Tag Archives: paula deen

Eating

Monstrously delicious

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Because Amy had a totally awesome weekend ahead of her, she chose a relatively easy and portable recipe for this week’s Recipe Roulette. It’s another Paula Deen offering, and it’s a really tasty one. The Monster Cookies don’t have any flour in them, so as far as I can tell they’re safe for the wheat-free crowd. They’re packed with M&Ms and chocolate chips, which could make them my very favorite cookie of all time. If I didn’t already have a favorite cookie of all time. Even so, they are El Yum, and I’d suggest you make them as soon as possible.

Monster Cookies
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins, optional
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

Eating, recipes

How could she not make a great meatloaf?

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Amy and I used the random number generator to pick this week’s Recipe Roulette meal from one of Amy’s Paula Deen cookbooks. Incidentally, I’m pretty sure that I thought it was Dean — not Deen — and I’d be willing to bet there are more than a few Paula Dean references to be found here.

Anyway, the RNG was in the mood for meatloaf. We’ve been known to take down a meatloaf, but I wasn’t all that excited by Paula’s Aunt Peggy’s ingredient list. It’s a pretty basic meatloaf, and I like my meatloaf to be a little spicy. I have to say, though: It’s an outstanding basic meatloaf recipe. It was moist, and the glaze had a nice flavor that was just a skosh away from being cloyingly sweet. (In other words, it was my idea of a perfect glaze.)

The moral of the story is, I guess, don’t judge a meatloaf by its lack of chipotle peppers. Or something like that.

Aunt Peggy’s Old-Fashioned Meatloaf
1 pound ground beef
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped Vidalia onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, tomato paste, onion, green pepper, oats, egg, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into a loaf and place it in a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Slather the glaze on top of the meatloaf and bake for 1 hour or until the meatloaf is firm and cooked all the way through. Serve hot.