Mexican Meatloaf and Fruit Smoothie Recipes

There’s no place like home. Eating out is fun and I enjoy doing it as much as the next person. However, after two weeks of dining out at least once a day while on vacation, I’m burned out on restaurants and it’s been a welcome change to come home and cook again. But before I could start making meals for my family at home again, I had to head to the store to grab some ingredients.

Some might say our family has a bit of an addiction to everyday dairy products. As much as I’d like to drink it black, my coffee has to have creamer in it. Milk most days or a flavored creamer when I feel like splurging. There’s always yogurt and at least three kinds of cheese in fridge at all times. Dairy addicts. So, while I still had quite a bit in the freezer I was running short of refrigerated items since we’d be gone for so long.

To beat the heat and humidity, I decided to cool down and treat myself to a frosty smoothie after spending so much of the day shopping. I love smoothies as a quick way to ensure you get more fruit and protein into your family’s diet.

Orange Raspberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1 container Chobani Raspberry Yogurt
• 1/2 c. Simply Orange Juice
• 1 T. Coffeemate Sweet Cream Creamer
• 1 1/2 c. ice

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to blender,  use the low or smoothie setting until you no longer hear ice grinding and drink is smooth.
2. Serve immediately.

Unfortunately I only made one serving of this delicious smoothie because both girls were clamoring for drinks. They end up drinking more of it than I did, but it was so good I’ll definitely be making this again just in a larger quantity. With only a short break, I moved on to cooking dinner. One of my husband’s childhood favorites is meatloaf but we both love Mexican food and it was in short supply on vacation, so I changed up a classic to make this flavorful dish.

Mexican Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 c. red onion, minced
• 1/4 c. corn kernels, fresh or canned
• 1/4 c. green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 T. black olives, chopped
• 1/2 c. Kraft Shredded Cheese – Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, or Cheddar
• 1 T. taco seasoning
• 1/4 c. salsa
• 3 Kraft Natural Slices – Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, or Cheddar

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together beef, corn, peppers, onions, olives, shredded cheese, and seasoning.
3. Press meat mixture evenly into loaf pan.
4. Evenly spread salsa over top of loaf and overlap slices of cheese over top of loaf.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then cover with foil and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and cheese is fully melted.

This was a hit with the entire family. My daughter is a fan of anything in taco form or with Mexican flavors and this dish was no exception. The serving size is perfect for a couple and two small children, but if you have a big family, large appetite, or want some for another day – double the recipe. This recipe freezes well and tastes just as good when reheated!

What’s your favorite way to integrate everyday dairy products in your family’s diet?