Bacon Topped Meat Loaf

Living by myself has it advantages and disadvantages.
The good stuff is the remote is mine, Mine, MINE! And I can eat ice cream for breakfast if I want.
The bad part is I miss having a family. And whatever I cook I have to eat until it is gone which makes me get sick of things very quickly. But I have family coming, so yay, real food.
This is winter food. I prefer summer food but when it is cold you just really need comfort food and meatloaf is it. I have made this for years, so long I don't even remember where it came from and I always lose the recipe. Let's just say, it is the only meatloaf that I will eat. That of course means it is probably fattening and sooo good with mashed potatoes and butter. It doesn't have bell peppers etc. so it doesn't taste like vegetables and herbs, but is very moist and the chili sauce makes it a little sweet. Sweet is good.

I tried something different this time and will go back to the old way which I like far better. So the photos and directions are a little opposite than what I explain below, go with what is written.

BACON TOPPED MEAT LOAF

2 T ketchup
1 egg yolk
1 T horseradish
2 T butter, softened
1 cube beef boullion
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 c cracker crumbs
1 lb ground beef
Chili sauce to cover
3-4 bacon slices


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place ketchup in the bottom of a loaf pan.
In a large bowl, mix yolk, horseradish and butter.
Soften boullion in a few tablespoons of hot water and add to mixture.
Add onion and cracker crumbs and mix to blend.
Now the yucky part, add ground beef and using your hands, blend it all together, then form it into a loaf shape.
Place in loaf pan.

Spread chili sauce over.
Yes there is bacon underneath, ignore that.
It is better with the bacon on top.

Set bacon on top.
Pretend there is chili sauce underneath the bacon.
Okay?

Bake 1 hour.
You will need to carefully drain the juices and fats before removing the meatloaf from the pan.

Once again, there is supposed to be cooked bacon on top.

This time I tried it the way my friend does, but I like it much better the way I have written it here.

Corned Beef Hash

Now this is the real reason I make corned beef. To make hash with the leftovers. I love this stuff. It is white trash cooking in my eyes and we all have a little white trash in us.


The amounts really depend on what you have leftover so this is just a general idea. Also if you have made the glaze from my last post be careful, it will burn, so either cut around it or add the corned beef towards the end and watch your pan.

CORNED BEEF HASH
Leftover boiled red potatoes, with butter
1/2 - 1 onion, white or yellow, diced in big pieces
2 T butter
1 c or more fresh mushrooms, thick sliced
Leftover corned beef in 1" cubes
1/2 c fresh parsley
Salt and fresh pepper

Preheat large frying pan to medium.
Add the potatoes and all the butter etc..
In a smaller pan on medium heat, saute the onions in butter until soft.
Add the onions to the potatoes.
Saute the mushrooms in the pan the onions cooked in until slightly done.
When the potatoes and onions are just beginning to brown, add the corned beef to the pan and turn up the heat one notch.
When the corned beef begins to brown, add the mushrooms.
Cook until everything is browning and crispy.
At the end add the parsley, salt and pepper.


Serve this with some salsa or ketchup on the side and over easy fried eggs and OJ for breakfast. You will feel like you live in Nebraska.

Glazed Corned Beef

You really, really should make this. Really.

I like corned beef but I love THIS corned beef.
I make this every year.
This and corned beef hash.
Again, a Silver Palate recipe, one which I actually found in my stack.
This is 3 steps more than corned beef on the stove, which you must do first.
And 3 ingredients more.

*Cut off the fat.
*Make the glaze.
*Bake for 45 minutes.

Most people like a traditional corned beef dinner on Saint Patricks day. I find it a little boring. This is what I serve on St. Patricks day because it is soooo much better.

Because this corned beef is a little sweet, which works very well with the salty meat, I prefer simple potatoes. Boiled red potatoes with melted butter, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped parsley. Add to that homemade biscuits and a salad and I am a very happy girl.

