Thursdays are for cooking….
MEATLOAF – (No, not the singer!)
This is supposed to be the recipe for Cracker Barrel’s meatloaf, which is quite good. When I had that, it also had chunks of chopped tomato in the mix, so how you go about making this is up to you. Just get the best ingredients, as always, and have a good time with it.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 32 Ritz crackers, crushed
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
Topping:
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon mustard
– Preheat oven to 350 F.
– Beat eggs. Add milk and crackers. Stir in onion and cheese. Add ground beef. Mix well. Shape into a loaf.
– Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
– Combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard to make topping. Spoon half of the topping over the meatloaf after 30 mins of baking. Return loaf to oven for 10 more mins of baking. Spoon the rest of the topping over meatloaf, return to oven and bake for 5-10 mins more.
If you use more ground beef than the recipe calls for, remember to increase the other ingredients accordingly. Extra beef means use another egg as a binder. I know that some people like pork sausage included in their meatloaf, but this is just a basic recipe that can be stretched.
Here’s another one that can be stretched to feed a group of people on a cold winter morning.
Sausages – eat your heart out
Fritatta
2 eggs per person, beaten
1/4 cup whole milk or 1/2 & 1/2 (makes it creamy)
Salt & pepper and (if you like) garlic powder
If you’re on a low-salt regime, Mrs. Dash has many, many flavors and mixes for cooking tasty dishes.
Beat the eggs thoroughly with the dairy, then pour them over the cooked filling, cover and let it finish on low heat. It should not take more than a couple of minutes to cook the eggs completely in a good skillet, but keep an eye on the mix, anyway.
If you cannot use dairy products, leave out the milk.
Ingredients for the filling range from sausage and chopped onions and diced potatoes to crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, mushrooms and leftover peas and carrots. The list of stuff for the filling is endless. Just cook the filling first, then pour the beaten eggs over it.
Category: Economy
It isn’t a real Fritatta unless there’s pasta and Parm cheese involved. It’s a great dish to use up leftovers.
Thanks, Ex!
Leftover smoked sausage, bacon, cheese, and onions, plus a chopped potato and more cheese!
Num num num, loves me a good meatloaf. Cracker Barrel and Waffle House is about the only Chain Store food I’ll do. Normally will find a Mama Jean/Cindy’s Kountry Kitchen type locally owned down home place. They’re out there, just got to hunt for them.
Likes me some Fritattas too. Daughter makes them up for breakfast type casarouls.
No gravy and biscuits to go with them thar sausages Ms Ex? Gonna put them in the Fritattas or are you teasing Dave?
Thanks for the heads up on the Mrs Dash you FIRST gave us a while back. Been using that and it’s been great.
Got a beef orast beast in the crock-ed pot, perculating lowly. It’s getting real intimate with some taters, onion, and carrots. 76 degrees F at Fire Base 5/77 Magnolia.
Naw. I cooked them and ate them all with raisin toast and V-8 juice.
Making homemade rustic bread as we speak.
Fixin’ to use it to sop up some fine juices from a Hungarian Beef Stew I also just made.
By the way, “Don’t let your meat loaf”.
https://youtu.be/3TQvUPZMdBw?t=4
This is Meat Loaf.
My grandson loves my meatloaf! He always wants me to make it and not Grandma! I have a few special things I add into the mix. But I love Ex’s menu items, you my Dear, always make me drool for some good food!! On another note, I applied for my veterans ID card way back in July of last year! Today, I finally got an email telling me it had been approved!! I hope it won’t take another 7 months for them to print it and mail it to me??
I like using cooked rice instead of crackers. Gives it a light fluffy texture. I also use jalapeno ketchup and honey instead of the regular ketchup and brown sugar. Then again I’ve got about 6 gallons of honey I need to use up.
This version doesn’t use crumbs of any kind. It’s absolutely delicious.
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup zucchini, shredded
3/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
3/4 cup onion, chopped
6 oz tomato paste
2 oz hot water
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp Chinese five spice blend
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Raspberry Chipotle Sauce
If raspberry chipotle sauce is not available:
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a very large bowl, mix the beef, carrots, zucchini, parsley, cilantro and onion. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, blend the tomato paste and water, add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the eggs, then the spices and stir well. Pour into the beef mixture and mix thoroughly.
Spray non-stick into a 13″x9″ baking pan. Form the mixture into a loaf shape in the middle.
Glaze
I used Raspberry Chipotle Sauce and ladled it evenly over the entire loaf.
If you can’t get that, use the alternate ingredients, and mix in a saucepan on low heat until the sugar dissolves, then spoon over loaf.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Notes: Add more ground ginger in the glaze, and minced fresh ginger in the meat mixture for a stronger flavor.
Warning: You MUST cook it in the 13×9 pan. It makes its own gravy-like juice, thanks to the moisture in the veggies. If I’d done it in the typical loaf pan, we’d still be cleaning the oven.
As for frittata, that’s Spousal Unit’s specialty, but he cooks on stovetop until eggs are just barely set, then tops it with cheese and finishes it in the oven on low broil. No matter what he puts in it, it turns out delicious.
Oops, the alternate glaze is missing one ingredient:
2 Tsp ground ginger
Ex…as for the Fritatta, Can pigeons or mice be substituted in the filling…….presuming one is cooking for cats?
Ex…..As for the Fritatta, can pigeons or mice be substituted in the filling…..presuming one is cooking for cats?