Recipe Thread - Page 2

It's tasteless Bee, like a lump of baked meat, no flavour. She is excellent at other things but never mastered a mouthwatering meatloaf. She would kill me for this, but it's just edible covered in gravy, lol.

Meatloaf help:  Add some ritz crackers, liquid smoke (just a drop), and bell pepper.   I do not know how much, as my husband makes ours.

OK meatloaf is one of my favorite things. Mine isn't THE best but I like it and other people have liked it and yes it has flavor. Start out with a pound of ground meat and a pound of breakfast sasuage. Chop up a nice large onion and about half a green pepper and 2-3 stalks celery chopped. Minced garlic--I don't measure but I would say at least a couple of tablespoons to start, a little salt and pepper--I have to watch my sodium so I only use a little and when I eat I can add a little more. Then you want to decide what kind of filler you want in it. Sometimes I use crackers, sometimes cornflakes and sometimes usually 3 slices of bread. If you use regular soft bread, tear it up and soak it in about 1/2 cup of milk. Usually add 2 eggs. Mix all this up and make into a loaf. Now if you like sweet, mix some tomato sauce and karo syrup and put on the top. Another variation is instead of breakfast sausage, use a pound of sweet Italian sasuage and when you put the topping on use jarred or canned spaghetti sauce--if you want you can sprinkle a little mozzarella, provolone or romano cheese on that. If you don't want a tomatoey topping, then slice some pepper rings and put on the top.
A really good place for recipes is www.allrecipes.com.  Fawn I have never tried the liquid smoke but I can already tell you I like the sound of it and next time I make it I am going to put some in. Thanks for that tip.
Sorry for not adding a lot of measurements as I don't measure much, I just cook as I was taught to.

Bee I meant to add I( have never made lasagna but it is one of my faves. Once I found a recipe for lasagna sauce and it was awesome. I would make it and just eat it on bread. I have since lost it which is the reason I usually use canned or jarred. If you'd like to share yours I would be back in the groove. LOL.................

Oh no! I'm not too sure how to accomplish your goal without arousing suspicions. I get the feeling the bad and tasteless meatloaf has been allowed to continue for some time? No matter, there is help. I am going to start at the foundation and we can go up in ambition, from there. Once you understand the working mechanics of meatloaf, the variety becomes boundless, and then the secrets start...  !

• First, the best meatloaves use a combination of ground meat, such as beef, pork and/or veal. Provide this to your wife, the butcher will grind it for you fresh or buy "meatloaf mix" at the supermarket.
• For a moist meatloaf, take this tip from a nice Sicilian lady, (not me-- lol!): soak a piece of day old bread in milk and then crumble it into the meat mixture.
• Also, if the texture is too hard, there can be too many eggs! This is usually counter to what some people think.
• Use Italian flavored bread crumbs instead of plain. Some brands are better than others.
• Most non-cooks can use the Lipton Onion Soup packets to flavor their meatloaf and get away with it.  Use hot water to dissolve packet first. Add ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Top with tomatoes, peppers, barbeque sauce, even just ketchup and sliced peppers. As it cooks, check and drain off fat at least once.

Good luck! You might have to make one yourself and show her the difference.... lol!  Don't forget to throw in some baking potatoes to cook at the same time. 

edited  ****I see we all posted about meatloaf at the same time, LOL!!!

An old family recipe, my late Aunt Ellen shared this with my mother over 50 years ago.  It's a family favorite and always a hit at parties.  It's pretty low fat until you add the sauce.  But, if you're on a diet, it's good even without the sauce, especially when it's a day old and has more gooey sponge to it.  Most of the liquid comes from the cherries, so it's a nice tart spice cake.  If you don't mash the cherries, you also get a tart bite every now and again.  If you stock up on cherries, the rest of the ingredients are usually on hand, so it's a good dessert to make in a pinch.  And it's easy to make, you don't even need a mixer!  With this recipe, you can be as decadent as you want or actually behave and still enjoy a good dessert.

Cherry Surprise

2 large eggs, whisked fluffy

2 cups unbleached flour

2 cups pure cane sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 can tart red cherries, packed in water, drained by not dry.  Keep about 1/4 cup of the juice, in case you're mixture is too dry.

Mix dry ingredients and blend into beaten egg.  Add drained cherries and lightly toss with a wooden spoon.  When the cherries start to break apart, they release liquid and the batter will all of a sudden become wet.  Try not to pulverize the cherries and if it's dry, add juice 1 tsp. at a time until it's pourable, but not runny.

Pour batter into a greased 13" x 9" glass pan and bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes, until springy in the center.  Allow to cool and serve with sauce.

Sauce

1 stick butter (do not use margarine)

1 cup pure cane sugar *see below

1/2 cup evaporated milk

Melt butter in medium saucepan on medium heat.  Add milk and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.  Do not allow it to boil, it will burn quickly.  When it starts to bubble a bit, it should be done.  You don't have to constantly stir, but keep a good eye on it and stir often.  When it becomes smooth and thick, ladle it over the cake in copious amounts :)

To take to parties, I take an electric fondue cheese pot to keep the sauce warm.

*Baking tip:  My grandmother said the only secret to good baking is using quality ingredients.  This is one of her tips... If you sugar does not say "Pure Cane Sugar", it's beet sugar.  Never use beet sugar for baking or candy-making, it does not dissolve and your candies, frostings and sauces will always be gritty.  On top of being gritty, the sauces may separate easily or never mix properly.  If it just says "Pure Sugar", it's beet.

Mr Darcy,

There is a nearby restaurant that has the best meatloaf I have ever tasted. Recently I was there getting some food to go and a customer was talking to the head cook right beside me. He was raving about the meatloaf.
 
I overheard the cook say that our meatloaf is so moist and has just a little sweet taste to it because we use applesauce in it.
 
If you goggle meatloaf recipe with applesauce a whole bunch of recipes come up. Here is a simple one.
 
http://www.food.com/recipe/german-applesauce-meatloaf-181692

Good Luck

Wow Vonissk, love the avatar! jackie harris

I'm back at work, so I'll have to post my next recipe on Friday. Thanks for all the recipes so far! jackie harris

The best meatloaf I have ever made :

2lbs ground beef
3Tbsp woschestershire sauce
2 eggs
breadcrumbs added until mixture is just damp (usually 1/2 to 1 c)
salt and pepper to taste
catsup
3 slices bacon
3 slices velveeta

Combine first 4 ingredients. Mix very well. Pack half of mixture in loaf pan, hollowing out just enough space for the cheese. Place
cheese in hollowed out area. Top with remaining beef and pack firmly. Add catsup in thin layer on top. Slick peices of bacon in half
and arrange in an overlaping pattern on top. Bake at 350 for aprox 1 hour.

This is not an exact recipe because I do it from memory and never measure anything.

It tastes like a bacon cheeseburger! Yum!

Melissa