Tags
black pepper, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, egg, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, lean ground beef, minced garlic, pizza sauce
Well, it’s been a month since my last serious foray into the kitchen for the purposes of creating a meal from scratch. Granted, I have ventured across that threshold often, but the usual end result of my poking through cupboards and staring into the vastness of the inside of my fridge was either a) leftovers that I could eat cold (thank you, chicken tenders); b) a decent serving of orzo doctored up as “fancy mac and cheese;” c) slices of banana nut bread warmed up in the toaster oven and slathered with a teeny bit of butter; or d) a huge bowl of instant mashed potatoes blended with some shredded cheddar.
Thus answers the question of why I put “cook more” in my 12 in 12 resolutions list on my other blog. In case you were, ya know, wondering.
Anyhoo, I was finally in the mood to cook last Saturday. After feeding the cat her breakfast, I decided I was going to cook that night. That meant having something tasty for dinner AND as leftovers the next night, too. So, before heading out to class, I grabbed the meat out of the freezer and set it in the sink to defrost.
Later that day, after attending class, lunching at a local burrito joint, doing a little shopping for a class extra credit assignment and reading for a spell, it was finally time to get cooking with the one and only main dish recipe I know by heart without having to look it up. (I looked it up for the purposes of this blog so I could get the measurements right, though.) I even knew I’d need to start an hour before I planned to eat.
Now, without further ado, let’s make some meatloaf…
Nikki’s Italian-style Meatloaf: The Recipe
It starts out as Mom’s recipe (the first 4 ingredients), to which I add Italian-style flair. I like the flavors, but the plain Jane version is just as good.
1 lb. lean ground beef “in a tube” (or if you prefer, the same under cellophane)- 1/4 C. finely chopped onion or half that in frozen chopped onions (which are a bit stronger)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 C. breadcrumbs, with another 1/4 C. in reserve
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp. pizza sauce
- 1/2 tbsp. Italian seasonings mix
The Preparation
1. Add everything but the Italian seasonings and the reserve breadcrumbs in a bowl, and mix. Now, most people would get out their trusted wooden spoon or other utensil here. Me, I’m really old school. I get my hands dirty, literally. I can’t seem to blend the mixture as well if I’m not squishing it between my fingers and turning and kneading it like it’s bread. I think it’s more evenly mixed up that way, but if the idea turns you off, by all means, grab that wooden spoon and mix away.
2. When it’s almost fully mixed, pause a moment. If it feels (or looks) too wet, add up to the full amount of the 1/4 C. breadcrumbs held in reserve. This is also a good time to add those Italian seasonings as well, along with a twist of freshly ground black pepper and a pinch or two of kosher salt.
3. Spray a baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. I have the round glass type like Mom does, but the white Corningware ones will work just as well. If it has a glass cover for it, too, so much the better.
4. Pat your meatloaf mixture into a loaf shape and put in the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with another twist of freshly ground black pepper if you like. If you’re feeling really adventurous, add a little swirl of extra pizza sauce to the top, too. (For the plain version, swap ketchup for the pizza sauce.)
5. Cover and bake 1 hour in the oven preheated at 350 degrees.
Once the meatloaf is done, uncover and let rest for a minute or so. Then all that’s left is slicing off a serving, grabbing a fork and sitting down to the table.
A Word About Sides and “Midwestern Madness”
One of the handiest things about this recipe is that you can also bake a potato for 1 hour at the same temperature right alongside the meatloaf. This is where what I call a “potato nail” comes in handy, too (that silver, well, nail you see in the photo at right). It helps to cook the inside of the potato and they’re so easy to remove, either with a pair of kitchen pliers or a kitchen towel. This was my side of choice on Saturday, having found a spud in the fridge of just the right size. Don’t forget to poke the ‘tater a few times with a knife so it cooks rather than explodes… :)
I also recommend adding something green to the plate, such as a small salad or green veggie of choice. I didn’t happen to have any (empty fridge, remember), but it goes really well. So does good potato salad, especially the mustard kind. Once you have these three elements (meatloaf and two sides), you have what I call “Midwestern Madness.” Having grown up in Minnesota, this was a favorite meal of my childhood, and is just as good now as then.
Other Options
I have also been known to mix up a batch of this meatloaf only to take the quick way out and make burgers instead. They stay together better when cooking, can be stored in the freezer separated by wax paper, and taste really wonderful when topped with a slice of your favorite cheese.
If you’re not a ground beef fan, try using ground turkey. I’ve gone that route many a time in the past and it tastes just as good as the original, especially as burgers. You might require more breadcrumbs to keep it together, but otherwise the recipe’s the same.
Bon appétit, y’all!
Photos © NixDesk
