I Love Meatloaf

2011-06-06T22:06:00.005-04:00

I haven't written here in a very long time, but recently I noticed how many fine folks stop by looking for answers about glorious meatloaf.

I am going to take the time to update more often, but I'd like to hear from everyone who stops by.

What would you like to see?

Just to get you started, here is a photo I took with a bad camera in early 2007 at Zak's Diner in Ottawa, Canada.

2008-11-11T10:00:00.008-05:00

A couple of years ago Kate sent in a story about Frosted Meatloaf and how she learned about it through the Betty Crocker Cookbook for Boys & Girls and wished her mother would make it for her birthday.

Yesterday, by some random chance, I stumbled upon a facsimile edition of the 1957 issue of this cookbook and managed to snap a photo of the meatloaf tips page.

For those with bad eyesight, here is a transcription:

Things You Can Do With Meatloaf

Hot Topper
Spread 3 tablespons of catsup or chili sauce over top of loaf before baking.

Tuckaway
When forming loaf, tuck in 3 hard-cooked eggs along the center.

Frosted
When loaf is baked, frost the top with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and broil until golden.

Baby Beefies
Shape meat loaf mixture into 8 small loaves and lay in shallow pan. Top each baby loaf with a thin slice of onion. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

"Meat loaf that is left over makes the most wonderful sandwiches!" - Bucky

This is such an awesome quote!

2008-11-10T11:41:00.005-05:00

Awhile back, Linda requested I post Gordon Ramsay's meatloaf recipe from the episode of the UK series of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares in which he helps Mama Cherri. To be honest, I scoured the interweb and had no luck finding it. Recently, a visitor named Marcus posted the recipe as a comment. Here it is in its entirety:

Gordon Ramsay's Meatloaf

50g butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely sliced
1 green pepper, finely chopped
4 spring onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chilli sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
125ml evaporated milk
125ml tomato ketchup
750g minced beef
250g minced pork or sausage meat
2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
250g breadcrumbs
Freshly ground salt and pepper

1 Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion, celery, pepper, spring onions, garlic, parsley, chilli sauce, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Cook over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes.

2 Add the evaporated milk and ketchup and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Discard the bay leaves.

3 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.

4 Place the beef and pork in a large bowl, add the eggs, breadcrumbs and vegetable mixture, and season. Place the mixture in an ungreased roasting dish and bake for 25 minutes. Raise the temperature to 200C/Gas 6 and bake
for a further 35-40 minutes.

5 Serve from the roasting dish.

2006-08-18T00:11:00.004-04:00

I know, I know... It has been a very long time.

Sorry.

Life changes have a way of impacting writing schedules.

Anyway, Happy belated Birthday!!!

Meatcake!

2006-05-08T11:00:00.001-04:00

I am so excited. My friends Billy Luv and his partner RockStar have been tempting me for a long time with the idea of my Christmas present from last year. They kept telling me that is was so good, but I would have to wait a while before getting it.

I still haven't gotten it, but it is waiting for me at their place. They did tell me what it was. And so, I am excited.

It is a meat grinder! Yup, my own meat grinding machine. Now I can grind my own cuts of meat for meatloaf!!

2006-04-17T15:28:00.004-04:00

Back around Jan. 7th, JOR! posted his mom's meatloaf recipe. Since Sami Lama requested it, here it is reposted for everyone's enjoyment and edification.

Meat Loafs (Loaves?)

1 1/2 pounds hamburger
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 egg beaten
3/4 cup milk

Sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp prepared mustard

1. Make 6 small loaves (must be round, not square) - cover with sauce, on top only, of course.
2. Bake 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Pretty simple and straight forward and oh so delicious. These meat pucks, and I mean that in the most flattering of ways, are 'old-school exceptional' on my meatloaf scale.

2006-04-10T00:11:00.002-04:00

So, dear 'loaflings, I have been silent for too long. Yes, it is an excuse you have all heard before and I don't know what to say. I seem to have fallen into a long winter of meatloaf hibernation. My juices aren't flowing and I haven't baked a loaf in quite some time.

However, a couple of recent events of note:

1) A month or so ago, at one of the many irregular meetings of VGC, Jor! (yes, the exclamation is warranted) served his mother's homestyle recipe. And what a tastey treat, well worth the trip to Stayner or just over to Jor!'s for a bite. Hopefully, I will post the recipe here soon.

2) I have recently become addicted to Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. If you haven't seen this show you don't know what you are missing. Watching Gordon Ramsay, one of England's better chefs, go into nightmarish professional kitchens and basically swear at everyone until they cook better is brilliant TV. "How does this relate to meatloaf?", you say. Well, check out episode 3 of season 2, Momma Cherri's Soul Food Shack for Gordon making, what I can only imagine, are the world's tastiest meatloaf tapas.

3) Stumbling through the interweb, you often come across the craziest of things. People with time and energy can accomplish anything. Like this woman, Sonya Thomas. She is ranked second in the world by The International Federation of Competitive Eating. In 2004, she ate 8.4 lbs of baked beans in 2 minutes and 47 seconds and she is only 105 lbs soaking wet. According to the IFOCE, she is the great American hope in toppling the dominance of the Japanese in the annals of competitive eating lore. One can only hope they add meatloaf to the list.

Anyway, that's it for me. Don't forget, please email me any meatloaf news, reviews or sitings to meatloafisfine@gmail.com

2006-03-14T17:23:00.005-05:00

Last Thanksgiving, I tried my hand at making a meatless loaf. Actually, I tried to make two that would complement each other as an entree for the sole vegetarian in our group. Going through my photo archive I found that I had some nice pix taken by Chris McNDP on his fancy new camera. Also, thanks to Miss Julia for the bag of grits, all the way from North Carolina.

Anyways, here is the recipe and a couple of photos of my Grits and Greens Loaf.

Grits and Greens Loaf

3 tbsp unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
2 pkg chopped frozen spinach
3 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups skim milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 cup uncooked grits
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Generously butter a loaf pan and sprinkle the bottom and sides with breadcrumbs. Thaw and squeeze excess moisture out of spinach.

3. In medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp of butter. Carefully cook onion and garlic until tender. Add spinach and cook further for about 2 minutes. Set aside.

4. In a 1.5l suacepan, bring milk, salt, pepper and cayeene to slow boil. Stir in grits, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly until grits are thick. Stir in remaining 2 tbsp of butter, cheese and spinach mixture.

5. In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Whisk in about 1 cup of grits mixture to warm the eggs. Blend the egg mixture back into grits suacepan.

6. Pour mixture into loaf pan. Place pan in larger pan half filled with water. Bake until firm, puffed and golden, about 45-55 minutes. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

I served this with a vegetarian mushroom and onion gravy as well as an attempted Sweet Potato and Tofu loaf (which didn't turn out).

It was very tasty and a great addition to the Thanksgiving feast at Gangster and Sarah's.

2006-02-06T00:23:00.000-05:00

Just as a quick aside, I doctored one of the last photos!!!!

The first person to tell me where gets a prize. Email or leave a comment.

