermenting and is ready to serve.

2. Drain off no more than half of your kombucha to clean glass jars (I use screw top wine bottles) and refrigerate for use. I love it plain over ice, with lemon or sometimes I add a drop of almond extract (yummy!)

3. To the remaining kombucha (in your original glass jar) repeat Step #1 but I only use 2 ingredients - water and teabags - each week and then also add sugar and raw kombucha every other month or so when you feel your SCOBY needs to be fed.

Sunday Chat: Your Prayers / This Crazy World

Lead me in your truth and teach me,

for you are the God of my salvation;

for you I wait all the day long.

Psalm 25:5

Those whom I love,

I reprove and discipline,

so be zealous and repent.

Revelation 3:19

Show me your ways, Lord,

teach me your paths.

Psalm 25:4

But for twenty-one days

the spirit prince of the

kingdom of Persia blocked my way.

Then Michael, one of the archangels,

came to help me,

and I left him there with the

spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.

Daniel 10:13

Many are the plans

in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the

Lord that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

“These things I have spoken unto you,

that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

For I know the plans I have for you,”

declares the Lord,

“plans to prosper you

and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

What has been is what will be,

and what has been done is

what will be done,

and there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

“After this time had passed, I,

Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven.

My sanity returned, and I praised

and worshiped the Most High

and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting,

and his kingdom is eternal.

Daniel 4:34

“Do not lay up for yourselves

treasures on earth,

where moth and rust destroy

and where thieves break in and steal,

but lay up for yourselves

treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust destroys

and where thieves do not

break in and steal.

For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

“Go into all the world and proclaim

the gospel to the whole creation.

Mark 16:15

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace,

the God whom we serve is able to save us.

He will rescue us from your power,

Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t,

we want to make it clear to you,Your Majesty,

that we will never serve your gods or

worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Daniel 3:17-18

I have told you all this so

that you may have peace in me.

Here on earth you will have

many trials and sorrows.

But take heart,

because I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

In every thing give thanks:

for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

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