Save Time With These Six Great Recipes. One Hundred Foods That Make You Look Older. Start the Day Off Right With Smoothies! 100 Days of Holidays: Our Pumpkin Obsession Starts. The ever popular ‘Healthy Chicken Dinners in 30 Minutes.’ Just a few of the recipe-related emails to land in my in-box one night this week. And I didn’t even delve into the blackhole of Pinterest, smartphone apps or the flashing web advertisements that send me deep into the cookbook abyss.
I’ll admit it: I am a recipe hoarder. I am addicted to creating happiness in the oven, or on the stovetop. Admitting it is only the first step to sanity; one which I, unfortunately have not gotten past. In my home there are accordion folders and shoe boxes stuffed beyond full and every computer in the house has recipe files and folders and bookmarked cooking websites. Technology is feeding my recipe obsession, and I refuse to believe I am alone.  Am I wrong?
Casually asking around the office, I learn our little workgroup is all over the kitchen table when it comes to cooking. 
“Who’s interested in sharing a recipe or two,” I asked. “Something that you LOVE to prepare, and are proud to serve..?” 
Silence.
Anybody? 
“Ehhhh… I can’t really think of anything,” was the response of one co-worker who shall remain nameless for her own protection. 
Hmmmm. This could prove more challenging than unsubscribing from my favorite foodie newsletters. But I forge ahead. A few more noncommittal responses and bingo! Email gold. Account Representative Susie Gawriluk writes that she is a late bloomer to the cooking scene, having lived in large cities surrounded by amazing restaurants.
“I never understood my mother’s cookbook collecting until I moved here” Susie continued, “She had over 200  recipes torn out from newspapers and magazines.”
Susie sent a recipe for meatloaf  that she loves. “It’s easy for a working person, and if you love mushrooms, the gravy absolutely makes the dish.” As an added bonus, Susie adds, “my husband never liked meatloaf before!”
On a roll, I turn to another recipe addict, knowing she would give me what I craved: a pinch of this, a dash of that.
“For over a year now, my husband Bill and I have been having dinner night at our house with my cousin, her husband and their daughter,” said Circulation Supervisor Cathy Oelrich. “We use that night to make larger meals that we normally couldn’t have with just the two of us, or to try out new recipes.”
I knew I could count on Cathy!
“It’s also a night to visit and just enjoy each other’s company,” Cathy continued. “I cherish our weekly dinners, as I enjoy cooking and spending time with them. One of our favorite meals which is one that was a favorite of mine growing up, is Porcupine Meatballs.” 
And so begins another era in the Star Journal recipe column. I look forward to talking with enthusiastic cooks, excellent and mediocre cooks, recipe collectors, and anyone who shares my obsession with spreading happiness through food. Please feel free to contact me ([email protected]) if you or someone you know would be perfect for this column.

Best Meat Loaf
Susie Gawriluk
1/3 c packaged unseasoned bread crumbs
1/3 c milk
2 lbs grnd meat mix (beef, pork & veal the best)
1 onion chopped
1 carrot trimmed, peeled, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 egg
1/4 grated Parmesan
1 tb soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 slices bacon (opt)
Gravy (this makes it)
3-4 tb flour
1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth
1 can (3oz) sliced mushrooms or dried shitakes plumped up
Combine crumbs and milk in bowl, let stand until milk’s absorbed, 10 min.
Place meat, onion, carrot, celery, egg, Parm chs, soy, gar powder, salt, pepper and soaked crumb mix in large bowl. With wet hands, mix or with potato masher.
Divide mixture in half, form into loaf, wrap in plastic wrap & freeze up to 3 mos if you want. To cook: thaw loaves overnight.
Heat oven to 375, coat roasting pan w/nonstick spray. Place 2 slices of bacon lengthwise over each loaf, put in pan and bake for 50-55 min. or until temp is 160. Remove loaves to platter, cover w/foil, keep warm.
Pour all but 2 tbs drippings out of pan, sprinkle flour over drippings, over medium heat, cook, stir 1 min. Gradually whisk in broth, scraping up brown bits, bring to boil, cook for 4 min. or until thick, add mushrooms, place over low heat until heated thru, pour over meat loaves and voila!

Italian Meatballs
Cathy Oelrich
1 lb ground meat (I use ground venison, but any type will work)
1/3 – 1/2 cup minute rice, uncooked
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1-2 eggs
seasoning (you can use what you typically season meat with, or certain blends depending on what type of meatball you’d like)
 16 ounce can spaghetti sauce

Cream of Mushroom Meat Balls
1 lb ground meat 
1/3 – 1/2 cup minute rice, uncooked
1-2 eggs
seasoning (you can use what you typically season meat with, or certain blends depending on what type of meatball you’d like)
2   8 ounce cans cream of mushroom soup (16 oz total)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  The leaner the meat, the more egg you’ll need.  If using an extra large or jumbo egg, one will be plenty.
Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.  
Roll meatballs into balls.  You can make them as small or large as you’d like.  I usually get 24-28 out of 1 pound making 2 inch or so meatballs.
For one pan, I roll the meatballs in an Italian bread crumb then put them into a baking dish.
For the other pan, I just roll meatballs and put them into the baking dish.
Bake 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the meatballs.  I try and turn them once during cooking.  
When cooked, add 1 can spaghetti sauce to the Italian breadcrumb pan and bake for another 5 minutes, to warm the sauce.
To the plain meatballs, add the two cans of cream of Mushroom soup and bake another 5 minutes to warm the soup.
Meatballs can be served over egg noodles, rice, anything you’d prefer!  

Twist My Arm Melt in Your Mouth Lemon Bars
Eileen Persike

Crust:
2 C all purpose flour
1 C butter (2 sticks) softened, no substitutions
½ C powdered sugar

Filling:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 C sugar
4 Tbsp flour
6 Tbsp lemon juice

Frosting:
½ C butter, softened
1 C powdered sugar
1 t milk
2 Tbsp cold water

Directions:
Mix crust ingredients with fork as you would for a pie crust. Pat into a 9×13 pan which has been greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
As crust is baking, mix filling. After crust has baked 15 minutes, pour filling over crust and continue baking an additional 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Make frosting by beating butter, powdered sugar and milk 6-8 minutes on high speed of an electric mixer. Then add 2 Tbsp cold water, one at a time. Beat until smooth. Spread over cooled bars.

Hash brown quiche
Timi Eckes
Crust:
3 c. frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
¼ c. melted butter

Filling:
½ c. shredded cheese
Chopped broccoli or other vegetables, cooked and drained
Chopped bacon, ham or other meat
4 eggs
½ c. milk
½ tsp. salt

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 425^o. Line the bottom and sides of an ungreased pie plate with the potatoes. Drizzle the melted butter over the potatoes. Bake the crust for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly browned. (The crust may be made the night before.)
To make the filling, preheat the oven to 350^o. Layer the cheese on the crust, then top with the broccoli and the ham or bacon. Beat together the eggs, milk and salt and pour the egg mixture evenly over the meat and vegetables. Bake about 30 minutes or until set.
This is a good brunch dish, but it’s also an easy supper.