2006-01-18T16:34:00.003-05:00

How teasing can I be?? What kind of quesion is that? I will tease as much is needed, god-damn'it! Anyway...

As requested, here is the loaf recipe I made the other day. It is pretty simple, but in hindsight, I think it could be a little tastier. With some modifications, (I glazed it differently and it needs more internal flavour than just ketchup) it was taken from the Everything Tastes Better with Bacon cookbook.

Schmidty's Meat Loaf

3 think slices bacon, cut in half
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup ground breadcrumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. In a skillet, cook the bacon until limp and barely cooked. Put aside, reserve 1 tbsp of bacon drippings in skillet.

3. Saute the onions in same skillet for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes.

4. Combine onions with all remaining ingredients in large bowl. Don't over mix.

5. Place in loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes.

6. Remove from oven, and arrange bacon across top of loaf.

7. Return to oven and bake for 40 minutes longer. Remove from oven, let stand for ten minutes and serve.

Now it should be mentioned that I made these small. I split the ingredients into two and baked them in smaller loaf tins.
The salt shaker was used for scale. Here is one up close.

And not to worry, the recipe for the Italian loaf is on the way.

2006-01-14T17:39:00.000-05:00

There are two smallish quick and easy meatloaves in my oven right now. Just used what I had in the fridge/freezer. More to follow.

2006-01-07T03:39:00.001-05:00

So, if you haven't guessed I am suffering from 'loaf-block.

I think it has all been done. I want to try something new, but I just can't figure out what to do.

I need help. I need requests.

I don't have a lot of money to spend on loaves, but if you give some direction I will try my best.

Please, get me out of my funk!

2005-12-27T19:09:00.001-05:00

So it is the 27th and I have no 'loaf to give.

Once again, Christmas on the island has knocked me into the vicious rut of Sleep, Eat, Drink, Be Merry, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Be Merry, and so on and so on.

Back to Toronto tomorrow, so maybe I will get some rest before I have to hit the work front.

I hope everyone had very peaceful and happy Holidays, especially those folks that are still celebrating.

2005-12-26T03:52:00.001-05:00

Sorry guys, I don't think there is going to be a Yule 'Loaf. Maybe in 2006.

2005-12-22T12:05:00.000-05:00

So, I am busy. These are the high holy shopping days and I work in retail. My time is at a huge premium, but I would like to make a 'loaf. I need help.

What does everyone think would go well in a Yule 'Loaf?

If the suggestions are reasonable, I will try to make it on Xmas day or Boxing day for use at a Boxing day party I think I will be attending.

2005-12-16T01:52:00.002-05:00

After Des' most enlightening comment, I went and had a look at firstlight.ca. They do have some great photos. This is my favourite:

2005-12-04T01:40:00.001-05:00

So I went to see 'The History of Violence' tonight with D. It was a pretty good film and for Cronenberg it was pleasant at 96min. All in all, a nice film. The violence was grim and the relationships quite real. I especially liked he final scene. Not to spoil anything, but it appears meatloaf is involved. As one blogger writes, one actor "passes [Viggo] the meatloaf as an extension of hospitality."

Cronenberg is a genius.

2005-11-24T02:14:00.002-05:00

Wandering around the 'net for as long as I have you come across a strange collection of useful and less than useful sites. One of these sites, one that I came across 5 or 6 years ago, was the home of Getty Images. Now for those that don't know, Getty Images is a company that sells images used in marketing and mass media. They have millions of photographs. And I mean millions. The best part is that they are all searchable, albeit in a less than print perfect form. But they still make for entertaining surfing.

This is what I got after I searched for 'meatloaf'. (Remember to clarify between 'Meat Loaf (Named Person)' and 'Meat Loaf (Meat Dish)')

2005-11-22T15:33:00.002-05:00

A little while ago my friend Pasta sent me a short note about his first experience making a 'loaf. Since he lives in Colorado, a state that has a strong history with the cattle industry and deep in the centre of the US of A, the home of meatloaf, I thought he may have gotten by purely on karma and osmosis. Boy, was I wrong!

Hey Pete:

I hope to have a story with a better outcome for you next time:

Sex has been said to be like pizza. Even when its bad, its still not that bad. I assure you this does not hold true for meatloaf.

I made a meatloaf tonight from a recipe that I found on the web. It was a Martha Stewart Recipe. It was a meatloaf gone wrong.

I would love to tell you that Martha's meatloaf recipe was a no frills dish that she and her fellow cons may have enjoyed some Thursday evening, a dish that was more for hiding a file than for delivering true nourishment. Alas, the recipe was from 2000, so I need to take at least some of the blame. I'm not sure what went wrong, but what did go wrong, went very wrong. It was not overcooked. It had a nice glaze. The consistency was not too bad. So - I can't really tell you what exactly was wrong with it, other than something was. And this was not an isolated opinion. A frozen pizza was quickly de-thawed for the rest of the family. I however was not as quick to abandon the meal. I figured - its cooked I may learn something from it. What I learned was that this meatloaf was ONLY a vehicle for mustard - and frankly not a very good one at that. I actually had to abandon the mustard for a stronger smokier barbecue sauce, and then just had to throw in the towel. Perhaps our kind host can help me with a simple recipe that minimizes the chance of me screwing it up.

Well, not knowing exactly what steps transpired really ties my hands, but I will give it a go.

According to Dame Melanie Barnard, whose cookbook I praised elsewhere on this 'blog, meatloaves consist or "four categories or ingredients: a main protein, a starch, a binder, and seasonings." You would be hard pressed to find a recipe that doesn't fit this template and I am pretty sure Martha's didn't stray too far from it. What I am about to share are the key tips to each of the four categories. Hopefully, the mistake will be obvious.

Main protein - The key is using a fairly lean fresh (not frozen) selection of meat. Extra lean and/or expensive cuts are generally pointless as they don't add anything except pretension and a little fat is needed for flavour and moistness.

Starch - The starch makes the 'loaf juicy, softer and more flavourful by absorbing the released juices from cooking protein. That is its purpose. The best choice is bread crumbs/chunks from a 1 to 2 day old loaf. Stale or old bread crumbs can actually make a loaf taste off, especially breadcrumbs kept in the freezer for a long time. Freezer burn has a very strong flavour.

Binder - The binder is what keeps the starch and protein together and not crumbling apart in the mixing process. Most starches are quite dry and proteins only release juices when cooked. The binder is best if it is a bland flavour carrying agent like eggs or dairy product (ie milk, yoghurt, or, god forbid, cream). It is there to keep the starch from sucked all the mosture out of the protein as well as keeping the whole package together in its loaf shape.

Seasonings - A lot of spices are best used fresh. If adding vegetables (ie carrots, onions, celery, etc) it is best to cook them lightly before adding them to the mixture. The cooking brings out more flavoured moisture. Dried spices more than a year old may have lost a lot of their flavour. One key thing is that seasonings should be used "with an assertive hand" as they truly make the loaf.

Also, if the recipe used was the one I linked to then be warned that chili sauce means something different now than it did even a few years ago. Chili sauce doesn't mean the Asian variety of textured hot sauce, but more like the Heinz Ketchup-version mixed with chili and peppers. It isn't inordently spicy.

