Apple pastries (pateuri cu mere)

I love pastries! And I especially love that I don't have to make the dough from scratch! Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets are just perfect! While this is a desert recipe, keep in mind that you can get as creative as you want with these,: change up the filling (for a different desert) or just turn them into appetizers altogether with a spinach and (soy or cow) cheese, ground meat filling, or anything your heart desires!

Ingredients:

-1 package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets
(2 sheets)

-5-6 medium freshly grated apples

-1/2 cup raisins

-1 tsp vanilla essence

-1/3 cup margarine (or butter if you prefer)

-1/2 cup dark brown sugar

-1 lightly beaten egg (or egg beaters)

Preparation:

Follow thawing instructions for the pastry sheets. Cook grated apples in margarine and brown sugar on medium heat until soft (about 10 mins or less), then add raisins and vanilla, mix well and set to cool.  Preheat oven to 400F.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry sheets. Brush the sheet with the egg wash and gently spread the apple mixture  to cover the whole surface of the sheet. Carefully roll the sheet and cut 1/2-1 in slices. Place slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 30 mins or so until the pastries are flaky and golden.

Meatloaf

I never knew that meatloaf can have a bad reputation... so when a friend posted a recipe on her blog and praised it as the best meatloaf she'd every had (while emphasizing that meatloaf can be such a bland and ordinary dish (?)) I jumped at the opportunity to try it. I first made it a couple of years ago and since then only a couple of more times for easy-to-guess reasons: we try to avoid fatty meats/foods. But hey, once in a while it's ok to indulge, especially with how I've adapted the recipe (I think.)

Ingredients:-2 lb (quantity varies based on the how many servings you need to make) of lean ground beef. **Warning: IF YOU WANT TO BE REALLY GOOD AND ENJOY THE SAME YUMMY TASTE AND WORRY LESS ABOUT THE FAT CONTENT OF THIS DISH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE GROUND TURKEY!**
-1 cup of bread crumb (ordinary or panko) or crashed saltine crackers (I use the latter)
-1 TBP of Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 cup of ketchup
-1 cup of Newman's marinara sauce
-1/4 cup BBQ sauce
-1/2 cup diced red onion or green onion if you prefer
-1 cup of cut-up fresh spinach
-1/4 bunch of fresh cilantro
-1/4 bunch of fresh parsley (you can stick to either the cilantro or parsley if you're not a big fan of herbs, but we are so we went for both)
-1/2 cup brown sugar.
- 1egg (or egg beaters)
- salt, pepper,  paprika, and garlic poweder for seasoning.
-1 TBP olive oil

Preparation:
Dice up the red/green onion finely and sautee for a few minutes in the oil. Cut up the fresh herbs and spinach and mix along with the sauteed onion into the beef. Add bread crumbs or crushed saltines, and egg. Season mixture with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika (you can really add your favorite seasonings.)
Mix the brown sugar, ketchup, marinara, and bbq sauce (and some water) to make the sauce and then pour only 1/3 on the bottom of the pan. Mold the mixture into the "mighty" meatloaf shape and put it to rest in the pan. Cover with remaining sauce. Place the pan in a 350F pre-heated oven and let it cook for about 45-50 mins, checking with a meat thermoter until the meat reaches the proper temp (170F for beef.) Obviously it can take less or longer based on the quantity you're making. I just check with the thermometer and look for when there's only clear liquid coming out of the meatloaf. Serve with your favorite side dish. We serve it with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, or rice. Bon Appetite!