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I love heavy, creamy, buttery casseroles – I really do, but the older I get, the more I realize how all the extra calories are affecting my body… This Lighter Tuna Casserole is a nice twist on an American classic and makes for a great family meal.  Serve baked, with just an hour of combined cook and prep time, or just serve tossed in about 40 minutes.

A casserole is a great go-to if you want something for a simple and fairly quick family meal that yields plenty of leftovers.  Mother often made a batch of tuna casserole for those hectic midweek school nights.  I enjoyed it then and still make it for myself often.  When I came across this lightened recipe, I was eager to try it to see how it compared to the original, and I was very satisfied with the results.

Adapted recipe and photo courtesy of  Gimme Some Oven.

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Quick tip: Use your favorite noodles for this recipe.

This Classic American Meatloaf is a winner as a main dish in a hearty, home-cooked meal. When you do it right, you can’t really go wrong with a classic, and this recipe gets it right, all the way. The savory beef flavor and soft, sweet topping are sure to be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

One of Mother’s lighter meals (“lighter” being a bit of a relative term–her suppers were famous for being rich and filled with numerous sides, in generous portions) was meatloaf just like this, served with creamy mashed potatoes and juicy green beans. I rarely resisted having a second slice of meatloaf when we had it (and a second helping of green beans–the way that she boiled them with bacon, pepper, and just a modest helping of chopped sweet yellow onion was just heavenly). Even when I was really little, I couldn’t really understand why so many people thought that meatloaf was bland, boring, or “blah.” I guess that they never really had meatloaf the way that she made it.

Mother was very much a “dash of this, splash of that” sort of cook who often experimented, frequently tossed away parts of recipes that she didn’t think would work, and rarely measured unless it was a recipe that demanded great precision (such as a cake baked from scratch). This was great when you had the opportunity to watch her at her craft and have her hands-on guidance but not so great if you were trying to replicate her dishes independently. I think that this recipe captures her version of meatloaf rather well.

Recipe courtesy of Cool Home Recipes

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Quick tip: Serve with mashed potatoes!

No, this sinful creation isn’t healthy in the slightest, but don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it! This Rochester Garbage Plate is a perfect go-to when you have to feed your meat and starch fix. Boy, is it good!

I was brought up in the Deep South cooking tradition, and I love my gourmet creations. But I enjoy exploring what other regions have to offer, and now and then, I just want to indulge in some earthy, down-home fare. I came across this Garbage Plate recipe, and it looked perfect for feeding that primal meat-and-starch craving that even the most refined chefs and food lovers have now and then. And the wry humorist in me thought that it would be great to go around saying, “I ate Garbage today; you should try some, too!”

I know better than to set my expectations TOO high on such a dish, famous or not, and the word “garbage” is in the name, haha, but let’s just say that I was pleasantly surprised by the results. The accolades that this regional dish received from the Food Network and the Travel Channel were well deserved, it seems.

Recipe developed by Heather Homemade

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Quick Tip: I always add a bit of red pepper flakes to the sauce!