Hope this helps. Please let me know if you try again. Oh, and I miss you too Mark.

2005-11-05T03:31:00.001-05:00

This has been the longest time I have gone without a post. I apologize to any and all that still read this drivel. I have been uninspired and unhealthy, but that is no excuse. I sound continue with my quest.

In that vein, I do have a lot to catch up on. There are still a number of ideas I wanted to write about, plus a couple of blurps sent to me. Not in any chronological, here is the first of what I hope is many. This was sent to me by Janis, who I think is in Alaska, but who really knows:

Dear meatloaf officionado,

Recently I was at the dentist, sitting back enjoying my nitris (sp) 'treatment', when I began contemplating the good ol' days when teeth were pulled, not fixed. I was pondering this because I was questioning who the delightful person was who invented nitris. Then it came to me that it certainly wasn't a dentist of long ago since he was happy to just pull the offending tooth. Which then led me down the path that many people had a mouth full of gums, not teeth. My final conclusion was that it was during this early dentistry time frame that meatloaf was discovered! Makes perfect sense. Back then people were 'meat and potatoes' folks and without teeth the couldn't enjoy their meat! Some kindly grandma, most likely, was the savior of the day. Now ketsup.....that's another thing.

I actually found your e-mail by trying to find the 'real' origin of meatloaf. Unfortunately, I didn't find one I liked any better than my explaination. Bon apetite !

Thanks Janis!

I am not sure that this is the true origin of meatloaf, but I am really excited by your use of external stimuli to try and get to the truth. Nitrous oxide is some crazy stuff and, although, I try and steer clear, it seems that meatloaf is as good a thing to think about in a dentists chair. Well done.

2005-10-13T12:08:00.001-04:00

One of the many things I have had boiling on the back burners of my creative place was a piece on the Meatloaf sandwich. Well, as proof of the bonds between friends, my pal Pasta sent this missive all the way from Colorado:

While I do have affection for meatloaf, I personally see a freshly baked meatloaf as a vehicle for producing left over meatloaf. Left over meatloaf, cold and sliced (generously thick), may be considered, by some, unappetizing. Some people, like my wife, have issues with leftovers. Please reserve your judgment until you have tried it between two slices of bread (I would go a lighter type of bread, perhaps a mild multigrain in lieu of any kind of rye or pumpernickel) with yellow - yes, you heard me, yellow mustard. Of course, that said, a nice country grainy white wine mustard is really nice too! I believe it's the tartness that is the key and the reason that regular Dijon just doesn't cut it.

Now, with some introspection, and complete outward honesty, I cannot be sure that the meatloaf as a vehicle for left over meatloaf, and more specifically meatloaf sandwiches, isn't actually a vehicle for mustard. I do love mustard.

Brilliant! I couldn't have put it better myself (except for the mustard thing, I know I love meatloaf)

Anyway, for you further enjoyment, here are a couple of photos of a meatloaf sandwich I made a little while ago.

2005-10-09T11:50:00.001-04:00

I am still fighting a tough battle with inspiration. And I think I am losing.

Tomorrow, I have to go to a Thanksgiving potluck of sorts and was asked to make a salad or vegetable dish. Hoping to start something, I approached Token Vegetarian, who was also invited but was tasked with making her own vegetarian entree.

We traded because I wanted to try a vegetarian loaf. So, tomorrow, I will be making a Southwesten Sweet Potato Spinach Strata. I hope my karma bill is paid up.

2005-09-30T20:39:00.001-04:00

So, in an attempt to break the staring contest of an impass with my demotivation I did some shopping. Using the wonderfully functional Used Books section on my employer's website, I managed to acquire a small out of print cookbook entitled Everybody Loves Meatloaf.

What a score!

This book is incredible. I thought I was alone, but this woman is dedicated. I didn't know anyone could love meatloaf as much as myself, but dammit she sure does. Here are the first few paragraphs of the introduction:

"My maternal grandmother made a very fine meatloaf. In fact, she made many good meatloaves, and took great pride in the preparation and serving of each one. Meatloaf-making was my first home-cooking lesson. Grandma taught me to mix gently, to pat smoothly, and to tend to the loaf carefully during baking. Over forty years later, as I write this book, I realize that she was talking about a lot more than meatloaf.

The modern meatloaf, like other widely loved foods such as pizzas, pastas, and burgers, has expanded its horizons well beyond the traditional definition. The new meatloaf may be chicken or turkey, salmon or shrimp, or may not even have any meat in it at all! This book is a celebration or all meatloaves, old and new, meat or not.

After years of being held in high esteem in the American food world, meatloaf fell into disfavor during the last decade [80's - ed]. It became the butt of school cafetaria jokes, and it was the centerfold of gluey gravy-stained diner menus. Meatloaf was relegated to the kitchen closet, and rarely discussed in polite culinary company.

It is good news indeed that meatloaf has lately made a comeback! And why not? It has all the right stuff for the way we cook today - easy to make and serve, very versatile, economical, nutritionally correct, usually good hot or cold, and loved by practically everyone.

Depending upon the occasion, meatloaf can be a culinary masterpiece, or it can be a flavorful everyday menu staple. In my view, it is both. There are loaves for celebrations - say, a rich patelike loaf with some mellow red wine. And then there are loaves to brighten the most mundane days - hearty slices of ground meats bound together with good breadcrumbs and topped with ketchup and bacon.

In researching this book, I found that nearly everyone has a meatloaf story, ranging from a gravy incident with a sibling to a romance over a little shrimp mousse and champagne on New Year's Eve. In addition, nearly everyone I know has a meatloaf recipe, but very few have more than one. So, because we can never get enough of a good thing, here are a few more meatloaves to add to your collection, as well as a repertoire of poultry, seafood, and vegetarian loaves, all designed to give you a whole new view on this American classic."

Can ya dig it? This book rocks. There are over 100 recipes of "loaves and fixin's". Some of the ones that really piqued my interest were Argentinian Steakloaf, Osso Bucco Loaf with Gremolata Tomato Gravy, Basque-Style Meatloaf, Turkey and Shiitake Loaf with Sherry Gravy, Dirty Rice Loaf, Casino Clam Loaf, Southwest Tuna Melt Loaf, Garlic, Grits and Greens Loaf and Deviled Broccoli Squares. They should include a crack pipe and twelve step program with this book. It is just that good. I haven't even mentioned anything from the Suaces and Sides section.

Ms. Barnard has completely outdone herself. This is one chockablock full little book. Besides all the recipes, she includes tips and tricks and some really helpful hints. And that doesn't even include the chapter entitled Advanced Meatloaf.

2005-09-27T16:35:00.001-04:00

You may have noticed how quiet it is here. Well, I have hit a minor wall as it comes to writing. I have three or four things percolating, but I am generally uninspired.

Don't worry, I will be back soon.

2005-09-13T01:38:00.000-04:00

I made some 'loaf this fine evening.

This evening's Jerk Pork Meatloaf is brought to you by Jack Welch, Gabriel Byrne and Rupert Holmes.