GLAZED CORNED BEEF
from Silver Palate

3-4 lbs corned beef
1 c orange marmalade or peach jam
4 T dijon mustard or whole grain mustard
4 T brown sugar

Place corned beef in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil.
Lower heat.
Cover partially.
Simmer as slowly as possible for about 4 hours or until very tender when tested with a fork.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix marmalade, mustard and brown sugar together in a small bowl.
When meat is done, remove from heat and drain.
Cut off extra fat.
Place corned beef in an close fitting baking dish.
Pour marmalade mixture over meat, coating thoroughly.
Baste with the sauce using a larger spoon a few times during baking.
Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until glaze is crisp and brown.


This time I used peach jam and whole grain mustard and loved it just as much. This is a nice dish because you can start the corned beef on your lunch time (if you go home for lunch) and then finish it once you get home with very little effort. A word of warning, the glaze is really hot and the sugars make it stick, don't get it on you when you baste. Trust me.


Really.

A little Irish lore...
St. Patrick, according to legend, used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the Celts. Three leaves on one stem were as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A fourth leaf on a clover represented Gods Grace.
I think that is sort of lovely.

Dinner For One (me)

Cooking for one. It is a reminder that I am alone.

Nobody loves me.
Everybody hates me.
Might as well just eat worms.
Long thin skinny ones.
Big fat juicy ones.

How is that for self pity?
But ha ha. I have control of the remote.
Actually, Sophie thinks I am cooking for her. Yes, slow cooked roast pork for one fat fluffy dog, and maybe a few little bits for the lady who pays the bills.

I miss cooking for a family, sitting at the table together, talking about the day. Of course that was before they were teenagers and their eyes were on a bungee cord roll to the back of their heads. I don't know, maybe they weren't being disrespectful, may all 3 of my children had seizures starting at age 13, and Turrets too obviously from what came out of their mouths. Okay, I don't miss that part of being a family so much. Just when they were younger and sweet and thought I was wonderful. I was wonderful. Who but a mom works all day, comes home, handles homework, laundry, baths, cooks a warm dinner and still loves to read bedtime stories?
To all of you who are raising a family...God bless you for all you do with selfless love and through utter exhaustion. One day your teenagers will love you again.

Now, what's for dinner?
Slow roasted pork shoulder with carrots, onions, celery and garlic.
Then it becomes pork ragout with soft polenta. Mmmm.
The basic recipe came from Fine Cooking, but 7 lbs of meat is a bit much and I didn't have any wine. "Gasp"some of you are thinking. Or garlic. Now I am gasping. So slow roast pork ala Amber.

This is soooo good. It takes a little time, but it isn't difficult at all. The ragout and polenta are for 2, which leaves plenty of roast pork for other things.

ROAST PORK AND VEGETABLES

325 degrees for 3 hours
2 lb pork loin with some fat
lots of salt and fresh ground pepper and whatever dried herbs sound good

Then cut meat into 4 hunks
Add around the meat
cut in 1/2" - 1" pieces, 1 carrot, 2 celery stalks, 1/2 yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
roast 1 hour more

Break up meat with forks (not shredded)
Add
6 large mushrooms cut in 1/2" - 1" pieces
1 c chicken stalk
place meat on top to keep juices in vegies
roast 30 minutes more

Done! Carmelized, brown and tender with vegetables that are just done.

Okay, now the good part.

POLENTA

in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil on med-hi heat
1 c milk
1 c water

add
3/4 t salt

whisk in slowly until it begins to thicken, 1-3 minutes
1/2 c polenta
Reduce heat to low so the polenta slowly bubbles, cook until tender and no longer gritty, 20 minutes, whisking and adding a little milk or stock to keep it soft as desired

add
1/8-1/4 c Rarmigiano Reggiano grated
1/2 T butter

season with salt to taste

While this is simmering, make the Ragout

RAGOUT

In a saute pan over medium heat add
1 T olive oil

Then add and cook 3-5 minutes
1 tomato, diced
1 clove of garlic, chopped

Add and cook until sauce is reduced by half
3 c roasted pork and vegetables
1 c chicken broth

Add and toss
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T butter
1/4 c chopped fresh italian parsley

To plate
Spoon 1/2 of cooked polenta onto plate
Then top with ragout


Warm and yummy and comforting!

