Since I worked yesterday, I made no plans for Easter, but that didn't stop me from playing E. Bunny to Firstborn and taking him some home-cooked food. Life is pricey right now and I know that he is not cooking for himself.
So I put years of practice into play and made a big meal I could portion out in containers for his freezer. Calamity Anne's Meatloaf, Arkansas Green Beans, and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes. I also threw a pork butt into the crockpot overnight, and I baked up the rest of the freezer cookies.
Then I had a pulled pork sammie with him when he got off work! We might be scattered around, and work opposite schedules, but I can carve out time to feed my peeps a meal now and again. Years of taking care of a home full of people has been good training, I guess. Here are the recipes:
Calamity Anne's Meatloaf: 2 lbs ground chuck, 2 eggs, 2 c. Italian breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup milk, 1T. creamed horseradish, 1/4 c. ketchup, a generous squirt of Worchestershire, S&P, and garlic powder. 1 hours at 350, drain the excess grease, top loaf with 1/2 c. ketchup mixed with some brown sugar and let it bake another 10 minutes.
Arkansas Green Beans: I used 4 cans green beans, drained. Melt half a stick of butter with 5 T. of soy sauce, 2/3 c. brown sugar, and 1 1/2 t. garlic powder. Toss it all with the beans. Pour into a baking dish. Top with 8-10 slices cooked and chopped bacon, and cook with the meatloaf for about 40 minutes. Stir every so often while cooking.
Mashed potatoes - I boil peeled russet potatoes 'til tender, then mash with butter, salt and pepper, a splash of milk, and some sour cream until I get the consistency I want. Sometimes I add cheese, green onions, garlic salt - you name it.
Pork Butt - I made a rub with brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, red pepper, and S&P. I plopped it into the crockpot, squeezed a lime over it all, and set it to low while I went to bed. I think it cooked a total of 10 hours. Then I poured the fat off the drippings, shredded the meat, and reduced the pot drippings in a small saucepot 'til they were reduced by about half to pour over the meat.
Cookies - right here
Typing all this out made me hungry!
Gina
9 comments:
What a great thing to do for your peep! It all looked delicious.
Hi Gina - thanks for stopping by my blog this morning. I was just in the process of reading your blog. Funny how that happens! I really like your idea of making a big meal...and then portioning it out. I get so bogged down on trying to make meals for one or two. Silly. I know my husband would love that meatloaf. Might have to make that tonight or tomorrow - thanks!
Mmm, good recipes. I made a fairly traditional Easter dinner and sent meals home with my daughter, ham and buns with sister, and froze a large portion of ham. We'll eat balance of leftovers over next few days and I'll freeze the ham bone with remnants for a future soup. I still have a big portion of frozen bean soup from Christmas ham in the freezer.
Aw, I'm sure he LOVED it!
An Easter Bunny "basket" for a (hungry) grown up!! What a great idea.
I started packing meals for freezer when our family was young. When the freezer got full I took them 3 hours to my mom's house. She loved it, as I'm sure your #1 son does! Thanks for sharing the recipes!
That's so wonderful and I am sure he loved it all.
-Soma
You're such a caring Mom!!! I have no doubt that your son was very happy for the great food.
All sounds so yummy!
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