Recipe and photos to follow.

2005-09-03T03:26:00.000-04:00

Best Western is on to me!!

They have changed their photo spread related to the Lamplighter in London, ON.

The only picture of Smitty's is some staged shot of the chef and faux-customer (see below).

No more wagon wheels and little Santas.

2005-09-03T03:11:00.000-04:00

I am still at a loss. Where is the love?

How am I going to make 'Jerk Pork Meatloaf'? My ideal would be to have the 'loaf be slightly jerk flavoured while having a strong fragrant glaze. I need some help here folks.

What are the predominent flavours of Jerk and how do I get them in a 'loaf? Let's hear it.

Just a heads up. Caribou and Moose 'loaf recipes will hopefully be coming soon, but remember kids, only love can break your heart.

2005-08-30T17:45:00.000-04:00

Wanted!

I need some help. I was thinking of making a 'Jerk Pork Meatloaf' and was wondering is anyone had any ideas.

Email me or leave a comment.

2005-08-29T02:24:00.004-04:00

I know. I have been very remiss in posting lately. It has almost been a week and the last post said I was going to post the results from the pre-packaged taste off.

Sorry. The html tabling of the results has annoyed me enough to throw up my hands and swear. Loudly.

It will arrive soon. Please have patience. Until then, here is a little taste.

I made meatloaf!

Last Thursday was Tex-Mex night at mi Casa, so here is...

Peter's Chicken Mexi-Cali Loaf
A Mexican inspired loaf. Tastey, fragrant and sure to be a crowd pleaser. Quick and easy, this is the one to try (inspite of the picture).

Ingredients

2 lbs lean ground chicken
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno, chopped fine
1 can refried beans
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup chili sauce
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Glaze

1 cup Green salsa
2 tbsp citrus hot sauce
3 tbsp honey

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Pour mixture into loaf tin.

4. Bake for 1 hour. Mix glaze ingredients in small bowl.

5. Remove loaf from oven and pour glaze mixture in loaf tin, covering loaf evenly.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand for 1o minutes; slice and serve with additional green salsa.

2005-08-22T18:45:00.002-04:00

Since no one answered my call I was forced to use extreme measures in my unbiased rating of pre-packaged meatloaves (yes, that is the plural form).

I shanghaied the other members of my irregular Video Game Club.

I re-heated, we ate, they rated.

I will post the results later.

2005-08-16T22:59:00.001-04:00

So I have thought long and hard about this and I don't want anyone to convince me otherwise. You heard me. My mind is made up so you can take your dissent and shove it.

Yup, I am going to taste test all the prepackaged frozen meatloaf entrees that I can find.

So, who's with me?

Here is my list so far:

Michelina's Comfort Classics Meatloaf and Gravy with Mashed Potatoes
"Michelina's Meat loaf is made with juicy ground beef. It's cooked with Worcestershire sauce, onions and red peppers, and served in its own gravy with mashed potatoes. Just-a one bite and you'll see why everything Mama makes is so perfecto!"

Stouffer's Meatloaf
"A tasteful combination of two meat loaves glazed with catsup, baked and smothered in a rich, brown gravy. Served with a green bean and carrot medley and a satisfying portion of Stouffer's creamy mashed potatoes."

PC Fully Cooked Beef Meat Loaf
"Pre-sliced, homestyle meat loaf prepared with our own President's Choice Ketchup. Ready in 16 minutes."

LeanCuisine Meatloaf and Whipped Potatoes
"Hearty meatloaf delicately seasoned with onions and green peppers, in a savory gravy with tomatoes. Accompanied by creamy whipped potatoes and a dash of paprika." NOT OFFERED IN CANADA

Swanson Hungry-Man Meatloaf Dinner
NOT OFFERED IN CANADA

Does anyone know of any others???

2005-08-12T23:43:00.001-04:00

'Delicious all-beef baked to a peak of flavours' was what caught my eye. It took a while. I must have been pouring over the seven page 8.5x17 full colour laminated menu for ten minutes.

"This place has got to have meatloaf," I thought to myself. "It says 'All Your Favourites! All Day Long!' on the sign out front."

That's when I saw it. It would be too cliche to say out of the corner of my eye. It was more like it was smack dab in front of me on one of those acrylic table sign holders. 'Early Bird Dinner Specials (3-7 pm)' and right below it 'Homestyle Meat Loaf'.

"Waiter, I'm ready to order!!"

This was the auspicious beginning to my meal at Smitty's in London, ON.

Smitty's Family Restaurants seem to be a chain of aneurysm inducing kitsch factories first founded in Alberta, but it was attached to my hotel so why not. Kinda like Denny's but Canadian.

Mine was attached to the Best Western Lamplighter in London. The Best Western was pleasant. They gave me a King Suite for the price of Queen Regular so I can't complain. But Smitty's could only be described as a zit protruding from a pleasant mid-market hotel.

Smitty's is that oddly placed rotunda on the right. What the hell they were thinking no one knows. Inside was much worse. The interior was wood panelled and most of the lighting was provided by miniature wagon wheel chandeliers.

It wasn't the most tempting of dining establishments, but as I said it had a lot going for it. It was attached to my hotel.

Back to the narrative, I had just ordered the early bird dinner special meatloaf when it had hit me.

"Crap! What have I done," I thought. Everything else listed on the specials menu had been represented on the normal laminated dinner menu except the meatloaf. No meatloaf sandwiches, no dinner entree meatloaf, not even meatloaf and eggs for breakfast. It's like the menu had just gone into some sort of meatloaf twelve step program and come out dry and born again.

"I am in a franchise eatery that only serves meatloaf 4 hours a day and that is on the discount menu. I am soooo screwed." That is when my server reminded me of the soup and salad bar and off I went.

You see, Smitty's Early Bird Dinnner Specials appeared to have been created by some wholesaler turned restauranteur. Here is what the small print said,

All Smitty's Early Bird Dinner Entrees come with the following:
Unlimited soup and salad bar, fresh baked rolls, daily vegetable, choice of potato, dessert of the day & a bottomless cup of your choice of coffee, tea or soft drink.

Even on paper that seems like a lot of food. You should have seen the plate.

I moseyed over to the soup and salad bar and helped myself to a half cup of what turned out to be the blandest Cajun Corn Chowder I have ever tasted and heaping plate of greens with pickled vegetables and fresh cucumber and tomato topped with a small amount of French dressing. I also grabbed a fresh baked roll before tucking in.

Before I knew it, my ginormous square plate arrived. Filling every ounce of space was:

a slice of meatloaf covered in sauteed onions and drizzled with gravy
a large scoop of really creamy mashed potatoes also drizzled with gravy
a really big pile of green beans glistening with butter and tossed with steamed peppers and carrots

Immediately, I dove into the 'loaf, breaking off a healthy fork full, making sure I captured a couple of onions and a smear of gravy. As it hit my tongue I instantly knew; yup, the answer came to me. 'What answer?' you ask. The answer to the question, "How can a franchise restaurant afford to make meatloaf everyday in hopes of selling some during an exclusive 4-hour window?", of course.