Garlic Game Hens

Half of me is from the Middle East. It is not so obvious physically, but in how I love and how I..... 'the opposite of love'. It is the feel for family and making children the center and celebrating life. It is probably why I like to feed people. My Grandma always had a cup of garlic soaking in water above the sink, so it would peel easily. When I say always, I am not joking. The kitchen smelled of love and home and safety. We all have memories of our childhood that nurture us even as adults. Garlic is one of mine.

Robin Sue of Big Red Kitchen, posted a recipe for Super Easy Garlic Chicken. It sounded good, but oooohhh, the photo. Be still my beating heart. Now, I have game hens in the freezer not chicken and since times are economically questionable in this country it just makes sense to make do with what I have, right? My daddy would be proud. Make sure and visit Robin Sues blog for the original recipe. She has the cutest caramel apple kit idea also among other great things.

EASY GARLIC GAME HENS

2 cornish game hens, quartered
3 egg yolks
3 huge garlic cloves, minced

3/4 c bread crumbs
3/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese
3/4 t Kosher salt
3/4 t fresh ground black pepper
2 T fresh parsley or thyme, minced

4 T butter
4 T olive oil

In a large ziplock bag, mix the yolks and garlic, add the hen pieces and smoosh around.
Marinate at least 2 hours.

In another large ziplock bag, mix all the other ingredients and set in fridge until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Toss hen pieces in bread crumb mixture until well coated.
In a pan just large enough to fit all the hen pieces, place butter and olive oil, set in oven until just bubbling.
Remove pan from oven and place hen pieces in a single layer.
Bake 18-25 minutes.
As Robin Sue said, it comes out juicy, crispy and tender.
Serves 2-6

With buttered peas and sweet potato fries it made a very nice meal.

Moist Meatballs, Tender Meatballs

Often, meatballs tend to be dry, heavy and flavorless. I always figured why bother. But I also know that there are a lot of bad ways to cook good things, so perhaps there are great meatballs too. A couple years ago I had some wonderful ones my parents had made for the holidays. Proof enough. My goal this week was to create your everyday meatball with ground beef, nothing too fancy, just ones that would work well with almost any sauce.

Finding 'the' recipe can be interesting and exhausting with stacks of cookbooks and recipe cards scattered on the counter and the computer close to the spinning beach ball stage. In 'The Best Recipe' book by Cook's Illustrated I finally found an answer that worked and made sense.

I love cookbooks that explain 'why'. Cooks Illustrated says that most meatballs are too dense and heavy, hey that is what I said. Meat balls are not round hamburgers. They need to be cooked thoroughly and they require additional ingredients to keep them moist and to lighten their texture and binders to keep them from falling apart. Cooks Illustrated tested with eggs, dried bread crumbs, fresh bread crumbs, ground crackers, bread soaked in milk, eggs, egg yolks, thinned yogurt, buttermilk, beef, veal and pork. They tested with roasting, broiling and pan-frying.

The results were as such: ground chuck has more fat and tends to work better, and 3/4 ground chuck with 1/4 ground pork adds more flavor. Egg yolks have fat and emulsifiers for smoothness. Buttermilk was the choice for creaminess, flavor and ease. Pan frying was preferred because it created meatballs with a rich dark crust and moist texture. So here we go with what worked for me...

C.I.A. MEATBALLS
(cooks illustrated & amber)
Makes 20-28

2 slices white bread crumbs
1/2 c buttermilk
2 egg yolks
1/4 c fresh grated parmesan
1 t minced fresh garlic
2 T minced fresh parsley
3/4 t salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3/4 lb ground chuck
1/4 lb ground pork

1 1/4 c vegetable oil, for frying

Combine breadcrumbs with buttermilk.
Add egg yolks.
Add parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.

Add ground meats and mix fairly well.

