We love to cook and eat and always come up with some sort of a new recipe. Time always seems to be short so we go for quick, healthy, and yummy fixings.

Showing posts with label Beef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beef. Show all posts

Monday, April 4, 2011

Meatloaf

I never knew that meatloaf can have a bad reputation... so when a friend posted a recipe on her blog and praised it as the best meatloaf she'd every had (while emphasizing that meatloaf can be such a bland and ordinary dish (?)) I jumped at the opportunity to try it. I first made it a couple of years ago and since then only a couple of more times for easy-to-guess reasons: we try to avoid fatty meats/foods. But hey, once in a while it's ok to indulge, especially with how I've adapted the recipe (I think.)

Ingredients:-2 lb (quantity varies based on the how many servings you need to make) of lean ground beef. **Warning: IF YOU WANT TO BE REALLY GOOD AND ENJOY THE SAME YUMMY TASTE AND WORRY LESS ABOUT THE FAT CONTENT OF THIS DISH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE GROUND TURKEY!**
-1 cup of bread crumb (ordinary or panko) or crashed saltine crackers (I use the latter)
-1 TBP of Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 cup of ketchup
-1 cup of Newman's marinara sauce
-1/4 cup BBQ sauce
-1/2 cup diced red onion or green onion if you prefer
-1 cup of cut-up fresh spinach
-1/4 bunch of fresh cilantro
-1/4 bunch of fresh parsley (you can stick to either the cilantro or parsley if you're not a big fan of herbs, but we are so we went for both)
-1/2 cup brown sugar.
- 1egg (or egg beaters)
- salt, pepper,  paprika, and garlic poweder for seasoning.
-1 TBP olive oil

Preparation:
Dice up the red/green onion finely and sautee for a few minutes in the oil. Cut up the fresh herbs and spinach and mix along with the sauteed onion into the beef. Add bread crumbs or crushed saltines, and egg. Season mixture with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika (you can really add your favorite seasonings.)
Mix the brown sugar, ketchup, marinara, and bbq sauce (and some water) to make the sauce and then pour only 1/3 on the bottom of the pan. Mold the mixture into the "mighty" meatloaf shape and put it to rest in the pan. Cover with remaining sauce. Place the pan in a 350F pre-heated oven and let it cook for about 45-50 mins, checking with a meat thermoter until the meat reaches the proper temp (170F for beef.) Obviously it can take less or longer based on the quantity you're making. I just check with the thermometer and look for when there's only clear liquid coming out of the meatloaf. Serve with your favorite side dish. We serve it with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, or rice. Bon Appetite!

Print