What I put into my mouth looked like meatloaf. It was a rectangular slice of ground meat that had been baked with a mixture of spices. It smelled like meatloaf. Hell, I would say that every single one of my senses except for taste would have judged it to be meatloaf.

But if I had closed my eyes before placing that succulent morsel into my gob, my brain would have announced something else completely. It had been a very long time since I had tasted Salisbury Steak. A very very long time, but not long enough to forget that distinctive flavour.

I don't know how they did it. I could hazard a guess why, but how still alludes even my imagination. Somehow the head cook at Smitty's in London, ON uses his Salisbury Steak mixture (which is on the regular menu) to concoct some sort of meatloafy substance.

And I ate it.

2005-08-09T14:11:00.000-04:00

I had meatloaf last night for dinner!

More to follow.

2005-08-08T12:42:00.000-04:00

The amount of times I have joked about Web Cafes being the growth industry of Toronto (a long walk down Bloor West is the prime example) makes me forget how rare they can be outside of the Big Smoke.

My hotel has no internet access. Well, that is not exactly true. My hotel only has WiFi access, so if you forgot to bring your own computer you are screwed. Too modern I guess.

Reporting from London, this is your faithful host signing off.

2005-08-07T01:46:00.000-04:00

Existentialism is about as much fun as depression.

I hate leaving NFLD.

2005-08-02T03:55:00.000-04:00

So what does meatloaf have to do with Newfoundland? Very little I'm afraid. Newfoundland is a British colony. It still, strangely enough, holds dear to its well formed isolationist roots.

But it still can throw you for a loop now and again.

Today was that day, but I am sure you bright readers already figured that out.

My trip home has been filled with booze, friends, fatty food, and sun. Some of these are strange. Some are not. But most of all, my trip has been filled with ~~meatloaf~~... er people. I have reacquainted or met so many interesting people.

This evening I met Maioway (I hope that is right), a sixteen year old kid who happened to be walking home the same direction and time I was. He was alive, not afraid to walk or talk with an old foggie like myself, just trying to get home at 3 in the morning.

Maioway has lived in St. John's his entire life. He grew up here. He loves the place and identitifies as a Newf. But like every Newf, he wants to see the big city. He really wanted to know what Toronto was like. I told him.

He got it all. He liked it all, but he had one question...

"What exactly is racial profiling?"

He figured it out, after I told him, but he didn't really understand. He was still excited. His only response was, "Idonknow, everyone's been so nice to me"

Maioway was a black kid who was raised in Newfoundland. He loved the place, but wanted to leave for experience's sake.

He is just more concerned about Newfie jokes than racism.

2005-07-29T18:33:00.000-04:00

Last night at a party, I asked a bunch of my friends from high school if they remembered her. Even with the prompting of a first name, none of them could.

Are we all going senile?

I am going to have to track down my yearbook.

2005-07-28T13:22:00.000-04:00

Last night, very late, while reading a book, her name came to me.

I think it was Karen.

I am still working on the last name.

2005-07-27T17:58:00.000-04:00

What is with the Newfoundland diaspora? I know it is huge. I know it is widespread. But why is it that, when I sitting alone in the Maple Leaf Lounge in Pearson, minding my own business, enjoying a beer and reading quietly, am I acosted by someone I went to high school with?

I know it is a small world. I am the first to admit that Newfoundlanders get into to more cracks, crevices and hard to reach places then roaches, but come off it.

She was nice, we knew common people, but I couldn't remember her name and I think she could tell. That is always awkward and painful. We chatted pleasantly about me being a bad friend and pregnant peers and she ran off to catch a flight.

Maybe I will bump into her in St. John's, too.

(I still can't remember her name)

2005-07-26T21:15:00.000-04:00

Bruce Campbell has made my life really busy, so I haven't updated very regularly. I will update soon. Off to Newfoundland for a wedding tomorrow. Maybe someone will serve meatloaf.

2005-07-20T12:06:00.005-04:00

A few days ago, Athena mentioned her idea about a 'Thanksgiving Loaf', which was basicly a turkey meatloaf with a vein of dressing (stuffing to you mainlanders) running through it. On Saturday, I was all keyed up when I was leaving work from selling roughly 1000 copies of Harry Potter combined with seeing almost every child in the free world get excited about reading. So needless to say I was jazzed and needed an outlet. Making a meatloaf seemed to be as good an idea as not and since I had been negligent in that area I felt it was my duty to try something new. So without further ado, here is:

Stuffed Turkey Loaf with Sweet Potato Frosting

2lbs lean ground turkey
2 med carrots, grated and chopped
1 lrg onion, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup cream of celery soup, undiluted or milk
2 tbsp chili sauce or ketchup
1 tbsp dried rosemary, ground
1 tsp black pepper, ground
all-purpose flour

Dressing/Stuffing
1 box Pepperidge Farms Stuffing
1 stalk of celery
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp savory, ground

Sweet Potato Frosting
1 lrg sweet potato (I mean large, use two if you are unsure)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 375F.

2. Combine carrots, onions, mushrooms, garlic, rosemary and pepper in large bowl. Add turkey, soup and chili sauce. Mix evenly with hands.

3. Lay out large sheets of wax paper and dust with flour. Lay turkey mixture out and roll flat until about an inch thick with rolling pin or bottle (I personally use a full bottle of Jameson's). Width should equal length of loaf pan. (see below)

4. Mix your dressing according to instructions on the box or make it from scratch (I sauteed onions and celery which I combined with my box dressing. I also added savory to make it taste more like traditional Newfoundland dressing). Distribute dressing/stuffing evenly over tukey mixture leaving small area at either end uncovered. (see below)

5. Roll turkey mixture into a loaf as you would roll a jelly-roll. Lightly press to connect join at end. (see below)

6. Place roll in loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 180-190F.

7. Boil sweet potato in salted water until soft. Drain (you may want to reserve some of the water for a gravy base) and mash. Add cinnamon, 3/4 tbsp brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

8. Take meatloaf out of oven when cooked. Cover top of loaf with uniform coating of potato mixture. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top of loaf. Broil for 5-10 minutes or until sugar begins to caramelize. Remove meatloaf from oven. (see below)

9. Let stand for 10 minutes. Slice and serve. (I served it with mushroom gravy - see below)

A few things I learned were, firstly, make your dressing/stuffing a little drier than you think as it absorbs a lot of the meat juices. Secondly, it is important to get that internal temperature up because, although it is a meatloaf, it is still poultry. And finally, it may be a little better with a brown sugar glaze instead of sprinkled sugar.

All in all, a pretty good recipe that is easy to modify to your ideas about Thanksgiving. Although, in making it it reminded me of an old joke whose punchline is "Wrecked 'im? Damn near killed 'im!".

2005-07-18T16:42:00.000-04:00

I made a new meatloaf on Saturday. I will post a quick recipe and photos!! by Wednesday. It is an answer to Athena's request for Thanksgiving loaf.

2005-07-16T16:02:00.000-04:00

My AC works!!!

2005-07-15T22:35:00.001-04:00

Well, I am still kinda blah about writing. Maybe it is the heat, maybe work (you go HP!!), but I'm bummed. so I need to talk about something else for a day or so.