Using a light touch and a dinner spoon, shape full spoonfuls of meat mixture into 1 1/2" round balls. If you compact them they become dense.
Pour oil into 10" or 11" fry pan to a depth of 1/4".
Turn to medium high and test after several minutes for sizzle.
Fry turning several times, until browned on all sides, approximately 10 minutes.

Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain.
Keep warm in sauce of choice or serve with a dipping sauce.

These are wonderful with a marinara sauce on spaghetti. This time I served them in a BBQ/bourbon sauce with a buttered wild and whole grain brown rice mix, but they would work with most sauces.

Early Autumn Dinner

The nights are definitely cooler now, and the daytime goes back and forth not quite knowing exactly what it is. Sort of like a preteen trying to find their place in the world between being a child and a grown up. I think we all like the fall. The summer heat has drained us of our senses and it is nice to let our body rest between seasons before the we are chilled to the bone for a few months.
I do not like winter, I do not like it at all. Too many clothes, too many shivers. It feels lonely in winter. It is dark. But I really love the storms. My attitude is "show me what you got, God, impress me." It is not meant with disrespect...it is in awe of nature. The darkest clouds coming like an army, the wail of the wind as a warning of what is to come and we have no chance of winning, until spring comes once again with new hope.
But for now I can live in the calm. Sort of like Goldilocks, not too hot, not too cold, just right.
There is sunshine almost every day and air that seems cleaner because of it's crispness. People seem to scurry about with the finishing touches of their lives before hibernation begins. And warmer foods are called reminding us of the feeling of being safe and nurtured.

This roast can be done long and slow in the oven also, it is slightly sweet and fork tender. The sweet potatoes are rich with a hint of orange. You could also make sauteed apple slices instead, just caramelize them and sweeten to taste.

I have black dinner plates and a few years ago I bought mummy plates. They are perfect for salad or dessert or a small breakfast or lunch this time of year. Tonight they held salad and as you eat it you begin to see the surprise underneath. But I wanted to share them because they are so cute. And obviously I don't have lighting yet. Forgive and think of the shadows as the shadow monster, even the mummy looks frightened.


APPLE BRANDY ROAST PORK

4 lb pork roast
1 yellow onion
1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 T brandy
10 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

1/2 c frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 T brandy
Salt and pepper

2 T butter

Brown pork roast on all sides.
Turn crock pot on low and place sliced onions and a few thyme sprigs in the bottom.
Set pork roast on top.
Mix apple concentrate and brandy and pour on top.
Set the rest of the thyme on top and salt and pepper.
After a 4-5 hours when the roast has defatted(?), drain the pot of liquids.
Now add the next dose of apple juice and brandy and salt and pepper and finish until tender, basting every 1/2 hour.
Remove the roast to a serving plate.
Pour the apple brandy and any juices into a saucepan with 2 T butter and reduce until thicker.
Pour over roast.


ORANGE SCALLOPED SWEET POTATOES WITH BRIE

3 sweet potatoes, approximately 3 lbs total
2 c heavy cream or half and half
1 orange
1 T butter
1/2 lb brie
4 T butter, cut into 16 pieces
Salt and pepper

Preheat to 400 degrees
Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/3" slices.
In a blender add the heavy cream and brie and give a quick mix.
Zest and juice the orange and add to cream mixture.
Using 1 T butter, coat a casserole dish large enough to hold the potatoes.
Layer potatoes, butter, salt and pepper, finishing with potatoes and butter as the final layer.
Pour orange/cream/brie mixture over.
Salt and pepper again.
Cover with foil.
Bake 45-60 minutes until just about fork tender.
Uncover and bake 15 minutes more.


WARM APPLESAUCE

4 T butter
4 cooking apples, I used granny smith
1 t cinnamon
4 T dark brown sugar

Melt butter in a large saucepan on medium.
Peel, core and slice the apples and add to pan.
Simmer 20 minutes until tender.
Smash roughly with a potato masher.
Add cinnamon and brown sugar.
Taste and adjust.