stolen moments cooking — Cooking During Stolen Moments

Italian Meatloaf Patties

November 2, 2010 By Kate Leave a Comment

I think meatloaf gets an undeserved bad rap a lot of times. Personally, I can’t think of anything more comforting than a really good and well-made meatloaf. And to me, a really good meatloaf all comes down to proportions of meat vs. loaf. More meat and less loaf is definitely the way to go.

We all really enjoy a traditional meatloaf or meatloaf cups. It usually makes an appearance on our dinner table once a month. While the girls and I enjoy the meatloaf just as it is, my husband and son seem to think that meatloaf is nothing more than a vehicle for ketchup. But I’ve learned to be okay with that because they definitely eat it up!

As much as traditional meatloaf is enjoyed, I do still like to mix things up a bit. That’s where meatloaf patties come in. They are made with all the same ingredients as meatloaf, but they are shaped into patties and cooked on the stove. They get nice and crisp on the outside while still maintaining that nice, moist texture inside. And cooking time is only about 20 minutes, making them super friendly on a busy night. I like to assemble the patties in the morning when I have a few spare minutes (yes, during those stolen moments). Then I cook them right before we eat while I finish up any side dishes. (I previously shared a recipe for Taco Meatloaf Patties for another fun twist.)

These Italian Meatloaf Patties are loaded with flavor. They are perfect served alongside spaghetti with marinara sauce.

Italian Meatloaf Patties

1/2 small green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
3 T. tomato paste
1 egg
1 T. Italian seasoning
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes
Sliced mozzarella cheese, optional

1. Pile the green pepper, onion and garlic on a cutting board and finely mince. (NOTE – This step can be skipped if desired. Personally, I like the flavor and not the texture, so that’s why I mince them.)

2. Combine veggies, ground beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, tomato paste, egg and seasonings. Work together with your hands or a spoon until fully incorporated.

3. Form mixture into 6 evenly sized oval patties.

4. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add patties and brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip patties, reduce heat to medium and cover skillet. Cook for about another 15 minutes, until fully cooked. If desired, remove cover and place mozzarella cheese slices on top of patties 5 minutes before cook time is finished. Cover skillet again and allow cheese to melt while the patties finish cooking.

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Sesame-Garlic Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry

May 26, 2009 By Kate 6 Comments

Stir fries are one of my favorite easy dishes. They come together so quickly and the options and variety are virtually limitless. Plus, in the summer time, I’ve found that they often taste just as good cold as they do hot. Sort of like a stir-fry salad. So since I’m already making the dish early in the day, stolen moments style, I have the option at dinner time to heat it up or serve it cold. And sometimes, a few of us will have it cold while the others will have it warm. This versatility definitely works for me.

Sesame & Garlic Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry

1/2 c. tahini
1/3 c. tamari or soy sauce
1/4 c. sesame oil (other oils will work in a pinch)
2 T. rice wine or cider vinegar
1 T. minced garlic
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 T. olive oil or canola oil
1 bag frozen California Mix veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
1 c. frozen peas
1 lb. cooked soba noodles, wheat spaghetti or plain spaghetti
2 T. toasted sesame seeds

1. In a small bowl, combine tahini, tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, garlic and red pepper flakes. Whisk until smooth.

2. Salt and pepper chicken to taste. Cook in a large skillet with a tablespoon of oil. Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from skillet. Add the frozen vegetables and cook about 10 minutes.

3. While the veggies cook, dice or shred the chicken. Once the veggies are cooked, add the chicken back to the skillet. Then add the cooked noodles. Stir to combine.

4. Stir in the tahini sauce mix until everything is covered with sauce. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Serve cold or warm. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of each serving just before eating.

*To toast sesame seeds, place in a small, dry skillet over low heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, shaking the pan often.

For more WFMW, visit We Are THAT Family.

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Another Trick In Easing Dinnertime Stress

January 13, 2009 By Kate 10 Comments

With little kids who like to shovel food in their mouths (which, in our family at least, has a tendency to lead to choking), it’s often necessary to cut their food for them before they eat. This used to take a long time, especially when eating spaghetti or something similar.

However, that was before I discovered the genius of kitchen shears.

Now, I use kitchen shears to whip through a bowl or plate of food for the kids in just seconds. A few snips through everything and it’s good to go.
Kitchen shears also come in handy when cutting fresh herbs or homemade pasta. I like to roll out the pasta and just run the scissors through the dough quickly. In fact, there are endless ways to use these wonderful things.

But because I’m all about making dinner time as low stress as possible, that’s the best thing about the scissors in my book. My hungry children really don’t want to wait for me to use a knife and fork to neatly cut their food into bite-sized pieces. Fortunately, they don’t have to!

Find more kitchen tips here and more tackle-it Tuesday here.