Tonight I saw The Wedding Crashers and, yes, I do think Vince Vaughn is the god of comedy. I really enjoyed this movie. Yes, it was crass. Yes, it was smaltzy, but dammit it made me laugh. Not to mention that meatloaf played a small role in one very funny scene.

So go see the movie. It is funny, it has ~~nudity~~ wedding music, Vince Vaughn is really tall, they mention meatloaf and the Weakerthans are on the soundtrack. What more could you ask?

2005-07-09T13:19:00.001-04:00

I have been a little stymied with regards to this blog, as of late. It may be my work load, a lack of inspiration, or, as many of you have pointed out, a lack of meat loaf in my diet. I imagine a combination of all these factors (and maybe some unknown ones as well) have contributed to my loafishness.

So today, I got up early and after making a very pleasant omelette for breakfast, I thought about meatloaf. Where does it come from? Who created it? Why does it seem to be cross-cultural, at least in the meat eating cultures?

My friend Stephen said something to me recently that stuck with me. In having a conversation with his mom, Antonia, they came to the realisation that most American dishes are just versions of famous ethnic or gourmet dishes made with prepackaged ingredients and more time saving shortcuts taken in the preparation. This would marginally explain Chef Boyardee or the use of transfats, but how does it impact meatloaf? This made me turn to my Larousse Gastronomique. I have two of these useful books, one from 1961 and one from 2001. For those of you that don't know Larousse Gastronomique is basically an encyclopedia of food and food preparation. It gives the origins, common types, and uses for any number of ingredients, dishes and utensils. It does all this from a French cuisine bias, but it still is incredibly useful, especially for a trivia nut like myself.

Anyway, Larousse doesn't have a listing for meatloaf and there is barely a mention of it under the entire meat section. Being of French origin, I didn't think this was too surprising. I mean meatloaf isn't French in spite of the huge section on pates and forcemeats. So I went to the English for help. The Oxford Companion to Food (1999) is basically an English knock off of Gastronomique. This is a common practice among dictionary/encyclopedia publishers, but Oxford does, at least, have a reference to meatloaf. According to Oxford meatloaf is:

a dish whose visibility is considerably higher in real life, especially in N. America and Britain, than in cookery books. This situation might be changed if it had a French name (pate chaud de viande hachee, prealablement marinee dans du vin de pays et des aromatiques), but it does not. In the USA the term was only recorded in print from 1899, in Britain not until 1939 (although liver loaf and ham loaf occurred earlier). The use of 'loaf' is particularly appropriate as most recipes include bread, usually in the form of soft breadcrumbs. Also, it is shaped like a loaf and may indeed be baked in a loaf tin or something similar. A worthy dish, which can embody the sort of rusticity which the word 'peasant' evokes, but can also exhibit the kind of refinement associated with bourgeois cookery. Its range, however, does not extend into the realm of haute cuisine.
The editors of the OED assert that meat loaf is usually eaten cold in slices.

Strange that Oxford fails to mention that a meatloaf is actually made from meat, but I guess they are not perfect. I should mention that, the editors of this book crack me up. There is a underlying humour in almost everything they write. You can almost picture the smarmy, mousey looking researcher sitting at their desk giggling as they write stuff like "this situation might be changed..." or "a worthy dish..."and especially, "the editors... assert that meat loaf is usually eaten cold...". You can almost hear the resounding 'Jolly Goods' and 'Brilliants' coming from the editorial meetings, but I digress.

It is funny that it seems to be a point of honour, taken up by the contributor, that meatloaf is too low brow for the French, but it coould be rectified by a high-falutin' name change and also that the 'loaf could never be part of haute cuisine.

And I don't know if it is just me, but it is like this reference simply says that meatloaf is a peasant dish, served earliest in the USA (ie the peasants) with adoption in the UK at a later date where it is raised from its humble roots (ie bourgeois cookery), but, of course, it could never possibly be improved, especially not by those haughty French bastards.

I guess meatloaf, like other dishes, is, in fact, best served cold.

2005-07-06T16:50:00.000-04:00

It has been a rough week at work and I am feeling less than creative. I will update soon.

2005-07-01T13:22:00.002-04:00

Just 'cause you love meatloaf doesn't mean you can't love vegetables. Good food is good food and creative competent cooks can be meat eaters and not. Well, my friend Bill is a meat eater and his girlfriend Keri is not. So Bill cooks phenomenal vegetarian dishes when he is at home and eats meat when he is out with friends.

Because of this I asked Bill to send me his recipe for nut roast. It is a great dish (so is Bill) and I thought it needed to be shared. It is a great example of vegetarian cooking that isn't bland or boring, isn't a poor copy of a meat dish and is better than the sum of its parts. So here you go.

Vegetarian Nut Roast with Miso Gravy

You won’t believe how delicious this nut roast is especially when it’s smothered in rich miso gravy, which tastes like the real thing. But it’s purely veg – perfect for those nostalgic vegetarians who pine for the flavour of gravy on special occasions – or any time, for that matter. Don’t assume this dish is just for vegetarians, either. The biggest meat-eater I know tried this nut roast and he loved it. It’s perfect as a side dish, too. But you absolutely must to try the gravy on some mashed potatoes.

Vegetarian Nut Roast

1 large onion
2 large cloves garlic
1/8 cup butter
1/8 cup olive oil
1 cup whole unsalted cashew nuts
1 cup whole pecan nuts
1 cup white bread, torn into pieces
1 cup vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
thyme leaves

Stuffing

1 x 284 gram bag spinach
2 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 shiitake mushroom, sliced, cut in medium dice
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 cup white bread, torn into pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable stock

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400º F.

2. Grease and line a 1 lb loaf tin with parchment paper. Use a pair of scissors to cut the paper into two strips – one strip to fit the length and one for the width of the tin. Make sure there is enough paper hanging over the edge so that you can easily pull the paper up to remove the nut roast from the tin. Make sure the parchment paper is greased, as well.

3. In a medium-sized saucepan, lightly sauté the onions in a combination of olive oil and butter until tender but not brown. Remove from the heat.

4. Grind the cashews and pecans in the food processor with the bread and garlic and add to the sautéed onion in the saucepan (off the heat), together with the boiled vegetable stock, fresh thyme leaves and salt and pepper.

5. Let this mixture stand while preparing the stuffing.

6. Wash the spinach leaves, break off and discard the stems.

7. Fill a medium-sized saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil. Fill a small bowl with ice water and place near saucepan on stove.

8. Plunge spinach leaves in boiling water and blanch for 1-2 minutes.

9. Immediately remove spinach from boiling water with a slotted spoon and drop into the ice water in order to cold-shock it. The spinach will retain its vivid green colour this way.

10. Drain and thoroughly squeeze excess water from spinach. Set aside in small bowl.

11. Put shiitake mushrooms into a different bowl and drizzle sherry vinegar and olive oil over top.

12. Add chopped garlic and thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes to absorb flavours.

13. In a small skillet, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until it turns translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes or until they are tender and the juices have released. Let cool.

