First Family Dinner Home!!!

We missed you Daddy!

While Grant was gone, every night we spoke on phone he told me about the frozen dinners he was making (well, except the nights he went out to eat).  I was lucky to go and visit him, and while I was there I did my best with 2 burners and a microwave (I even pulled off Lobster Risotto one night!), but I promised him some good home cooking when he got home.  When talking to him yesterday on the, he said he was really looking forward to family dinners, sitting at the kitchen table, talking with the boy, etc, so for his first night home I decided to make your classic family dinner, Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans.

Lobster Risotto I made in FL

Of course I can't make just the basics though, lol!  It will be turkey meat loaf, a rosemary gravy, cream cheese mashed potatoes, and green beans with a balsamic glaze.

Turkey Meat Loaf:

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup of chopped onion (yellow or white)
1 clove of garlic, grated
evoo (extra virgin olive oil)
salt and pepper
splash of chicken stock
tsp of tomato paste
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
tsp dijon mustard
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
generous amount Worcester Sauce

Heat a skillet on med heat.  Add a decent drizzle of evoo, then toss in the onion, stir about a min, then the garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme.  Cook until the onions are translucent, then add the mustard, chicken stock, tomato paste, and a generous amount of Worcester (I LOVE THIS FLAVOR!)  Mix this all together, then remove from heat and allow to cool.

Combine the onion mix with egg, turkey, and cheese, then form into a loaf.  Cook at 350 for about 45 mins.  Allow to rest before slicing and serving.

Rosemary Gravy

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
sprig of fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
1 cup chicken stock
splash of pinot noir

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over med heat. While butter is melting, chop the rosemary, then add it to the butter and cook down about 5 mins.  Add the flour to make a "rue".  Deglaze the pan with the splash of wine, making sure to get all the scrapings from the side.  Add the chicken stock and stir until gravy is a smooth consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

1 lb russet potatoes peeled, cut, and cooked
about a cup of milk
2 blocks of low fat cream cheese (room temp)
1/2 stick of butter
tsp garlic powder
seasoned salt and pepper


In a large mixing bowl, mix the potatoes on med high speed, slowly mix in the milk until the right texture (that is totally up to you, some prefer thick taters, some thin or whipped, I like mine in the middle).  Chop the cream cheese and add a few cubes at a time.  Follow with the butter, using the same method.  Once it is blended, add the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Once fully mixed, transfer to buttered casserole dish and bake at 350 for about 20 mins.

Green Beans with Balsamic Glaze

I decided to go easy on these!

1 bag or frozen french style green beans
evoo
Trader Joe's Balsamic Glaze
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a large skillet on med heat, drizzle evoo 2 times around the pan, add the green beans and cook trough.  Remove to a serving plate, drizzle glaze, and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle parm cheese and you are good to go!

finished dinner!