Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Meatloaf

On our drive to CO for spring break, we saw a lot of farm roads.  Travis asked “why do all of these roads have their own radio station?” (you know, FM Road #...)

The kids often come home from school and tell me about the really good food that they eat in the cafeteria and could I make that too.  I haven’t found a good recipe for sloppy joes but I did try this meatloaf (to great success and accolades).  Yea me!

Ingredients
  1. 1 Tbsp olive oil  
    Meatloaf
  2. 3 c chopped yellow onions (3 onions) – or 3 Tbsp onion powder
  3. 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves – or ½ tsp dried thyme
  4. 2 tsp kosher salt
  5. 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  6. 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  7. 1/3 c canned chicken stock or broth
  8. 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  9. 2 1/2 lbs ground chuck (81 percent lean) – or, I used the Kuby’s meatloaf mix which is ¾ lb ground beef + ¾ lb ground lamb + ¾ lb ground pork
  10. 1/2 c plain dry bread crumbs
  11. 2 large eggs, beaten
  12. 1/2 c ketchup


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. (Or simply add 3 T onion powder to the following mixture of ingredients).  Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.


In a large bowl, combine the ground meat(s), onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meat loaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper (or I put the meat mixture in a loaf pan). Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through.  Serve hot.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Re-post: Tres Leches Bread Pudding in a Crock Pot

#TBS - Throw Back Sunday (yes, I made that up) - the recipe is worthy of a repeat but more importantly, the memory of when, where and how I ate this for the first time:

Good times are worth remembering.
Good friends are worth cherishing.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend but they can't make you giggle like a first grader the way a girl friend can.  The impact of a good friend is immeasurable and indescribable.  Whether you are in first grade or forty...  sometimes you just have to giggle.

Ingredients:
Bread Pudding
Tres Leches Bread Pudding
(diamond accessories optional)
1.      Nonstick spray like Pam 
2.      2 1/4 cups whole milk 
3.      1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 
4.      1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk 
5.      1/2 cup sugar 
6.      1 Tbsp vanilla extract 
7.      1 tsp ground cinnamon 
8.      1 tsp kosher salt 
9.      9 large egg yolks 
10.  1 loaf challah bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (stale is best) 
Cinnamon Sugar Sauce
1.      3/4 cup sugar 
2.      8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter 
3.      1/2 cup buttermilk 
4.      1 Tbsp light corn syrup 
5.      1 tsp vanilla extract 
6.      1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
7.      Pinch salt 
8.      1 tsp baking soda

Coat the insert of a slow cooker with nonstick spray. Line the insert with aluminum foil for easy removal, letting some foil overhand for handles.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and egg yolks. Toss in the cubed bread and mix to coat all the bread.

Add the mixture to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low until the center of the bread pudding is set, about 4 hours. Remove the lid and cool. Use the foil handles to lift the bread pudding from the slow cooker. Drizzle individual servings with Cinnamon Sugar Sauce.

Cinnamon Sugar Sauce
In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, buttermilk, corn syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Remove from the heat and slowly add the baking soda.  At first the sauce will bubble up, just keep stirring.  Sauce will thicken as it cools.