14. Grind bread, spinach and mushroom mixture in food processor and moisten with vegetable stock, if necessary.

15. Pour half of the nut mixture into the prepared tin, top with all of the stuffing, then spoon the rest of the nut mixture on top.

16. Dot with the remaining butter and stand the tin another larger tin to catch any drippings.

17. Bake for 30 minutes or until it turns deep brown. Remove from oven.

18. Cool for a minute in the tin, then slip a knife around the sides. Turn the nut roast out onto a cutting board and strip off the parchment paper strips.

19. Cut roast into slices and serve fanned out on a platter. Serve with miso gravy.

Miso Gravy
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 carrot, peeled, finely, diced
1 finely diced stalk celery
1 finely diced medium Onion
1 leek, (white part only), rinsed, finely, diced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups canned vegetable stock
1 tbsp barley miso, soybean paste available from any health store
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh parsley, with stem, cut in 3 parts
1 tbsp cornstarch
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a skillet, over medium heat, saute the carrot, onion, celery and leek in the vegetable oil until caramel-y on the edges and the pan is fairly dry.

2. Add the wine and bring to a medium boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve any brown bits into the liquid. Simmer until most of the wine has evapourated.

3. Add the vegetable stock, Miso, soy sauce, thyme and parsley and stir until Miso is dissolved. Bring up to the boil then reduce to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let the herbs steep in the liquid for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Strain the sauce with a fine sieve. Bring the mixture back up to a simmer over medium high heat. Mix the cornstarch with 1/3 cup water in a measuring cup and stir together with a fork.

5. Add the cornstarch mixture to the gravy and simmer until it thickens slightly.

6. Keep warm until ready to serve, or refrigerate and warm up when ready to go.

2005-06-29T00:50:00.000-04:00

Meatloaf is apocryphal. Yup, there is something primitive about the 'loaf. It seems to call to all cultures, creeds and ethnicities. This doesn't mean it is stagnant. The 'loaf is ever changing, as I found out tonight.

Some of you may remember Athena's comment that she "took an informal poll" and that 'loaf was only batting about .500.

Well, this shook me. Yup, it shook me to my core. Being chief lobbyist of the 'loaf in question, I have a lot of questions to answer on a daily basis. You wouldn't believe how may people get antagonistic over the 'loaf. It would turn your hair white. Well, tonight I went toe to toe, yup, mano y mano, with the official driver of the nice yellow schoolbus to Hell.

Bryce.

He is the anti-christ's official chauffeur. And, boy, does he take his job seriously. He gets excited by sin. And not your run of the mill sin. He takes EVERYONE's name in vein. Every chance he gets he makes bad choices. Simple.

Anyway, needless to say, Bryce voted in the contrary, in Athena's straw poll, about meatloaf. Strangely, growing up in rural Saskatchewan made him anti 'loaf. However counter-intuitive that is , I had to accept it. Saskatchewan has been nothing but a speedbump to me in the past so why should I know anything about the culinary perogatives of the prairie folk, past or present (sorry, Danielle).

Well, Bryce was anti 'loaf. He hated it; didn't understand the purpose. He just couldn't find a place in his heart for the ground baked meat. As many of you know, this is anathema to me, but, also knowing me, it isn't surprising that I didn't approach this situation as a confrontation. Bryce is a friend and if, god willing, I am on that bus, I will need all the help I can get, so I am not going to antagonize him. No sir!

So I brought out the big guns. Yup, the Big'uns! And for a loaf lover like myself this is only one thing. Yup, you guessed it.

Duck!

Bryce's jaw dropped. No, I didn't provide a lead up. I didn't say, "I can convert you". All I did was mention the Duck Burger from the cookbook. He asked for more information and I slammed him.

"Well", I said, "I was only looking at the cookbook because I wanted to expand my options. Every burger can be expanded to a loaf, you know. Think about it... Duckloaf."

You can almost see the jaw as it hits the floor. Maybe you can actually hear it. I did. It was a satisfying mixture of Iggy Pop and *kerplunk*. His only response, weak as it was, was "I love duck. Duck loaf sounds goooood."

No truer words have been spoken. Duck loaf does sound good, doesn't it? It is exciting, very exciting, but expensive. Buying enough ducks, deboned and ground, to fill your average loaf pan will cost you in upwards of $50. That is a lot for a 'loaf, but not out of reach. Inspite of the fact that duck is fatty and will shrink. A lot.

So, what do you do?

Bryce, Athena and myself brainstormed the problem.

The only thing we could come up with was

Triple Glazed Turducken Loaf with a Cranberry Relish

but I will talk about that later.

2005-06-28T16:41:00.001-04:00

What is it with the Brits and their cookbooks? Why are they so much more accepting of ethnic and or lifestyle food choices? Why can you get a curry on your fries (chips?!)? Why is vegetarianism so much more accepted and seen as a viable alternative, especially for restaurants?

I have this cookbook that I bought at work a while back. It is titled The Burger Book by Gina Steers and as you can imagine it is a collection of burger recipes. Of the 34 distinct burger recipes, 5 are fish and 10 are vegetarian. Roughly 45% of the book is for non meat eaters. The rest fall under meats and poultries and even those are more exciting than most. A couple fun examples would be Smoky Trout Burgers with Pesto Relish from fish. Or my favourite from poultry, Duck Burgers with Sweet Apple and Plum Relish. Meat comes in with a couple of whoppers (mind the pun) like Lamb Tikka Masala Burgers and Beef Teriyaki Burgers with Sizzling Vegetables. The veggie options are the true winners, however. How could one not get excited by Butternut Squash with Cornmeal Burgers or Blue Cheese and Apple Burgers or Macadamia and Feta Cheese Burgers? It just boggles the mind.

I just wonder where I can find enough ground duck to fill a loaf pan.

2005-06-24T01:12:00.005-04:00

My dear friend Kate sent me a short anecdote about growing up in her household. Her Mom, who I have known my entire waking life, is a phenomenal cook. And she is the most patrician woman named Patricia I have ever met. I never imagined she would ever cook a meatloaf, but according to Kate she did, on special days. Have a look:

"As kids, we got to choose our own birthday suppers. For a few years in a row I chose....meat loaf. I think this was in the Eva [the best Hungarian gourmet family friend anyone could ask for - editor] years when food at our house took a turn for the gourmet and meatloaf fell out of favour with the chef. What I really wanted was "frosted" meatloaf - oh yes, the loaf can be coated with a creamy white casing of mashed potatoes...I have seen photos in my Betty Crocker Junior Cooks cookbook. But I never got it. The mashed potatoes were always on the side... probably thesis writing and tending house and kids did not leave a lot of time for a left-handed, uncrafty-type to drive herself insane trying to smear potatoes evenly over a log of ground meat..."

Well, this was the first time I had ever heard of this 'frosted' loaf and to be honest, it really intrigued me. Albeit, 'frosted' loaf sounds like Shepherd's Pie without a 5pm visit from the gravy train, but what do I know. So as any enterprising blogger would, I googled it. And let me tell all of you once and for all. My Google-Fu is stronger than yours!!! So here is a simple recipe (from a very God-fearing woman named Heneliz) for...

