Thursday, September 22, 2005

TEX'S FAVORITE MEATLOAF

Tex loves meatloaf. Yes, I know - - - but he does. I could make it every week and I don't think he would complain. For the working woman...that comes home at lunch....I start the first part of the recipe. This makes it go faster when I get home.


2 tbls. butter
1 large onion
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped ( or sub. green bell pepper)
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves
1 tsp. chopped rosemary
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (1 tbls. dried)
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1Tbls Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream (milk)
2/3 cup Breadcrumbs
1 lb ground beaf
1 lb sausage (I use only Jimmy Dean or you can substitute hamburger)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
4 slices bacon (cut in half)

In skillet heat butter and add onion, celery, pepper and cook, stirring occasional, until softened and beginning to carmaelize (about 6 minutes).
Add garlic, thyme, rosemary, & parsley and cook for 2 minutes (less if using dried seasonings). Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Then transfer to bowl, add eggs, mustard, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce and cream. Mix and add bread crumbs, meat, salt, pepper, and mix until combined.
Transfer into 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan - -with your hands form a loaf shape
Arrange slices of bacon on top of meatlaf.
Cover with remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (may need additional).
Bake  at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the bacon and sauce are slightly caramelized.
Let stand


This recipe was orginally from Emeril. But I have Carolaized it. It is a little easier and cheaper.
One of the things I like about this recipe in that cooking the first 3 ingrediants make this a better meatloaf in my estimation. PLUS....you can always improvise....like don't have bell pepper or celery......then don't put it in. It still turns out.

Also makes GREAT sandwiches!

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Quick & Easy Pork Chop Skillet


This was an excellent pork chop recipe that I would definitely make again (link in title). The only think I would do differently is reserve the pears for some other use and just use the pear juice.
As sides we had french bread & zucchini from the garden. Naomi (almost 11 months old) loved it!

Monday, September 12, 2005

Good Meatloaf

After vacation I was so sick of fast food!!! But I also didn't have anything fresh in the fridge, thank goodness my mom taught me to stock the freezer & pantry! I had ground beef & corn in the freezer and some potatoes in the pantry. Talk about comfort food! The only problem is that I don't have a favorite meatloaf recipe so I went to allrecipes.com and found 1 that sounded good (link in title above). The only changes I made was using BBQ sauce on top instead of recipe b/c I ran out of ketchup. I also cooked it in muffin tin which cut the cook time in 1/2. Then I microed the corn and boiled and mashed the taters and ta-da, dinner is done!