Frosted Meatloaf

1 egg
1/3 cup quick oats
1/3 cup barbeque sauce
1/2 tsp salt
dash black pepper
1/3 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
instant mashed potatoes(or real,it's up to you)
sliced american cheese
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove minced garlic

1. In a bowl beat egg and add oats, barbeque sauce, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chopped onion and minced garlic. Mix well add ground beef & mix with hands.

2. Put your meat mixture into a loaf pan, bake at 350 degree oven for 1 hr & 15 mins. Remove from oven and drain fat.

3. Make instant potatoes according to package directions but use only 1/2 the milk. Spread the potatoes over top and sides of meatloaf bake 15 minutes more.

4. Put american cheese slices on top of potatoes and let melt before serving. Place meatloaf on serving platter and slice. You may substitute any kind of cheese you like.

I would pay particular attention to the last sentence. Please, by the will of God, substitute ANY kind of cheese you like. American cheese isn't!

And Kate, maybe it is time you frosted one up for your kids.

2005-06-22T23:52:00.005-04:00

Well, today I realised I wasn't the smartest man I know (no, it isn't you either Nick). It just so happens that the smartest man I know is a woman. Anna, during a very engaging discussion about the loaf, stated, and I paraphrase, "Well, it seems very Atkins friendly". Boy is she right. And maybe this is the exact thing we need to get meatloaf back into it's rightful place on the kitchen tables of America.

So for your enjoyment and recipe boxes, here is a meatloaf recipe approved by the good Doctor.

Mushroom-Flavored Meatloaf

Mushrooms, Parmesan and herbs jazz up plain-old meatloaf for a dish that just might become a family staple. Serve with roasted vegetables on the side for a nourishing and hearty autumn meal.

Ingredients
2 slices low-carb white bread, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano), divided
8 thinly sliced white mushrooms
7 finely chopped scallions, including half of the green tops
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 pounds ground chuck or ground turkey
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup ice water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, divided

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 13- by 9-inch baking pan with foil. Cover a wire rack with foil; prick foil in several places with a fork. Place rack in pan; set aside.

2. Pulse bread in a food processor to make fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.

3. In a small cup combine 1 tablespoon bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon Parmesan; set aside.

4. In a 12-inch skillet, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, scallions and garlic; sauté until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently, 5 to 7 minutes.

5. Transfer mushroom mixture to food processor and process until finely chopped.

6. In a large bowl, gently combine ground meat, plain bread crumbs, mushroom mixture, cream, water, egg, remaining Parmesan, salt, thyme, pepper and all but 2 tablespoons parsley. Mix until evenly blended. Transfer mixture to a work surface and form into a 9- by-5-inch loaf.

7. Place loaf on prepared rack. Bake for 1 hour. Sprinkle top of loaf with bread-crumb topping. Bake until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into center of loaf registers 160°F for chuck or 165°F for turkey and bread-crumb topping is nicely browned, 20 to 25 minutes more.

8. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons parsley.

Everything courtesy of

Thanks Anna!

2005-06-22T03:26:00.003-04:00

Well, I couldn't sleep. I think it has to do with the large cup of coffee I had around 5:30 this afternoon. Everytime I drink coffee after 4pm I am up all hours. Unless I dilute the coffee with liquor. That seems to work.

'What does this have to do with meatloaf?', you ask. It just so happens that one of the thoughts floating around in my scattered little mind while lying in bed was how much I loathe my father's hamloaf. When I say loathe, I mean loathe. The mere thought of this monstrosity still, to this day, actually, makes me cringe in a 'I'm about to be sick' sort of way. I am not sure why this has stayed with me. As a small child, I used to get violently ill when I smelled cooked eggs. That response was hard to break, but I managed and now I eat eggs regularly (egg salad still turns my stomach). So why is it that a loaf made of ham still haunts me at the ripe old age of 31. Its not like it was on regular rotation of the meals made by Dad repetoire. I only remember having to eat it twice and of it making an appearance, where I flatly refused, twice more after that. So why has this thing stuck with me?

My father grew up in odd circumstances and needless to say this affected his cooking. He is not a bad cook nor is he uncreative it is just that sometimes things he likes seem to come straight from the 'Tom Jode Cookbook'. I guess Newfoundland in the 30s and 40s was a rough place. Anyway, he used to keep these hams in the fridge kinda like this one (not to disparage the fine folks at Maple Leaf):

I don't know if any of you has ever had to open one of these puppies, but they have this disgusting layer of gelatinous ham juice coating their entirety. It is just gross. Anyway, my father would keep one of these in the fridge for use in a quick lunch or snack or something. None of us ever seemed to eat them, but my father would cut off a slice here or there and eat it with cheese on crackers or flatbreads (before they were called flatbreads). Rarely, but on more than one occasion, he would run out of things to cook for dinner (either in the fridge or his imagination) and would grind or chop what was left of one of these suckers, mix it with things (to this day I have no idea what went in it, but I have a feeling rice was involved) and bake it in loaf form. It would be served with potato and some sort of green vegetable (steamed broccoli is a Dad fave) and mustard pickles. Sometimes my mother would take pity on us and make cheese sauce.

I may not have made this sound all that unappetising, but to this day I get queasy whenever I see this type of damn ham.

2005-06-21T13:57:00.002-04:00

I thought I would show you all a picture of the meatloaf I made last night. It was great! I served it with garlic mashed sweet potatoes and some steamed carrots.

You may think it looks rather small, but that is only because I couldn't stop myself from having seconds. And no I didn't take a bite out of that slice right before I took the photo, but I thought about it.

2005-06-20T23:49:00.005-04:00

Tonight I made my first meatloaf in months, so I thought I would share the recipe with you. It was modified from a recipe I found in The All-American Truck Stop Cookbook.

Beef & Lamb Meatloaf

4 cups sliced mushrooms
4 cups chopped onions
1 tbsp butter
1 lb lean ground lamb
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 cup skim milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tbsp ground savory
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tbsp dried sage
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Glaze
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1 1/2 tbsp mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Saute the mushrooms and onions in the butter until most of the juice is gone. Put them aside and let them cool. Preheat oven at 375F. Combine all ingredients in large bowl, mix thoroughly. Place mixture in loaf pan. Combine glaze ingredients in bowl. Pour mixture over loaf, spreading evenly. Cook loaf for about 1 1/2 hours or until internal temperature is 150F. Let stand ~20 minutes before serving.

Enjoy.

2005-06-20T23:23:00.000-04:00

Inaugural post!! Tonight saw the humble beginnings of the I Love Meatloaf blog.

"Why meatloaf", you say? Well, I like a good meatloaf. I make a mean meatloaf. Whenever I see it on a menu I am always tempted. Meatloaf is a great food, so why not.

Meatloaf causes passions to rise in any number of people. I love them. Veggies get angry. Vegans get enraged. Grandmoms talk with dripping sentimentality about their secret recipes. Meatloaf is cross-cultural and as relevant today as it was in the 50s.